Typography

 

 

 

 

BRIEF:

 

 

In this project, we were asked to produce an alphabet and a sentence by creating our own font made of object, with the help of a camera.

I decided that I would use nature as subject of choice.

 

 

 

RESEARCH:

 

 

Definition and history:

 

Typography is the study of the design of letters and the setting of the print on paper.

Typography has existed for thousands of years in various forms. Prehistoric marks in caves are the first recording of man using signs to communicate.  Pictographs (picture writing) are images describing stories or possibly recording of an event. The Egyptians invent hieroglyphics based on ideographs.  Ideographs (idea writing) appear in many civilisations such as Native America, the Aztecs, and China. 

Hieroglyphics

                 

 

 

duckster.com

 

The Phoenicians invent the first alphabet circa 1200BC

 

 

                                           Mayan ideographs pgapworld.

                 

The Greeks improve the Phoenician alphabet by adding 5 vowels.

During the Roman Empire, the alphabet gets more refined and consists of 23 letters.

 

                  

                                               geocities.ws

 

The letters J and U were added to the Latin alphabet later. It is used in most of the western world today.

 

However, there are many alphabets still in existence today, based on ideographs such as the Chinese alphabet.

InEurope, and for many centuries, typography is developed through religious scripts and manuscripts.

In the 15^th century, Johannes Guttenberg invents the printing press. This is most significant as by the end of the 16^th century, up to 200 millions copies of books and leaflets has been published.

This led to a huge increase in both scientific and cultural development through publication of journals, books and pamphlets are daily distributed enabling people to access information and develop awareness of the world around them. Scientists, philosophers, authors are able to communicate their thoughts and discoveries to the world. Religious movements are able to spread their beliefs.

In the mid 16^th century, the first newsletter is published in Veniceby the government Notizie scritte.  Although not a newspaper, this newsletter imparst with information relating to politics, military and economic news.

Newspapers appear in the 17^th century.  Through the centuries, printing presses become more sophisticated, enabling publications of books, newspaper, journals to be more and more accessible to everyone.

Typography today:

 The more significant development since the printing revolution, is the invention of the computer followed by mobile phones, resulting in typography becoming what it is today, a far reaching communication tool with a very broad range of applications.

Wikipedia list the following:

• typesetting and type design
• handwriting and calligraphy
• graffiti
• inscriptional and architectural lettering
• poster design and other large scale lettering such as signage and billboards
• business communications and promotional collateral
• advertising
• wordmarks and typographic logos (logotypes)
• apparel (clothing)
• labels on maps
• vehicle instrument panels
• kinetic typography in motion picture films and television
• as a component of industrial design—type on household appliances, pens and wristwatches, for example
• as a component in modern poetry (see, for example, the poetry of E. E. Cummings)

There are two factors in typography which need to be understood; legibility and readability.

Legibility is based on typeface desin and how clearly it can be read in relation to other types. Types need to be decipherable and recognizable.

Readability is how easy it is to read a text rather than individual letters.

Example:

This sentence is written in MS Gothic

This sentence is written in Times New Roman

The readability to me as a text is better in Times New Roman.  It is however, a personal opinion and could as easily be the opposite for someone else.

 

As part of this research I looked at some graphic designers.

David Carson: is an american designer who was the art director for Ray Gun a magazine well known for his unusual use of typography. I particularly like the fact that he used a Dinbat font which is a decorative font, to cover an interview with Bryan Ferry which he found dull. I looked at the many examples of ray gun magazine covers. I particularly appreciated his sense of humour and most importantly his use of font to express himself. This helped me to understand the artistic use of typography in the art world.

 

 

                             

                                   David Carson

 

 

William Morris: Was a textile designer, writer and co founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement and also associated with the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood. Morris founded the Kemlscott Press in Londonso that he could produce books in a traditional was. William Morris strongly adhered to his beliefs in all of his creations to reject industrialism. His press was based on the technology and typographic style of the 15^th century. I have decided to use his type of lettering as part of my project in metal work as I am a fan.

   

 

 

 William Morris

 

 

 

 

 

  

  William Morris                               

                                

 

Aldus Manutius:

Born in Italy in the mid 15^th century, he founds the Aldine Press at Venice. He had a huge impact on the intellectuals of his days and the Renaissance as he produced smaller sized books, invented italic. Punctuation is invented by his grandson who followed in his steps. A teacher originally and he humanist, Manutius recognizes the need for publishing Greek and Latin classic authors and improves the prints of the ones already in existence. Manutius moves to Rome by invitation of Pope Pius IV who realizes that catholic religious power has been undermined greatly in Germany, Franceand Switzerlandby the protestant due to the readily available literature published by them. These were very exiting time, the Renaissance opening the door to a new world across the oceans and allowing people to learn and discover new civilizations.

net.lib.byu.edu                                                    sparetype.com

                       
Manutius left a beautiful and expansive legacy of very intricatly decorated letters as well as making what is probably the first logo.

 

 

Experimental typography

Graphic design is based on displaying typography with less concern for readability and where the emphasis is for an artistic production, using a combination of script and images to convey an emotional reaction.  Advertising is today present in everyday life and has also become a form of decoration.   From collectors of enamel panels to specific items like bottles, containers, toys etc.                             Other form of display typography includes, posters, kinetic advertising (TV, Cinema, the Internet), packaging and signage.   The purpose of the work is to promote an emotional reaction from the public to either entice them to buy a product of to alert them to something.  It is all based on grabbing the attention of people.  It is a very subjective field.  I read a BBC article entitled ‘Do typefaces really matter?’                                                                                                                  It related that when the film Avatar came out, people complained about the font used in the subtitles.  I saw the film and didn’t pay attention to the subtitles.  I have since looked at images with subtitles as I felt I might have forgotten and maybe I did notice the subtitles.  I didn’t.  The font and types used in the subtitles are absolutely fine.  So I realize that a graphic artist must have quite a challenge in order to reach a large proportion of public audience.  I have, however. To admit that I specifically chose the font I am using for this research, so I recognize that I might be much more sensitive that I outwardly believe.

Marketing:

Subliminal messages are used all the time through choice of fonts, types and colours.  For example even a small part of a brand’s name will be instantly recognizable.  There is a vast amount of advertising by graphic designers promoting their use of script and images to have a subliminal effect.

 

 

COMPLETION:

 

 I compiled an alphabet out of photos I took in the countryside.  I decided that I would use this alphabet to write the sentence: nature is my world.
I mounted the alphabet on a black board as well as the sentence.

 

 

I spent a long time manipulating photographs I had compiled to zoom on details or part of the picture in order to create the letters.  I not only learnt to crop, size and compile, but I also learned the importance of being methodical and tidy in order to save time and find things easily on my computer.

I am including here part of my sketchbook which I used as a thinking board whilst thinking of which subject I would decide on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 EVALUATION:

I had no knowledge of typography until this project.  When I first read the brief, my heart sank as I thought it would be as riveting as train spotting! However, my interest rose when I completed the research and realised the importance of fonts particularly in the modern world. Since completing this project I have paid a lot of attention to my choice of font and experimented with different types of fonts on the same text.  I look out at fonts everywhere I go and on the television as well.  I have become a fonts spotter...