Shaping Text

by Jan Middendorp

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 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, multilevel visual message with a complex content.

Genres: Design

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2011

About the author

Jan Middendorp is een voormalig Nederlands politicus. Hij studeerde Geologie aan de Vrije Universiteit en daarna ook Economie aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam en werkte 15 jaar als bankier bij o.a. Rothschild en ABN AMRO waarvan zeven jaar in India en Engeland.
Van maart 2017 tot maart 2021 maakte hij deel uit van de Tweede Kamer.

Reviews

[Wilte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, prime example of practice what you preach.

Some quotes/pictures:
https://twitter.com/wilte/status/1385...

[H James · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the penultimate page of this clear, accessible, and trustworthy guide to designing with type, Mr Middendorp issues a challenge to educators: “There is a task for design schools here: today’s designers need to learn how to perform the tasks of the professional typesetter and proofreader − nobody else is doing it.” This indictment of the publishing industry at large is both justified and suggests that Mr Middendorp was acutely aware that the creation of a work as admirable as Shaping Text cannot be left to the usual processes.

Within this framing, it makes sense that Shaping Text manages to feel like a masterly work despite having more than its share of grammatical hiccups: we are simply sensing the patina of prose constructed by a non‑native speaker. Even with a liberal sprinkling of malformed clauses, not‑quite‑right prepositions, and other oddities, Mr Middendorp’s ideas are clearly delivered, which is fortunate because they are well considered and worth heeding. His design examples, although highly Eurocentric, stem from diverse eras and movements; his definitions and explanations are clear and accurate; and his recommendations are sound.

Shaping Text is a textbook much more than a desk reference, so it may be of limited value to advanced professionals. It will be applicable to design students, hobbyists, and professionals just getting started. It includes enough background and context to be approachable by absolute beginners (the section on numerals even includes a quick primer on how to read Roman numerals—what a mensch!), but the more compact Inside Paragraphs may be a more immediately useful source. Shaping Text may be be less applicable than The Elements of Typographic Style to anyone working with long‑form texts but will be more valuable to anyone working with posters, covers, branding, or web‑design.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it a lot! The title may be a little misleading, as it isn't just about setting long copy w text faces. Middendorp also talks about display setting, especially with OpenType faces that enable typesetting that's comes close to very good hand lettering.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. Comprehensive, current, while easy to read.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with lots of examples, covering everything you can think of in typography and explaining quite a lot about graphic design in general.