The Colophon

One of the assignments this week is to write and design a colophon to add to your book. The Colophon is an opportunity for the designer, the publisher or sometimes author to add production notes about the book's design. It can also provide specific information regarding the typographic style of the book, and may identify names of the primary typefaces used, a brief description of the type's history and designer, and a brief statement about its most identifiable physical characteristics.

This colophon example is by Mary Louise Killen which was part of a 2009 MFA Exhibition at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She letterpress printed nine existing colophons with handset type to better understand the role of the book designer and the type designer as author.