website design - What are good places to start learning web typography and layout?

I have been a digital designer since 1999. I am self taught.

However; my biggest weakness is spacing, grids and developing pages that feel balanced, as well as have strong typographic hierarchy.

I want my websites to feel like beautiful print documents.

With the web being filled with enormous amounts of resources, where is the best place for me to start learning how to strengthen this.

I feel this is a science, and something that really needs a certain level of methodology applied to it.

Where is the best place to practice or how would you recommend I develop this skill?

Answer

I totally understand the frustration of being in weak in grids and typography, specially if you are a self taught graphic designer. To me this is very open ended question and that there is no right answer to point out for you.

In my personal experience, it is how you train your eyes and get feedback from your fellow designers would certainly improve your skill you are asking. But, most important is to understand the design principals such as:

1. Balance



2. Proximity


3. Alignment


4. Repetition


5. Contrast


6. Space

I would definitely urge you dig deeper and read more into Meggs' History of Graphic Design. It explains and talks more about styles.

Here is good books that will shape you into what you are asking:

• Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton



• Type Matters! by Jim Williams


• The Ten Commandments of Typography/Type Heresy


• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst


• Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann


• Design, Form, and Chaos by Paul Rand

These are just the few of the list that will help you.

Wish you luck!