Chapter 1. The Terminology of Type

Appreciation

It’s no exaggeration to say that each letter, numeral, and punctuation mark of a well designed typeface is a self-contained picture of visual and communicative perfection. In fact, that’s the whole point of an exquisitely crafted typographic character—to act as a component of an extended alphabet while also expressing itself through aesthetic ideals involving structure, shape, balance, and flow.

It’s strange, then, when you think about it, how such incredible examples of beauty and function can go so completely unnoticed. Everyday readers overlook these visual gems, as do many of us who actually make our livings by offering them to the world through the logos, layouts, and websites we design. ...

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