Skip to content

Typography.Guru

Typography.Guru

Typography.Guru

Typography.Guru

Typography.Guru

Typography.Guru

Sign In

Email Address

Password

Remember me
Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?
Sign up to post

Typography Quotes

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

- Last comment date
- Title
- Highest Rated
- Start Date
- Most Reviewed
- Most Viewed
- Last Updated
- Publish Date
- Author
- Year
- Source
- Custom

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
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
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 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
The only place Avant Garde looks good is in the words Avant Garde.
The only place Avant Garde looks good is in the words Avant Garde.
- Ed Benguiat
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · August 15, 20196 yr
There are now about as many different varieties of letters as there are different kinds of fools.
There are now about as many different varieties of letters as there are different kinds of fools.
- Eric Gill
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 21, 201411 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
Trajan is the Arial of film posters.
Trajan is the Arial of film posters.
- Yves Peters
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · August 12, 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
Type design is a job where there is no room for easy solutions. Letters can perhaps be designed quickly using a compass and ruler, but these are unsuitable for a typeface, as they fail to satisfy the subtle optical laws that make reading enjoyable.
Type design is a job where there is no room for easy solutions. Letters can perhaps be designed quickly using a compass and ruler, but these are unsuitable for a typeface, as they fail to satisfy the subtle optical laws that make reading enjoyable.
- Georg Salden
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · June 1, 201511 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
Type design: an exacting, arcane craft that is underappreciated for its impact on how people communicate and receive communication.
Type design: an exacting, arcane craft that is underappreciated for its impact on how people communicate and receive communication.
- Bruce Weber
Submitted: Riccardo Sartori · June 10, 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
Type well used is invisible as type, just as the perfect talking voice is the unnoticed vehicle for the transmission of words, ideas.
Type well used is invisible as type, just as the perfect talking voice is the unnoticed vehicle for the transmission of words, ideas.
- Beatrice Warde
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 yr
Typefaces are not only there to be read, you also see them.
Typefaces are not only there to be read, you also see them.
- Hans Peter Willberg
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 6, 201610 yr
Typographical design should perform optically what the speaker creates through voice and gesture of his thoughts.
Typographical design should perform optically what the speaker creates through voice and gesture of his thoughts.
- El Lizzitsky
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 7, 201511 yr
Typography has one plain duty before it and that is to convey information in writing. No argument or consideration can absolve typography from this duty.
Typography has one plain duty before it and that is to convey information in writing. No argument or consideration can absolve typography from this duty.
- Emil Ruder
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 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
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 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
Typography must be as beautiful as a forest, not like the concrete jungle of the tenements. It gives distance between the trees, the room to breathe and allow for life.
Typography must be as beautiful as a forest, not like the concrete jungle of the tenements. It gives distance between the trees, the room to breathe and allow for life.
- Adrian Frutiger
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · September 16, 201510 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
We are interpreters — not merely translators between sender and receiver. What we say and how we say it makes a difference. If we want to speak to people, we need to know their language. In order to design for understanding, we need to understand design.
We are interpreters — not merely translators between sender and receiver. What we say and how we say it makes a difference. If we want to speak to people, we need to know their language. In order to design for understanding, we need to understand design.
- Erik Spiekermann
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · October 21, 201510 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
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
When I put my pen to a blank sheet, black isn’t added but rather the white sheet is deprived of light. […] Thus I also grasped that the empty spaces are the most important aspect of a typeface.
When I put my pen to a blank sheet, black isn’t added but rather the white sheet is deprived of light. […] Thus I also grasped that the empty spaces are the most important aspect of a typeface.
- Adrian Frutiger
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · September 16, 201510 yr
why do we write and print with two different alphabets simultaneously? we do not speak a capital A and a small a …
why do we write and print with two different alphabets simultaneously? we do not speak a capital A and a small a …
- Herbert Bayer
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · January 17, 201610 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
You can do a good ad without good typography, but you can't do a great ad without good typography.
You can do a good ad without good typography, but you can't do a great ad without good typography.
- Herb Lubalin
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · December 29, 201411 yr
You cannot acquire experience by working with a computer, but rather with a pen, with paint and brush, with the hands and with much effort. Only then can the New arise in your head.
You cannot acquire experience by working with a computer, but rather with a pen, with paint and brush, with the hands and with much effort. Only then can the New arise in your head.
- Georg Salden
Submitted: Ralf Herrmann · June 1, 201511 yr

Important Information

We are placing functional cookies on your device to help make this website better.

Where:

Search:

Date Created:

Use:

Last Updated:

Chrome (Android)

Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
Tap Permissions → Notifications.
Adjust your preference.

Chrome (Desktop)

Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
Select Site settings.
Find Notifications and adjust your preference.