La création typographique – Concevoir des polices de caractères by Matthieu Salvaggio
With La création typographique – Concevoir des polices de caractères (“Type Design—Creating typefaces”), Matthieu Salvaggio delivers a handbook for anyone looking to explore the world of type design. As the founder of Blaze Type and the creator of many contemporary typefaces, Salvaggio shares a detailed, experience-based methodology – generously illustrated and grounded in practical design logic. Conceived as a step-by-step manual, the book guides the reader through the entire process: from sketching and spacing to technical production and the creation of diacritics. The final chapters offer concrete advice on how to produce, distribute, and monetize a typeface in today’s landscape.
The graphic design was handled by Paris-based studio Hic et Nunc, founded by Sidonie Bernard and Line Monthiers. With a strong emphasis on typographic hierarchy and efficiency, the layout embodies Hic et Nunc’s motto: designing for the here and now, while aiming for timeless relevance.
The book’s typographic system is built entirely from Blaze Type’s catalog, using Rules for titles and section markers, Balette for body text, and Surt for navigational elements and annotations. Together, these typefaces form a cohesive, readable, and contemporary composition. The book features 324 pages, bound in a Bodonian binding format, and sized at 16×26 cm: a generous yet manageable canvas. The contents are completed by a series of vibrant still-life photographs by IGO Studio, a Marseille-based photography studio specializing in stylized product shots. Their crisp, colorful visuals highlight the book’s physicality with the same care given to its typographic content.
