42 Typographic Resources for Designers

All of the aforementioned resources are contributing to the conversation that was historically dominated by the type foundries. However, today there are copious foundries, thanks in part to the graduates of typographic programs worldwide and also to the pervasiveness of type design software and the self-taught designers using it.

The Boston-based Font Bureau (www.fontbureau.com) is one of the premier foundries in the U.S. with a strong library of newspaper and publication-related fonts. Its type designers are active in the industry and are frequent lecturers, teachers and authors. Both the Type 101 and FontTalk sections of the website feature a variety of articles on technological and historical aspects of typography.

FontBureau offers more than just typefaces for print design. With www.webtype.com, it’s also one of the leaders in the web font options that have recently emerged. FontBureau actively educates its clients and the public, and its recent foray into the web fonts realm is no exception.

Font Shop International (www.fontshop.com) has long been one of the most visible foundries in the industry. Its numerous tips and guides for typographers and educators at all levels are truly indispensable. My favorite of the extras is the popular www.fontstruct.com. Upon its release several years ago, I immediately incorporated it into my typography classes and have been astounded by the impressive results from students. Thanks to this invaluable tool, many more people (not just graphic design and typography students) are able to learn about and experiment with letterforms firsthand. In addition, Font Shop’s education area (www.fontshop.com/education) is filled with useful downloads of type selection tips and more, making it a necessary bookmark.

As a typography instructor, I often use articles from Font Shop’s www.fontfeed.com as a basis for short discussions in my classes. The company describes the blog as “a daily dispatch of recommended fonts, typography techniques and inspirational examples of digital type at work in the real world.” The topics are relevant, the illustrations plentiful and the writing accessible and informative. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the blog is the “Fonts in Use” section where the authors highlight the most recent crop of album art or movie poster typography (and no, not all of them use the ubiquitous Trajan). With such current and intriguing topics, it can be hard to pull yourself away.

The European foundry Typotheque (www.typotheque.com) is another resource that can assist typography instructors and novices in the typographic research arena. Its typefaces are exquisite, and its featured articles are beneficial to anyone wanting to access typographic and design criticism in either a casual or an academic capacity.

An additional academic resource, and an extensive one at that, is Type Culture (www.typeculture.com). It features numerous articles, resources and research directions, all within the typographic realm.

House Industries (www.houseind.com) is the ultimate destination for typefaces with character and a retro vibe. The company continuously produces the coolest typographic products and specimens that can inspire even the most burned-out designer.

And don’t forget, the major foundries from history are still in existence today. Monotype (www.fonts.com) and Linotype (www.linotype.com) maintain large back catalogs of original type classics. Although they don’t feature as many of the educational resources as other smaller foundries, their font search tools can be helpful.

While not necessarily a foundry, Typekit (www.typekit.com) is becoming a notable source for locating and hosting web fonts from a variety of foundries. The fonts it features range from larger catalogs such as FontFont, P22 and Veer, to selections from smaller firms such as Underware.