Since its first edition was published in 1956, this book has been recognised as a classic work, and has become a basic tool for the practising book designer. It is a readable, lively, and authoritative description and discussion of the processes and principles which determine the physical characteristics of the finished book.
Writing for authors, booksellers, librarians, and the general reader, as well as for teachers and students of printing design and for publishers and printers, the author assumes no technical knowledge in his readers. He deals with such matters as the preparation of copy, the selection and arrangement of type, the designer's part in book illustration and jacket design, and the economics of book production; and he explains the materials and techniques of book production and their effect on the design of books. His analysis, for the benefit of the designer, of computer-centred digital photo-composition, based on his first-hand experience as a printer and typographer, is of particular interest and value. Hugh Williamson's theme is that a book designer who wishes to do good work today will need to understand the machinery, materials, and processes of modern industrial book production, and also the nature of texts and illustrations and the act of reading.
This third edition has been completely rewritten to cover innovations in book production tendencies and techniques over the last twenty years, in the light of the author's continued experience in publishing and printing.
HUGH WILLIAMSON was trained as a printer, but from 1947 to 1964 he worked in publishing on the design and production of books. At one time in this period he was designing and controlling the production of about a hundred titles a year; by the end of it, he was production director of a group of publishing firms. Returning in 1964 to the printing industry, he was closely involved in the transition from metal type and letterpress to photo-composition and offset printing. This edition of his book was published in the year of his retirement as a director of a group of printing firms.
Author(s): Hugh Williamson
Edition: 3
Publisher: Yale University Press
Year: 1983
Language: English
Commentary: e-ink optimized
Pages: 392
City: New Haven
Tags: typographics; printing; book design; methodsofbookdes0000will_e1g3
Cover
Half Title
Imprint
Contents
Illustrations
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION
1 INTRODUCTION
2 THE TYPESCRIPT
§2-1 Author and typescript
§2-2 The sub-editor's task
§2-3 Designer and copy
3 FORMAT AND MARGINS
§3-1 Format calculation and description
§3-2 Format and function
§3-3 Format and production
§3-4 Margin dimensions
§3-5 Margin proportions
4 TYPE AND COMPOSITION
§4-1 Type-founding
§4-2 Parts and dimensions of type
§4-3 Letter form
§4-4 Variety of characters
§4-5 Spaces
§4-6 The line of type
§4-7 Galley, proof, and correction
§4-8 Make-up into page
§4-9 Imposition and repro
5 COMPOSITION SYSTEMS
S5-1 Line-casting
§5-2 Type-casting
§5-3 Typewriters and composers
§5-4 Photo-composition matrices
§5-5 Photo-composition by flash
§5-6 Cathode-ray tube and digital systems
§5-7 Units and spaces
§5-8 Body and measure
§5-9 Modified letter forms
§5-10 Input and correction
§5-11 Make-up
§5-12 Output and store
6 TEXT TYPES
§6-1 Availability
§6-2 Letter form
§6-3 Legibility
§6-4 Space
§6-5 Paper and printing
§6-6 Aesthetics
§6-7 Classification and specification
§6-8 Venetian, or Humanist
§6-9 Old Face, or Garalde
§6-10 Transitional
§6-11 Modern Face, or Didone
§6-12 Old Style, or Réale
§6-13 Innovations 1895-1971
§6-14 Families, mates, and descendants
§6-15 Type designs past and future
7 TEXT PAGES
§7-1 Punctuation
§7-2 Text area
§7-3 Founts and alphabets
§7-4 Lateral space
§7-5 Interlinear space
§7-6 Extracts and tables
§7-7 Notes and references
§7-8 Sections
§7-9 Headlines and footlines
§7-10 Chapters and parts
8 PRELIMINARY AND END PAGES
§8-1 The half-title
§8-2 The title-page
§8-3 The title verso
§8-4 Lists of contents and illustrations
§8-5 Preliminary text
§8-6 Dedication and corrections
§8-7 The text
§8-8 Appendixes and notes
§8-9 List of other works
§8-10 The index
§8-11 Colophon and imprint
9 DISPLAY AND ORNAMENT
§9-1 Composition in metal
§9-2 Photo-composition
§9-3 Type selection
§9-4 The display line
§9-5 Initials
§9-6 Elements other than letters
§9-7 Pattern
§9-8 Centred display
§9-9 Off-centre display
§9-10 Vertical position
§9-11 Mechanical tints
1O CAMERA AND FILM
§10-1 Camera and copy
§10-2 Line and half-tone
§10-3 Film
11 PRINTING PROCESSES
§11-1 Letterpress
§11-2 Printing from type
§11-3 Blocks
§11-4 Letterpress plates
§11-5 Offset
§11-6 Offset film and plates
§11-7 Offset text and illustration
§11-8 Collotype, gravure, and screen
12 IMPOSITION AND PRESSWORK
§12-1 Imposition
§12-2 Make-ready
§12-3 Ink and inking
§12-4 Flat-bed presses
§12-5 Sheet-fed rotary presses
§12-6 Web-fed presses
§12-7 Reprints
13 COLOUR AND PRINTING
§13-1 Black, white, metal, and varnish
§13-2 Colour in typography
§13-3 Colour selection and use
§13-4 Colour combination
§13-5 Copy for colour printing
§13-6 Trichromatic printing
§13-7 Paper and printing
14 ILLUSTRATION
§14-1 Commissioned illustrations
§14-2 Prints and photographs
§14-3 Size and shape
§14-4 Scale and trim
§14-5 Position
§14-6 Plates and frontispiece
§14-7 Typography, lettering, handwriting
15 PAPER
§15-1 Fibres
§15-2 Pulp
§15-3 Paper-Making
§15-4 Off-machine processes
§15-5 Selection factors
16 EDITION BINDING
§16-1 Bookbinding by hand
§16-2 Folding
§16-3 Plates, oddments, and endpapers
§16-4 Gathering, collating, and sewing
§16-5 Limp binding
§16-6 Edges and spine
§16-7 The binding case
§16-8 Blocking
§16-9 Identification and decoration
§16-10 Completing the book
17 JACKET AND COVER
§17-1 Dimensions
§17-2 Text and display
§17-3 Ornament and picture
§17-4 Paper, print, and surface
18 EXTENT, PRICE, AND COST
§18-1 Casting off
§18-2 Estimated expenditure
§18-3 Preparatory costs
§18-4 Manufacturing costs
§18-5 Price calculations
19 INTENTION AND RESULT
§19-1 Layout and marking up
§19-2 Specimen setting
§19-3 Text proof and revise
§19-4 Illustration proofs
§19-5 Paper, presswork, binding, and jacket
§19-6 The completed edition
20 THE PURPOSE OF BOOK DESIGN
PUBLICATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INDEX AND GLOSSARY
