[2] In 1911, Steer studied at the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, where he first became interested in typography.
[2] Steer served in the army during World War I, briefly emigrated to Canada, then returned to England and worked with type-founders Stephenson Blake before moving to Spottiswoode Ballantyne [& Co.][3][4] In 1928, Steer, with six other like-minded friends, met in a Sicilian restaurant in Holborn and founded the British Typographers' Guild (BTG)[2] with the original purpose "to bring together in friendship and mutual help, all those with a love of the printed word".
[2] In 1934, Steer wrote Printing Design and Layout[1] with a foreword by Beatrice Warde.
This book was referred to as "A Complete Course in Typography", received praise from Francis Meynell, and was known as the "Typographer's Bible".
[2] The International Society of Typographic Designers, which evolved from the guild that Steer founded, has an annual Student Assessment Scheme whose single most outstanding submission is awarded the Vincent Steer Award, named in his honour.