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B&A: A great source for design info (including fonts)
Subject:B&A: A great source for design info (including fonts) From:Robert Barlow-Busch <bob -at- SONYCOM -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 31 Jul 1998 14:32:13 +0200
With the recent posts about font choice and other design
issues, I thought I'd make a suggestion. Take a look at this
magazine:
Before and After: How to Design Cool Stuff
- ISSN 1049-0035
- http://www.pagelab.com/
- subscription rate $36/year for six issues (Canadian
subscribers add $4, overseas add $18)
Each issue is very small, but _packed_ with excellent,
practical advice. There are no advertisements, either. Here
are examples of topics from previous issues:
- The so-simple rules for effective forms
- How to draw great visual instructions
- Make an easy-to-read data sheet
- How to typeset an interview
- Bright, simple charts
- How to set a perfect paragraph of type
- No color? How to get the most from black & white
All of their back issues are available for order. Common
topics include newsletter design and typefaces. The volume 4
number 3 issue from 1994 has an article called "What
typefaces are best for text?", in which they discuss their
favorite dozen text faces. Here are some quotes:
"First choice for books, [Adobe] Caslon is probably the
Roman alphabet's most readable typeface. Its letters aren't
beautiful, but strung into sentences and paragraphs they
have fit, texture, bite, and can be read comfortably for
hours."
"If we could have only one typeface, [Adobe Garamond] would
be it; Garamond is easy to read and elegant, too. It's a
fine display face -- rare in this class -- and as a result
can carry a document all by itself. Garamond sets small; set
text in ten-point minimum with about ten percent extra
leading."
A recommendation from a happy subscriber,
Robert Barlow-Busch
Sony Platform Software Development Center, Brussels, Belgium
bob -at- sonycom -dot- com
