Just my type

Friday the 29th of September, 2006

Last December, Rich Rutter announced The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web (Web Typography, for short), a site that, for me, couldn’t have been more timely: I was just finishing reading the last chapters of Robert Bringhurst’s master-work, The Elements of Typographic Style, the site’s inspiration.

Just as the book itself was beautifully set (as one would expect), well written, entertaining, and generally a joy to behold, the same can be said of Web Typography. From the subtle use of Flash for the logotype to the carefully set table of contents, everything about the site reeks of typographic quality, its own distinct style echoing that of the original Elements.

The purpose of Web Typography, of course, was not to supplant Elements as the definitive resource for typography - “the Typographers’ Bible”, in the words of Herman Zapf - but rather to supplement it: to act as an unofficial companion for those working with type on the web.

It is with much excitement, then, that I’m announcing what will, hopefully, mark the start of a trend: my first contributions to Web Typography, §2.3.1: Set opening paragraphs flush left and §2.3.2: In continuous text, mark all paragraphs after the first with an indent of at least one en, have been published.

I’d like to thank Rich for the opportunity to be involved: he’s been incredibly supportive of my contributions. Like Rich, I’m not a professional typographer (or, in fact, anything more than ‘a guy who has an interest in typography’) but I’d like to hope that, with my contributions, I can help someone out there fall in love with typography and, more specifically, its applications online. If just one person learns to love typography a little more thanks to something I contribute, I’ll be happy.

So, I hope you enjoy what I hope will be the first of many contributions I make to Web Typography!