Shaping Text takes a practical and broad approach to typography. It is aimed at design students and graphic designers, and also at those who are concerned with content: writers, editors and publishers. Showing a wide range of examples from first-rate designers across the world, the book examines why and how typographic designs work well in a given context. Particular attention is given to the team play between the text itself – written language – and the design – the shaping of the text – to form a new, multi-level visual message with a complex content.
Shaping Text works the other way around. It starts by looking at graphic products – in print, on the screen and in the environment – and then examines the constituting elements, including type, image, ornament, layout, and colour. Historical examples are used as references for most genres of text-shaping; a chronological overview of type design and printing techniques forms a lengthy appendix rather than the core of the book.