Letters & Lettering: A Treatise with 200 Examples

"Letters & Lettering: A Treatise with 200 Examples" by Frank Chouteau Brown is a manual for artists and designers seeking to expand their knowledge of typography through a compilation of classical and medieval-inspired alphabets. It concentrates on the usefulness of letter designs rather than the origins, offering practical instruction for using letterforms creatively. The introduction explains the book's aim and presents different kinds of traditional Roman capital letters, detailing their design, structure, and real-world applications. Highlighting the importance of letter thickness and its impact on readability and visual attractiveness, the author draws connections between ancient methods and current lettering, stressing key characteristics for typographers to remember as the book transitions into deeper analysis and more examples.