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Letterforms, bawdy, bad & beautiful

the evolution of hand-drawn, humorous, vernacular, and experimental type

by Steven Heller

Cover of Letterforms, bawdy, bad & beautiful
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This book examines the history, evolution, and application of four specific genres of dynamic letterforms - hand-drawn, vernacular, humorous, and digitally driven. The book provides a historical context for each genre and explores the anatomy of its type, with a look at the form and function of representative examples. Selected full alphabets and letterforms are presented with text on their origins and analog or digital evolution, and work produced by a wide range of designers show how these typographic forms are applied.

Graphic design (Typography)Display typeAdvertising layout and typographyHistory