The most comprehensive book of three-dimensional letterforms ever helps us understand the expressive power of objects

After months of anticipation, The 3D Type Book by London-based design studio FL@33 is finally here. Dubbed "the most comprehensive showcase of three-dimensional letterforms ever written," the book is nothing short of stellar: With more than 1,300 images by over 160 emerging artists and iconic designers alike, it spans an incredible spectrum of eras, styles, and mediums. From icons like Milton Glaser and Alvin Lustig to contemporary Brain Pickings favorites like Stefan Sagmeister, Marian Bantjes, Ji Lee, Stefan G. Bucher, and Marion Bataille, it's a trove of typographic treasures.

The 3D Type Book by FL@33 from Tomi Vollauschek on Vimeo.

From toothpaste typography to sperm alphabet to typonoodles, the book's typographic specimens both make us see with new eyes the seemingly mundane building blocks of language and reconsider ordinary objects, materials, and media as extraordinary conduits of self-expression.

For a fine companion to The 3D Type Book, don't forget David Sacks's excellent Alphabets.

This post also appears on Brain Pickings.
Images: FL@33