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Typography Quotes

The best quotes about type and typography. Feel free to suggest new quotes (Login required).

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The most popular typefaces are the easiest to read; their popularity has made them disappear from conscious cognition. It becomes impossible to tell if they are easy to read because they are commonly used, or if they are commonly used because they are easy to read.
The most popular typefaces are the easiest to read; their popularity has made them disappear from conscious cognition. It becomes impossible to tell if they are easy to read because they are commonly used, or if they are commonly used because they are easy to read.
- Zuzana Licko
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 yr
Trajan is the Arial of film posters.
Trajan is the Arial of film posters.
- Yves Peters
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · August 12, 201510 yr
The good, old legible types formerly used in print are being scorned in these days (on account of the new ones being cut every day). And yet, however many new faces may be cut, when they have been forgotten and no more new ones can be imagined, the old ones will once more be produced under the pretence that they are new, as is the case with other things.
The good, old legible types formerly used in print are being scorned in these days (on account of the new ones being cut every day). And yet, however many new faces may be cut, when they have been forgotten and no more new ones can be imagined, the old ones will once more be produced under the pretence that they are new, as is the case with other things.
- Wolfgang Fugger
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · August 10, 20187 yr
The first word of the first line is the critical word of that particular body of text. Let it start flush, at least.
The first word of the first line is the critical word of that particular body of text. Let it start flush, at least.
- William Addison Dwiggins
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 22, 201510 yr
Comic Sans – If you love it, you don’t know much about typography. If you hate it, you really don’t know much about typography either.
Comic Sans – If you love it, you don’t know much about typography. If you hate it, you really don’t know much about typography either.
- Vincent Connare
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 21, 201411 yr
Futura on a screen is like a cat in a bathtub.
Futura on a screen is like a cat in a bathtub.
- Tobias Frere-Jones
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · August 15, 20196 yr
A collection of Typefounder’s Specimen Books arranged chronologically will, perhaps, furnish a more useful history of the art than any that could be written.
A collection of Typefounder’s Specimen Books arranged chronologically will, perhaps, furnish a more useful history of the art than any that could be written.
- Talbot Baines Reed
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · April 15, 20179 yr
A good typographer is always a good reader.
A good typographer is always a good reader.
- Stephen Coles
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · June 9, 201511 yr
I discovered that I never really used Helvetica but I like to look at it. I like the VW beetle, too, although I’ve never driven one.
I discovered that I never really used Helvetica but I like to look at it. I like the VW beetle, too, although I’ve never driven one.
- Stefan Sagmeister
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 11, 201510 yr
Type design moves at the pace of the most conservative reader. The good type-designer therefore realizes that, for a new fount to be successful, it has to be so good that only very few recognize its novelty.
Type design moves at the pace of the most conservative reader. The good type-designer therefore realizes that, for a new fount to be successful, it has to be so good that only very few recognize its novelty.
- Stanley Morison
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 yr
Lettering is a precise art and strictly subject to tradition. The ‘New Art ’ notion that you can make letters whatever shapes you like,is as foolish as the notion, if anyone has such a notion, that you can make houses any shapes you like. You can’t, unless you live all by yourself on a desert island.
Lettering is a precise art and strictly subject to tradition. The ‘New Art ’ notion that you can make letters whatever shapes you like,is as foolish as the notion, if anyone has such a notion, that you can make houses any shapes you like. You can’t, unless you live all by yourself on a desert island.
- Stanley Morison
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr
Fonts turn words into stories.
Fonts turn words into stories.
- Sara Hyndman
Submitted: Renaissance Man · February 14, 201511 yr
We are type designers, punch cutters, type founders, compositors, printers and bookbinders from conviction and with passion. Not because we are insufficiently talented for other, higher, things, but because to us the highest things stand in the closest kinship to our own crafts.
We are type designers, punch cutters, type founders, compositors, printers and bookbinders from conviction and with passion. Not because we are insufficiently talented for other, higher, things, but because to us the highest things stand in the closest kinship to our own crafts.
- Rudolf Koch
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 yr
By all means break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well. That is one of the ends for which they exist.
By all means break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well. That is one of the ends for which they exist.
- Robert Bringhurst
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr
Typography is the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form.
Typography is the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form.
- Robert Bringhurst
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · April 5, 201511 yr
Typography provides the most characteristic picture of a period
Typography provides the most characteristic picture of a period
- Peter Behrens
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · April 28, 201511 yr
Words have meaning. Type has spirit. The combination is spectacular.
Words have meaning. Type has spirit. The combination is spectacular.
- Paula Scher
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · June 24, 201510 yr
Geometry can produce legible letters, but art alone makes them beautiful. Art begins where geometry ends, and imparts to letters a character transcending mere measurement.
Geometry can produce legible letters, but art alone makes them beautiful. Art begins where geometry ends, and imparts to letters a character transcending mere measurement.
- Paul Standard (Calligrapher)
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · October 8, 201510 yr
Typography is a hidden tool of manipulation within society. All schools should be teaching typography; we should be fundamentally aware of how typographic language is forming out assholes.
Typography is a hidden tool of manipulation within society. All schools should be teaching typography; we should be fundamentally aware of how typographic language is forming out assholes.
- Neville Brody
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · May 22, 201511 yr
Type is a beautiful group of letters, not a group of beautiful letters.
Type is a beautiful group of letters, not a group of beautiful letters.
- Matthew Carter
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr
There are so many young and talented type designers today. I think we are in a kind of type design renaissance.
There are so many young and talented type designers today. I think we are in a kind of type design renaissance.
- Mark Simonson
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · April 11, 201610 yr
Lettering differs from type in the same way that modeling clay differs from LEGO® bricks.
Lettering differs from type in the same way that modeling clay differs from LEGO® bricks.
- Mark Simonson
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · June 25, 20187 yr
Most people think typography is about fonts. Most designers think typography is about fonts. Typography is more than that, it’s expressing language through type. Placement, composition, typechoice.
Most people think typography is about fonts. Most designers think typography is about fonts. Typography is more than that, it’s expressing language through type. Placement, composition, typechoice.
- Mark Boulton
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr
A life rich in reading is the only path to thinking and creating.
A life rich in reading is the only path to thinking and creating.
- Mandy Brown
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 2, 201510 yr
90 percent of design is typography. And the other 90 percent is whitespace.
90 percent of design is typography. And the other 90 percent is whitespace.
- Jeffrey Zeldman
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · December 31, 201510 yr
Perfect typography is certainly the most elusive of all arts. Sculpture in stone alone comes near it in obstinacy.
Perfect typography is certainly the most elusive of all arts. Sculpture in stone alone comes near it in obstinacy.
- Jan Tschichold
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · May 22, 201511 yr
We cannot alter the essential shape of a single letter without at the same time destroying the familiar printed face of our language, and thereby rendering it useless.
We cannot alter the essential shape of a single letter without at the same time destroying the familiar printed face of our language, and thereby rendering it useless.
- Jan Tschichold
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · May 22, 201511 yr
The first one hundred fonts are the most painful.
The first one hundred fonts are the most painful.
- James Montalbano
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · November 9, 201510 yr
Type and typography—what you do and how you do it—are both science and art.
Type and typography—what you do and how you do it—are both science and art.
- James Felici
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · August 31, 201510 yr
Typography is two-dimensional architecture, based on experience and imagination, and guided by rules and readability. And this is the purpose of typography: The arrangement of design elements within a given structure should allow the reader to easily focus on the message, without slowing down the speed of his reading.
Typography is two-dimensional architecture, based on experience and imagination, and guided by rules and readability. And this is the purpose of typography: The arrangement of design elements within a given structure should allow the reader to easily focus on the message, without slowing down the speed of his reading.
- Hermann Zapf
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr

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