20 text faces

I mentioned this writer/designer/software developer during the first or second class (he developed the core of the content management system called textpattern). This link is a great resource discussing the pros and cons of 20 typefaces that were designed specifically for setting extended text (keep in mind he is presenting educated opinions – highly educated, but still opionions): Twenty Faces.

Reading Assignment No. 2/ Blog Assignment No. 4

Reading Assignment No. 2
Publication Design Workbook, pp 33–48

Blog Assignment No. 4
Find a book that is the same format as the series you are designing, or very close (5 x 8; 6 x 9, etc.), and contains a similar style of content – a biography, for example. Tell us the title, author, publisher, publication date and ISBN. Analyze the typography and address the following questions in your blog post. Use images to illustrate your findings.

• Typeface/ What is the typeface and why do you think it was chosen? Is it appropriate? Refer to the Book Design project handout for a refresher on the issues that influence the selection of a typeface.


• Type size/ Using the scale on page 36 in Publication Design Workbook, give an educated estimate of the size of the type used.


• Interline space, or leading/ Looking at page 39 in Publication Design Workbook, which example most closely resembles the text setting of the book you are examining?


• Indent/ If the paragraphs are articulated using an indent, how deep does it appear to be? Is there a relationship to the size of the type or the leading?


• Line length/ How many words per line, on average? Is it comfortable to read?

Now, compare the book series you are designing. How do your design decisions compare?

Blog Assignment No. 3

Most of the examples we saw during your book series presentations used a single-column grid, also called a block or manuscript grid. Discuss at least 2 other kinds of grids, show visual samples and use vocabulary that describes the specific anatomical features that make up a grid.

Reading Assignment No. 1

Read through page 25 in Timothy Samara's Publication Design Workbook. Discussion and quiz on Monday, September 15.

Textbook

Remember to bring the required textbook to class on Monday, September 8.

Blog Assignment No. 2

1. Comment on 3 of your classmates' blogs. In each comment discuss one aspect of the design that is successful, and then offer constructive criticism in an area that shows room for improvement.


2. Select a book (any genre) whose format appeals to you. Tell us, your faithful readers, what the format of the book is, post a picture of the cover, and hyperlink the image to where we can purchase the book online, because we will surely run right out and do so.

Book design: format specifications

For this assignment, the publisher of the 4 books in your series (yep, I'm specifying the same format and same publisher for all of you) will be Princeton Architectural Press. The format of the books will be 5 inches wide by 8 inches tall (portrait orientation). For the PDF you will show front cover, back cover and include a 0.375 inch (width) spine.

Project: book design

Click here to download a PDF copy of the book design project handout.