Type Design

TypeTalk: The Anatomy of a Character

You've known the names of letters and numbers since you were a little kid. But did you realize that every part of those characters have names, too? Knowing this terminology will help you better understand typefaces and communicate about design.

Try These Type Webinars from Ilene Strizver

If your print or online projects use type, you can benefit from this series of webinars designed by CreativePro.com columnist and type expert Ilene Strizver.

Hand-Lettering Lovers, Rejoice

Lisa Congdon (known for her Collection a Day and her work as an illustrator/artist) is at it again. She's committed to creating and posting an example of hand lettering for every day in 2012.

European Design Conference Comes to America

The first TYPO conference held in the United States will be in San Francisco on April 5 and 6, 2012.

TypeTalk: Font Games Galore

It's OK to play with your type; in fact, it's fun! Just don't assume that professional typographers agree with all of the supposedly correct answers to these font games.

Best of the Blogs: November 4, 2011

This circumnavigation of the blogosphere includes posts about fonts (best, worst, and missing), color correction (Photoshop curves and/or levels), paper (handmade and mill run), printers (desktop and press), color calibration (monitor and printer), and an impressive if controversial demo of photo-deblurring technology. Plus, job hunting tips and product how-tos.

Make Monograms the Easy Way

Inexpensive fonts let you create custom monograms and cyphers from any letter combination. The styles range from traditional to childlike.

Be a Type Designer in New Game

These font games are not just fun--they're educational! At least, that's what you can tell yourself when you realize you've been playing them for an hour.

Typographic Rugs Are Real Treasures

Whether you're a fancier of fonts, connoisseur of comic books, or an appreciator of art, you'll require these rugs from Linus Dean.

Best of the Blogs: September 21, 2011

Lately, there have been a lot of provocative questions in design and photography blogs: Are there rules for creativity? Can designers embrace fear? What's the difference between looking at and seeing typography? But there's less cerebral stuff, too, like upgrading your camera, understanding image compositing, observing the day of a graphic designer, and filling your layouts with hipster lingo. I bring you all of that content and more in this installment of Best of the Blogs.

Scanning Around With Gene: Turning 25 in 69

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary in 1969, the international design journal Graphis invited prominent artists of the day to illustrate the number 25.

If You Like Type then You Better Put It on a Ring

Engrave anything you like on high-quality rings. You can choose from any of eight trendy typefaces or send in your own design.

Add Rare Wood Type Faces to Your Digital Designs

Wood Type Revival finds old wood type, prints them, turns the results into fonts, and sells the digital typefaces for very reasonable prices.

Download Second Dot-Font Book for Free

Topics in the free book by John D. Berry include "the pleasure of old type books," "warm modernism," "industrial cool," and "where type designs come from."

Scanning Around With Gene: The Speedball Pen

Since 1915, the Speedball pen has been inspiring calligraphers and lettering artists around the world. You'll understand why when you see the 1927 edition of the Speedball instruction manual.

Marrying Types: All in the Family

For many designs, the typographic variety afforded by a single typeface family is enough. And maybe more than enough.

New Font Creates Charts and Graphs for You

With the Chartwell OpenType fonts, you can create custom pie charts, bar graphs, and line graphs as easily as typing "1, 2, 3".

Best of the Blogs: August 15, 2011

It's an excellent round-up this time, with Photoshop tips, typography tricks, publishing news, and much more. And read to the end to find out why you'll soon be speccing shades of orange as Apu, Garfield, or Tigger.

TypeTalk: Five Typographic No-Nos

If you want your type to looks its best, be on the watch for these five typographic "don'ts".

Web-Only Series Covers Typography, Photography, More

"Off Book" is a little gem of a program from PBS Arts. It's available only on the Web, which hopefully means no pledge breaks.