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Type on Screen
The long awaited follow-up to our all-time bestseller Thinking with Type is here. Type on Screen is the definitive guide to using classic typographic concepts of form and structure to make dynamic compositions for screen-based applications. Covering a broad range of technologies—from electronic publications and websites to videos and mobile devices—this hands-on primer presents the latest information available to help designers make critical creative decisions, including how to choose typefaces for the screen, how to style beautiful, functional text and navigation, how to apply principles of animation to text, and how to generate new forms and experiences with code-based operations. Type on Screen is an essential design tool for anyone seeking clear and focused guidance about typography for the digital age.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 3, 2016
If you picked this book up on the strength of Lupton's Thinking with Type, you may be in for a disappointment. For one thing, while “Thinking with Type” was written by Lupton, “Type on Screen” is edited by her (she’s the main author, but large parts were written by her students and others).
There’s some good material here, though: the book starts with a recap of the parts of a font or typeface, then proceeds to explain how type on a printed page differs from type on a computer screen, zooming out to layout and how HTML differs from traditional typesetting; the fact that while a traditional typesetter knows whether she’s working on a paperback or a poster, web design has to accommodate desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones.
And yet, for all this useful, practical advice, the book seems padded. One section has pages of fonts, rating each one on criteria like flexibility, showmanship, and classiness. It seems this space could have been better spent explaining how to identify a flexible font in an online catalog.
Likewise, the examples of work by Lupton’s students, while often beautiful, often take up more space than they ought. And the final section, which talks about icons, logos, computer-generated fonts, and more, seems less like a how-to manual and more like an art exhibit, a celebration of freedom from the constraints of paper.
Do read this if you’re interested in what Lupton has to say—and a lot of it is interesting—but it’s far more of a mixed bag than in “Thinking With Type”, so prepare to skip a lot.
There’s some good material here, though: the book starts with a recap of the parts of a font or typeface, then proceeds to explain how type on a printed page differs from type on a computer screen, zooming out to layout and how HTML differs from traditional typesetting; the fact that while a traditional typesetter knows whether she’s working on a paperback or a poster, web design has to accommodate desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones.
And yet, for all this useful, practical advice, the book seems padded. One section has pages of fonts, rating each one on criteria like flexibility, showmanship, and classiness. It seems this space could have been better spent explaining how to identify a flexible font in an online catalog.
Likewise, the examples of work by Lupton’s students, while often beautiful, often take up more space than they ought. And the final section, which talks about icons, logos, computer-generated fonts, and more, seems less like a how-to manual and more like an art exhibit, a celebration of freedom from the constraints of paper.
Do read this if you’re interested in what Lupton has to say—and a lot of it is interesting—but it’s far more of a mixed bag than in “Thinking With Type”, so prepare to skip a lot.
April 24, 2022
Since Gutenberg, fonts have spent a lot of effort at perfecting how words appears on print. However, in the last several decades, screens have taken over. Thus, there has been a subtle shift in paradigms. For example, humans read text on screens typically further away than print; thus, designs for screens need to have a larger font size. To explore these nuances, Lupton (an established expert in typography) and her students at the Maryland Institute College of Art wrote this book, filled with graphical examples to inspire.
First, the good. This book is best considered as an anthology or collection of examples. Because these examples often come from her students, they take on a variety of forms and styles. Anyone looking for a starting point on a topic can find something useful in this book. Oftentimes, references for further research are provided with the example; this provides a treasure-trove to the engaged reader. Details are picked up in the text that can inform anyone engaged in the typography business, whether designers, writers, developers, or students.
However, because this book is a compilation, it lacks a consistent message and can vary thematically too much. Those expecting to see Lupton’s genius at work here might feel disappointed. The graphical examples and the accompanying captions are often stronger than the main text. Such an approach might not hurt this work’s affinity with designers, but other audiences like developers or writers could likely benefit from more theory. The last chapter in particular – on animated text – seemed to lose cohesion as a sequence of exciting examples instead of centrally conveying a theme.
Summary: Great with examples but lacking a strong theoretical message.
First, the good. This book is best considered as an anthology or collection of examples. Because these examples often come from her students, they take on a variety of forms and styles. Anyone looking for a starting point on a topic can find something useful in this book. Oftentimes, references for further research are provided with the example; this provides a treasure-trove to the engaged reader. Details are picked up in the text that can inform anyone engaged in the typography business, whether designers, writers, developers, or students.
However, because this book is a compilation, it lacks a consistent message and can vary thematically too much. Those expecting to see Lupton’s genius at work here might feel disappointed. The graphical examples and the accompanying captions are often stronger than the main text. Such an approach might not hurt this work’s affinity with designers, but other audiences like developers or writers could likely benefit from more theory. The last chapter in particular – on animated text – seemed to lose cohesion as a sequence of exciting examples instead of centrally conveying a theme.
Summary: Great with examples but lacking a strong theoretical message.
May 22, 2017
For learning the ins and outs of typography for the web, the little On Web Typography by Jason Santa Maria is still better, but this book is good for a survey-style intro to all things on screen. Each spread mentions a concept that you can then learn more about somewhere else. It spends a lot of time on typefaces, special characters, or the grid, but it also recognizes that the screen doesn't end there -- you'll find scalable vector graphics, design wireframes, or overview of storyboarding in this handbook as well. Sometimes it goes into unnecessary detail, like pages and pages of examples of how type can be animated (you can see all this if you open any slide-show producing software), but in general it is a decent intro to working with type and graphics on screen. Not bad.
February 20, 2018
As a software developer, I would say this is a well structured book with lots of sources and tips about usability and design in general, but its main focus are students because it talks about the the bases of design. Half of the book's information could be found on internet, since there are plenty of references to sources from academies like MICA or companies like iA. Also, I think the author wants to talk about almost everything related to design and she doesn't deep into any of the topics, which is a pity. I liked it, but I would only recommend it to someone who wants to start studying design or usability (or both).
PS: I think its a bit outdated in terms of html + css development, since there are some tags and units not mentioned in this book. I don't know if they have edited another version of the book, but if not, they should!
PS: I think its a bit outdated in terms of html + css development, since there are some tags and units not mentioned in this book. I don't know if they have edited another version of the book, but if not, they should!
October 24, 2019
I was intimidated to get started reading this book, it stayed on my desk in a pile for a couple of weeks before I opened it. Turns out, it is very friendly and useful. I started reading it at the laundromat and then realized with all it's links I needed to copy everything on my computer to note down where I wanted to keep reading. So it was best to read at the desk, with a notebook and a laptop.
I got this from the library and I want to get a copy that I can keep to reference it.
I got this from the library and I want to get a copy that I can keep to reference it.
October 20, 2023
This book is increasingly outdated, offers repetitive content, and showcases designs touted for their novelty more than their practicality for real-world use. Your time is much better spent reading (or re-reading!) Lupton's Thinking with Type.
August 31, 2020
very readable book that takes you through much of the evolution and ideas of type as meta communication. Innovative and creative. having a variety of voices present ideas was useful and engaging, like spending an afternoon at an art gallery.
July 24, 2024
Uma ótima base para UI Designers, bem agradável e de fácil leitura. Porém, está um pouco defasado em relação às aplicações de tipografias no meio digital. Fornece uma visão superficial de vários tópicos, sem se aprofundar muito neles.
June 20, 2018
Ellen Lupton makes typography for the screen accessible to anyone with her series of books.
October 11, 2018
Nicely designed. It goes without saying, but the opposite happens, that a book on design needs to be well designed.
Informative and shows case examples.
Informative and shows case examples.
March 15, 2023
Good general read but a bit outdated; case studies weren't as interesting.
August 23, 2023
Ellen Lupton is an authority on the topic. The book is beautifully designed, engaging, and easy to learn from.
March 10, 2024
would have loved to have read this in the year of publishing
March 11, 2024
Good book, but sadly many of the mentioned projects and websites are dead.
August 8, 2015
I think this book suffers from a failure of medium: a moderate-dimension printed page is not the modality in which the authors' ideas are best conveyed. Additionally, I disagree with many layout choices, editorial choices, and with some of the content, which is presented as gospel without supporting evidence.
For contrast, try the Bible of visual layout: Edward Tufte's The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Don't, please don't, take type on screen's advice about pie charts.
I'm sure there exists a similar Bible for color (Josef Albers Interaction of Color, perhaps), and one for web layout. For example, how wide should a column of text be? It's unclear; I didn't find the answer in this book, although I did find many nigh-illegible screenshots of iPads or web browsers. (Ironically, a later chapter highlights the use of wireframes to present concepts - a much more effective small-scale way of sharing layout information, versus a downsized screen capture.)
I did find the discussion and sampling of fonts useful. I found the usefulness of later chapters to be lower; for example, I really could have used a discussion of how readers' (or users') eyes track along columns and lines, to reinforce the claim that 72 characters is the optimal column width for readability. Instead, several examples were given for different page layouts, with no real winner selected.
For contrast, try the Bible of visual layout: Edward Tufte's The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Don't, please don't, take type on screen's advice about pie charts.
I'm sure there exists a similar Bible for color (Josef Albers Interaction of Color, perhaps), and one for web layout. For example, how wide should a column of text be? It's unclear; I didn't find the answer in this book, although I did find many nigh-illegible screenshots of iPads or web browsers. (Ironically, a later chapter highlights the use of wireframes to present concepts - a much more effective small-scale way of sharing layout information, versus a downsized screen capture.)
I did find the discussion and sampling of fonts useful. I found the usefulness of later chapters to be lower; for example, I really could have used a discussion of how readers' (or users') eyes track along columns and lines, to reinforce the claim that 72 characters is the optimal column width for readability. Instead, several examples were given for different page layouts, with no real winner selected.
January 22, 2017
Not the most helpful book. There are better guides out there for using type in CSS. There are better lists of good typefaces. There are better examples of typography in digital design. This is just ok in these areas.
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November 7, 2014686.22 T9913 2014
June 30, 2015
Some interesting case studies, and some really impractical ones, with heavy emphasis on student work. Overall, an OK guide for student designers.
May 6, 2016
Covers more than just typography. Looks at epub, wireframes, storyboards and creating text from code.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews