The design of the text itself demonstrates the points made It FEELS like a typography book. Allows students to see for themselves as they work through the text itself how specific choices and uses of type support the effectiveness of intent/content. Written specifically for beginning students Uses simple points, simple language. By "beginning at the beginning" and stepping carefully through each concept, the text ensures that no student is discouraged or left behind along the way. Numerous simple examples Features examples that, for the most part, reflect what was, and still is, possible on a simple type press (yet assumes that students have a working familiarity with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign or Quark Xpress ). Provides students with a rock-solid foundation for any typographic design problems they may encounter in the future. A focus on intent and content, not affect or style Makes informed distinctions between what is appropriate and what is merely show, especially in terms of the array of typos generated by computer users (outline type, bad letter spacing, distorted letterforms, impossibly tight leading, no distinction between display and text typography). Prepares students to pick and choose carefully and critically among all the typographic resources available to them today.

Numerous basic hands-on exercises Exercises require careful hand-rendering of letterforms to approximate the experience of handling (metal) type an experience the author feels best prepares students for understanding and appreciating all the nuances of type by first making your own. Helps students hone their hand/eye coordination and develop a typographic sensibility.