The Top Typography Resources Every Designer Needs to Know

Published on 19 June 2023 7 min read

Typography Foundations

Anatomy of Type
Typography Principles
Typographic Terms

Typography Books and Courses

Elements of Typographic Style
Thinking with Type
Skillshare Typography Courses

As a designer, finding the best typography resources can be a game-changer for your projects. This blog post will guide you through a curated list of the top typography resources every designer needs to know. From typography foundations to tools and inspiration, we'll cover everything you need to create stunning designs.

Typography Foundations

Before diving into the practical resources, it's essential to have a solid understanding of typography foundations. This section will introduce you to the anatomy of type, typography principles, and typographic terms, so you can use these resources more effectively.

Anatomy of Type

The anatomy of type refers to the different components that make up a letterform. Familiarizing yourself with these parts will help you make informed decisions when selecting and manipulating typefaces. Some essential terms include:

Baseline: The line on which letters sit
Ascender: The part of a lowercase letter that rises above the x-height
Descender: The part of a lowercase letter that extends below the baseline
X-height: The height of a lowercase "x" in a typeface

Typography Principles

Understanding typography principles will help you create visually appealing and legible designs. Some key principles to keep in mind are:

Contrast: Use different font weights, sizes, and styles to create visual hierarchy and variety
Alignment: Align your text consistently to create a clean, organized layout
Whitespace: Give your text room to breathe by using adequate spacing between lines and around elements
Readability: Choose typefaces that are easy to read and suitable for your design's purpose

Typographic Terms

As you explore the best typography resources for designers, you'll encounter many typographic terms. Some common ones you should know include:

Kerning: The space between individual letter pairs
Leading: The vertical space between lines of text
Tracking: The overall spacing between characters in a block of text
Font weight: The thickness of a typeface, such as light, regular, or bold

Now that you have a solid foundation in typography, let's explore the best typography resources for designers to find fonts, gather inspiration, and improve your skills.

Fonts and Typefaces

Finding the perfect font or typeface can be a daunting task, but there are plenty of resources available to help you discover and download high-quality options. In this section, we'll explore some of the best typography resources for designers to find fonts and typefaces for your projects.

Google Fonts

Google Fonts is a fantastic resource for finding free, open-source typefaces. With an extensive library of fonts and an easy-to-use search interface, you can quickly find and download the perfect typeface for your design. Plus, Google Fonts provides you with the necessary code snippets to embed fonts directly into your website projects.

Adobe Fonts

If you have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, Adobe Fonts is an invaluable resource. With a vast selection of high-quality typefaces, you can easily sync fonts to your Adobe applications, making it a breeze to incorporate them into your designs. Adobe Fonts also offers robust filtering options, helping you find the best typeface for your project in no time.

Font Squirrel

Font Squirrel is another excellent source of free, high-quality fonts for designers. Known for its careful curation, Font Squirrel offers a smaller, more selective collection of typefaces, ensuring that you only browse through the best options. The site also provides a handy font identifier tool to help you find the name of a font from an image or screenshot.

With a variety of font and typeface resources at your fingertips, you'll never run out of options for your designs. But sometimes, you need a little inspiration to get your creative ideas flowing. Let's look at some of the best typography resources for designers to find inspiration.

Typography Inspiration

Looking for a spark of creativity to elevate your designs? Typography inspiration is just a click away. In this section, we'll explore some of the best typography resources for designers to find ideas and get inspired. Let's check them out!

Behance

Behance is a go-to platform for discovering incredible design work from talented artists worldwide. By browsing through various typography projects, you can find fresh ideas, see unique type treatments, and gain insights into the latest design trends. Behance is an excellent source of inspiration for all aspects of design, but the typography projects showcased here are particularly noteworthy.

Dribbble

Dribbble is another popular platform for sharing and discovering design work. With a strong focus on typography, Dribbble offers an impressive collection of typographic designs, from custom lettering to innovative font combinations. By exploring the work of other designers, you'll find plenty of inspiration to take your own typography skills to new heights.

Typographic Posters

Typographic posters are an excellent way to study the creative use of type in design. By examining posters from various time periods, styles, and designers, you can learn how typography can be used to create a mood, convey a message, or establish a visual identity. To find great examples of typographic posters, try browsing through Pinterest or Tumblr, where you can find a wealth of creative ideas to inspire your own designs.

Now that you're feeling inspired, it's time to dive into some tools that'll help you bring your typographic vision to life. Let's take a look at some of the best typography resources for designers when it comes to tools and software.

Typography Tools

Having the right tools is essential for any designer looking to create outstanding typography. In this section, we'll introduce you to some of the best typography resources for designers in terms of tools and software. These resources will help you design, edit, and create your own custom fonts and typefaces with ease. Let's get started!

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful vector-based design software that's perfect for creating and editing custom typography. With its extensive range of tools, you can easily manipulate individual letters, adjust kerning and tracking, and explore various font styles and weights. Illustrator is a must-have tool for any designer looking to take their typography projects to the next level.

Glyphs App

Glyphs App is a dedicated font design software that makes it easy to create your own custom typefaces. With a user-friendly interface and a wealth of features, Glyphs App allows you to design, edit, and export your fonts with precision. Whether you're a seasoned font designer or just starting out, Glyphs App is a valuable resource for creating unique and professional typefaces.

FontForge

FontForge is a free and open-source font editor that's perfect for designers on a budget. Despite being free, FontForge offers a robust set of tools for creating and editing fonts, making it a fantastic resource for anyone looking to experiment with custom typefaces. With its extensive documentation and active community, you'll find plenty of support as you begin your font design journey.

Now that you have the tools to create stunning typography, it's time to expand your knowledge and skills with some books and courses. Let's explore some of the best typography resources for designers in terms of learning and education.

Typography Books and Courses

Books and courses are fantastic resources for expanding your typography knowledge and skills. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced designer, there's always something new to learn in the world of typography. Let's take a look at some of the best typography resources for designers in terms of books and courses.

Elements of Typographic Style

The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst is considered a classic in the field of typography. This comprehensive guide covers everything from the history of typography to practical tips for font selection and layout. With a wealth of information and beautiful examples, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in mastering the art of typography.

Thinking with Type

Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton is another essential book for designers looking to improve their typographic skills. This book offers a practical approach to typography, with clear explanations and real-world examples. Covering topics such as typeface selection, kerning, and grid systems, Thinking with Type is an invaluable resource for designers at all levels of expertise.

Skillshare Typography Courses

Skillshare is a fantastic platform for learning new skills, and their selection of typography courses is no exception. With a wide range of courses covering everything from the basics of typography to advanced techniques, Skillshare is an excellent resource for designers looking to expand their knowledge. Some popular courses include "Typography That Works: Typographic Composition and Fonts" and "The Art of Typography: Communicate Effectively Through the Power of Type".

Finally, connecting with fellow designers and typography enthusiasts can provide valuable insights, inspiration, and support. Let's explore some of the best typography resources for designers in terms of communities and forums.

Typography Communities

Being part of a community can help you grow as a designer, as well as provide you with inspiration and valuable feedback. Typography communities offer a place to discuss typography trends, ask questions, and share your work with like-minded individuals. Let's dive into some of the best typography resources for designers in the form of communities and forums.

Typophile

Typophile is an online forum dedicated to the discussion and appreciation of typography. With an active community of designers, type enthusiasts, and experts, Typophile offers a wealth of knowledge and advice for designers at any level. You can participate in discussions, ask for feedback on your work, or simply browse the forum for inspiration and insights.

Reddit Typography

Reddit is known for its diverse communities, and typography enthusiasts are no exception. The r/Typography subreddit is a great place to find discussions, articles, and resources related to typography. With a mix of beginners and experienced designers, this community offers a supportive environment for learning and sharing your passion for typography.

TypeDrawers

TypeDrawers is another online forum focused on typography, type design, and lettering. This community is home to many professional type designers and experts, making it an invaluable resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of typography. TypeDrawers offers discussions on various topics, including font development, type history, and lettering techniques.

By exploring these books, courses, and communities, you'll be well on your way to becoming a typography expert. Remember, the best typography resources for designers are those that encourage continuous learning, inspiration, and collaboration. Keep exploring and experimenting with typography, and you'll soon see the impact it can have on your design work.

If you're fascinated by the world of typography and want to learn a unique and eye-catching technique, be sure to check out 'The Basics of Holographic Bubble Typography' workshop by Aryaman Munish. This workshop will teach you the essentials of creating stunning holographic bubble typography that will surely make your designs stand out from the crowd.