INSIDE PARAGRAPHS - typographic fundamentals

by Cyrus Highsmith

An manual for typographers seasoned and green alike. This book goes in depth on setting tracts of text for long reading, with a strong emphasis on print.

Genres: Design, Art, Art Design, Nonfiction

102 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Cyrus Highsmith is a typeface designer, illustrator, and author.

After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1997, he worked at Font Bureau in Boston as Senior Type Designer until founding his own type foundry, Occupant Fonts.

Some of Highsmith’s most well-known typefaces are Zócalo, used by the Mexican daily El Universal, and the Antenna series, which was used in several magazine designs as well as by Ford and the official Star Wars website. Other clients for custom fonts include or have included The Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart Living, La Prensa Gráfica of El Salvador, ESPN, and Men’s Health.

His typefaces Prensa and Relay won the 2001 Bukvaːraz! award, organized by ATypI (the International Typographic Association) in 2001. In 2015, Cyrus Highsmith received the Gerrit Noordzij Prize by the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.

In addition to typeface design, Highsmith has been teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design, since 2000, while also lecturing and taking part in juries in North America, Japan and across Europe.

With his own imprint, Occupant Press, he publishes children’s books and other prints. In 2016, Highsmith founded Occupant Fonts in Providence, Rhode Island, which continues to publish his typefaces designed while at Font Bureau as well as new releases.

In September 2017, it was announced that Occupant Fonts had been acquired by the Japanese type foundry Morisawa and thenceforth functioned as their Providence drawing office, with Highsmith as its creative director.

Reviews

[Antti Salovaara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highsmith's Inside Paragraphs deservers four stars out of five, if reviewed as a very short, easy-to-read introduction to typesetting. Highsmith doesn't really delve deep into the subject, and even if the book's written for a complete beginner, it feels that Highsmith uses a bit too much of the limited space to superficially explain things that would be obvious to pretty much anyone.

Then again, the short length and narrow scope of the book will ensure that many people who would not normally pick up a book on typography will now come to understand its basics. Highsmith's approach relies on images rather than words, and nothing really gets complicated along the way. Everything stays focused and simple, and it's all easy to follow and understand. Still, I personally would've wished for a bit longer or more in-depth introduction, but some readers of this short, pamphlet-like (yet aesthetic) book might feel otherwise.

[tout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for someone just starting to think about laying out type. It doesn't go too far in depth. As the name would suggest, it makes a lot of the fundamentals for laying out longer form text (within paragraphs) pretty clear. Individual characters or text layout outside of the context of paragraphs isn't addressed much.

I wouldn't say this offers much for "seasoned typographers", but still some useful advice worth coming back to.

[H James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Highsmith strikes an impeccable balance between accessibility and detail with this illustrated primer and reference. He spends a minimum of time on type terminology and bypasses technical concepts like side bearings, instead leading his readers to the same practical results through brilliantly diagrammed examples. His prose is admirably lucid and his positions unambiguous.

While this book is unlikely to provide new insights to experienced typographers, it’s probably the best possible reference for the layperson seeking to improve readability of her church’s newsletter or school’s yearbook. The advice here is applicable to Microsoft Word and Google Docs just as much as it is to professional publishing software.

[Chawanat · Rating 4 out of 5]

เขียนง่ายและยกตัวอย่างประกอบได้ดี เล่มนี้ไม่เน้นลงลึก แต่ช่วยสร้างความเข้าใจในเรื่องที่เป็น "พื้นฐานมากๆ" ของงานออกแบบจัดวางตัวอักษร (typography) ซึ่งก็คือ "พื้นที่ว่าง" (space) ทั้งระหว่างตัวอักษร ระหว่างคำ และระหว่างบรรทัด ซึ่งการจัดการพื้นที่ว่างนี้เองจะมีผลต่อความลื่นไหลในการอ่านไม่แพ้การออกแบบหน้าตาของตัวอักษรเลย ฟอนต์ส่วนใหญ่มีการออกแบบพื้นที่ว่างในตัวไว้ดีประมาณนึงอยู่แล้ว แต่ถึงกระนั้นการนำฟอนต์ไปใช้ในงานออกแบบตามบริบทต่างๆ ก็ยังต้องอาศัยการจัดการเล็กๆ น้อยๆ เพื่อให้แต่ละเนื้อความสามารถอ่านได้อย่างราบรื่นที่สุด หนังสือเล่มนี้ได้บอกวิธีไว้พอสังเขป จึงเหมาะมากสำหรับคนที่เริ่มสนใจศาสตร์ด้านนี้ (หรือต้องทำงานเกี่ยวกับการใช้ตัวอักษร) แต่สำหรับคนที่มีประสบการณ์ในงานด้านนี้อยู่แล้วก็ถือว่าได้ทบทวนหลักการพื้นฐาน ซึ่งก็ดีมากๆ เช่นกัน

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many graphic design books targeting typography—the anatomy and study of letterforms, styles and usage. However, "Inside Paragraphs: Typographic Fundamentals" is more than a dissection of parts; it's how they all work together as a whole. This book explains the nuances and fundamentals of what we see, how we read and what makes for a better experiences when learning to arrange typography for visual consumption.

First published independently in 2012 by "letter drawer, teacher, author & graphic artist" Cyrus Highsmith, this updated edition is more accessible along with some minor tweaks. Ultimately, this was the book he wanted as a student when first learning about typography.

Originally planned as a comic book, "Inside Paragraphs” is a smartly illustrated guide supported by details and concepts about using letterforms in a far enjoyable manner. Encouraging readers to  experiment as they learn, Highsmith aims to make understanding more tangible. He succeeds with presentations that double as teaching slides. Fundamentals are explained in digestible units with clarity, conveying how people read and how to craft typography for optimum results. Cyrus' articulation of how space affects user readability is better understood using his own abstract imagery versus real-world examples. It's definitely a strong start but does leave you wanting more.

I first read this as an experienced designer and now also an instructor, I readily see the value in his creation. Not just another book on type, I also wish I had this as a student. Considering how many in-house digital designers missed out on a traditional print design education, "Inside Paragraphs" is recommended for anyone working closely with type in any medium.

[Ash Olivari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a completely beginner and I think this books was a good introduction in the typography world I know is a lot more than this, but the book just provide me some knowledge to look more closely in the next book, article or whatever I’m reading.

[jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this over the course of a semester for my typo class and the passages i had to read from this book were my favourite. everything is very well explained and the design supported a smooth pace. very cool cyrus thank u!!!

[John Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little book. Nicely produced, great layout (obvs), and I went straight off to practise a bit.

[Timmytoothless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and well illustrated primer on typesetting a body of text.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great beginners book into anything regarding type. Has a fair amount of playfulness to encourage readers and future type designers to think outside of the box.

[Erin]

This would be an ideal book to give to someone who wants to get started with typography but is feeling overwhelmed or doesn’t know where to start. I personally read it as a refresher/a way to touch base with design fundamentals again, and while I didn’t learn anything new, I nodded along as I read it and can see its value as a starting point for a new designer. If you did enjoy this and want more detail and nitty-gritty typography, I would also recommend Bringhurst.

[Tanade Sirinumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

เราตื่นเต้นมากตอนที่รู้ข่าวหนังสือเล่มนี้

มันเหมาะกับคนที่ใช้งานฟอนต์มาก ๆ เพราะเราได้ก้าวเข้าไปเข้าใจเหล่านักออกแบบฟอนต์ (Type Designer) เข้าใจอักขรศิลป์ ว่าเขาคิด เขาทำยังไงให้ตัวอักษรเหล่านั้นมันเหมาะสมกับการอ่านที่สุด
ไซรัส ไฮสมิธเขียนเรื่องการอ่านของมนุษย์ และใช้ภาพวาดประกอบช่วยอธิบายแต่ละหน้าอย่างลงตัว ทั้งสองส่วนช่วยเสริมความเข้าใจของเรามาก ๆ

ซึ่งเราเพิ่งมาค้นพบหลายสิ่งที่เราทำ สั่งสมมาจากประสบการณ์โดยไม่รู้ตัวว่า จัดข้อความยังไงให้คนอ่านไม่รู้สึกเมื่อยล้า มึนงงจากการกรอกตาไปมา ตัดคำ ขึ้นบรรทัดใหม่ตรงไหนให้จังหวะการอ่านไม่สะดุด และสิ่งเหล่านี้คือสิ่งที่เราพยายามแนะนำน้อง ๆ ที่ทำงานออกแบบรับรู้ ซึ่งวันนี้เราเข้าใจมันมากขึ้น อธิบายหลักการได้ชัดขึ้นจากหนังสือ

และที่เราอ่านแล้วเบิกตากว้างคือ เราเพิ่งรู้ความสัมพันธ์ของพื้นที่ขาวโดยรอบตัวอักษร (Negative Spaces) ทั้งพื้นที่สีขาวภายใน ช่องไฟ และระยะห่างระหว่างบรรทัด มันมีความสัมพันธ์กันที่ทำให้เราอ่านข้อความได้ง่าย-ยาก จังหวะการอ่านช้า-เร็ว อ่านลื่นไหล-สะดุดได้ด้วย

และแน่นอนว่าชาว "คัดสรร ดีมาก" ทีมที่สร้างสรรค์หนังสือเล่มนี้ฉบับภาษาไทยไม่เคยทำให้เราผิดหวัง พวกเขาเลือกสรรฟอนต์ประกอบในเล่มให้อ่านง่าย สบายตา และแปลด้วยภาษาที่เราเข้าใจง่าย แม้มีศัพท์เทคนิคบ้าง แต่เราจะค่อย ๆ เรียนรู้ไปกับพวกมันทีละน้อยโดยไม่รู้สึกอึดอัดเลย

อ่านแล้วอยากไปงาน BITS CONFERENCE อีกจัง

[Enrico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racconta la tipografia come ritmo tra pieni e vuoti: il testo è elementare, ma il punto di vista è originale:

«A line with tight letter spacing but loose word spacing has incompatible kinds of spacing. The words are fast but the space between them is slow. The rhythm of the line is choppy and bad for the flow of text. It’s like listening to someone who talks by blurting out one word at a time.

The opposite — loose letter spacing combined with tight word spacing — is even worse. The words are slow but the space between them is fast. The inconsistent tempos are working against each other, and the effect is like a slow monotone voice that never pauses for a breath. No one wants to listen to or read that. It also harms legibility: it becomes hard to see where words begin and end»

e le illustrazioni sono memorabili.

[Jennifer Hrabota · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great introductory book to typesetting, with nice illustrations and a clear humorous writing style that was easy to read. Great for a type rookie like me.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting introduction to typesetting, with an eye toward how the eye follows text and negative space on the page. It's a good introduction for the layperson.

[Rachel May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me understand typographic elements with fantastic illustrations and text. I plan to use this with students in the future.