A typesetter is the person responsible for arranging text and visual elements for reproduction by printing. The craft involves organizing individual characters into words, lines, and blocks of text to create a visually coherent and readable page. Historically, this skilled work was a manual trade central to the spread of knowledge following the invention of the printing press. The typesetter’s effort transformed a manuscript into a printable form.
The Historical Craft of the Typesetter
From the 15th century onward, typesetters performed their work by hand, setting individual pieces of metal type, known as sorts, into a reading tray. They used a composing stick to hold the line of type as it was assembled, working from left to right and placing the letters upside-down. Justification required adjusting the spacing within a line so that it perfectly filled the predetermined column width. This was achieved by inserting thin metal spacing material between words and sometimes between letters.
Once a line was complete and justified, it was secured by a composing rule. After the composing stick was filled, the entire block of set type was transferred to a shallow, three-sided metal tray called a galley. The typesetter continued this assembly until enough type was collected to form a complete page or column. The manual typesetter needed dexterity, an eye for detail, and an understanding of typographic rules to produce legible and balanced pages.
Technological Revolution: Mechanical Typesetting Machines
The craft underwent a transformation in the late 19th century with the introduction of mechanical typesetting machines that automated the hand process. The Linotype machine, patented by Ottmar Mergenthaler in 1884, revolutionized the industry by casting an entire line of text as a single metal piece, known as a “slug.” This line-casting approach increased the speed of composition, making it ideal for the rapid production demands of newspapers and periodicals.
The Linotype operator used a keyboard to assemble brass matrices (the molds for the characters), and the machine automatically cast the molten lead alloy around them to form the solid line of type. In contrast, the Monotype system utilized a separate keyboard unit and a caster unit to produce individual characters. Because Monotype cast individual letters, it allowed for greater flexibility in hyphenation, justification, and correction, as a single faulty character could be replaced without recasting the entire line. Monotype became the preferred technology for high-quality book printing, where precision and easy revision were important.
Distinguishing the Typesetter from Related Roles
Compositor
The compositor took the lines of type that the typesetter had arranged and assembled them into a complete page form. This step, known as “making up,” involved incorporating headlines, illustrations, and empty space to create the final layout. The typesetter focused on the arrangement of text within the line, while the compositor managed the entire page construction.
Printer
The printer was distinct from the typesetter, responsible for the mechanical operation of the press itself. This role involved locking the assembled type form into the press, applying ink to the characters, and running the paper through the machine. The printer’s expertise lay in transferring the image to paper, not the arrangement of the text.
Proofreader
The proofreader was the quality control expert who examined the first printout of the set type, known as a galley proof, for errors. They compared the typeset copy against the original manuscript, marking mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and typesetting with standardized symbols. The proofreader ensured the accuracy of the text before mass production.
The Transition to Digital Publishing
The mechanical era gave way to new methods, beginning with phototypesetting, which used light to project characters onto photographic film or paper. This system eliminated hot metal casting, preparing the way for a digital workflow. The shift occurred in the mid-1980s with the advent of desktop publishing (DTP) technology.
DTP combined personal computers, the Apple LaserWriter printer, and page layout software like Aldus PageMaker, QuarkXPress, and Adobe InDesign. This made the process of type arrangement accessible to a broader audience outside specialized print shops. The typesetter’s function moved from physically manipulating metal to visually arranging digital elements on a screen. This transition digitized the medium, replacing physical type and film with screen-based layout, allowing for immediate visualization of the final product.
Typesetting Today: Modern Typography and Layout
The modern typesetter’s skills have evolved into the specialized roles of typographer and layout artist, operating sophisticated software rather than physical tools. While the tools have changed, the fundamental principles of arranging text for readability remain constant. Modern professionals must manage typographic hierarchy, ensuring that headlines, subheadings, and body text are clearly differentiated to guide the reader’s eye.
The use of white space, or negative space, is a considered element of layout design, affecting the page’s overall balance. Precision in spacing is managed through three functions: kerning, tracking, and leading. Kerning adjusts the space between specific pairs of letters, such as “W” and “A,” to eliminate visual gaps. Tracking is the uniform adjustment of space across a range of characters, affecting the density of a block of text. Leading controls the vertical distance between lines of text, ensuring comfortable reading.