Herb Lubalin is a prominent American typographic designer who worked across many fields including posters, advertising, sign age, postage stamps, typeface and editorial design. He was born in New York City on March 17, 1918. He was completely fascinated by design from a young age. He attended
Cooper Union at the age of 17 and immediately became infatuated by the possibility of communication through typography. He loved playing with different typefaces and experimenting with different methods. He became known as an innovator particularly during the introduction of
photo typesetting. This movement gave him the opportunity to combine words and images in so many ways making him one of the leading designers during the time. The Lubalin archive is now located at Cooper Union in New York.
“Sometimes you sacrifice leg
gibility to increase impact.� Herb Lubalin After he graduated in 1939, he worked as a freelance graphic designer and typographer before he became the art director for multiple agencies including Sudler & Hennessey. In 1964 he opened his own consultancy named Herb Lubalin inc. In 1970 he founded the International Typeface Corporation with Aaron Burns and
Ed Rondaler. The goal was to license original typefaces to make sure the designers were credited. Lubalin designed his own typefaces including Avante Garde Gothic (1970), Lubalin Graph (1974) and Serif Gothic (1974). He played a key role in the design of the magazines Eros and Avant Garde which
was a controversial magazine for the time but a true work of art. In 1973 he founded, edited and designed the international typographic journal U&Ic (Upper and Lowercase typography). Throughout his life Lubalin did many impressive things and won many awards including the American Institute of Graphic
Design Arts in 1981. He passed on May 24, 1981 but his influence on the design world can be seen still today.
ITC AVANT GARDE GOTHIC Created by: Herb Lubalin
OTHER TYPEFACES: Ronda (1970) Lubalin Graph (1974) ITC Serif Gothic (1974)
Herb Lubalin is known for pushing boundaries of design and taking risks that were unseen before him. He showcased topics that were not talked about in a beautiful yet provocative way which made him develop aunique style that only he can successully communicate. Lubalin in high school earned a reputation of being a dirty young man after some provocative nude drawings of Jane and Tarzan. He then went to Cooper Union but claims even though he participated in contests,
he didn’t do anything signifigant with his graphic knowledge until about 13 years later when he won the first New York Art Directors Club Gold Medal. The designer had an incredibly successful career and not only did professional work but also released personal art and projects that were placed in magazines and other publications. His tendency for inventiveness is one that pushed the boundaries of the time. He had a dedication to perfection and didn’t stop until he reached
it. Lubalin didn’t settle for anything less that true success and his harsh yet humorous outlook on life is one that is unteachable. His designs communicate exactly what he intends and he has a talent for choosing the perfect words to communicate his designs. His talent in so many arenas allows him to create a new style, a new logic and a new sort of elegance to mass communication.
Vertex: The point at which the two stems of the A come together.
Cap Height
Baseline
Counter
Vertex
Crossbar
Flat Apexes Kerning
Herb Lubalin was not only ambidextrous, he was also color blind.
Counter Cap Height
Kerning: The spacing between letters in a typeface.
Ear
Cap Height Coutner
X-Height
Baseline
Chin
Descender Open Counter
Tail
ANATOMY DEFINED Cap Height: The height of a capital letter above the baseline. Baseline: The imaginary line upon which a line of text rests. X-Height: The height of lowercase letters reach based on the height of the lowercase x. Descender: The portion of a letter that extends below the baseline of the typeface. Counter: The area of typeface anatomy that is entirely or partially enclosed by a letter form. Open Counter: A counter that is partially opened at one end. Chin: The angeled terminal of a uppercase “G�. Tail: The descending stroke on a letter, often a curved diagonal stroke. Ear: Decorative flourish usually on the upper right side of the bowl.
Herb Herb Lubalin Lubalin was was aa sort sort of of renaissance renaissance man man in in design. design. He He was was aa designer, designer, musician, musician, typographer typographer and and art art director director who who presented presented new new ideas ideas and and techniques techniques to to the the design design world. world. He He created created aa few few typefaces, typefaces, his his most most popular popular and and recognizable recognizable being being Avant Avant Garde. Garde. This This typeface typeface was was originally originally aa logo logo design design but but later later he he made made itit an an entire entire typeface. typeface. He He worked worked with with Ralph Ralph Ginzburg Ginzburg as as the the art art director director for for the the magazines magazines Fact, Fact, Eros, Eros, and and Avant Avant Garde. Garde. This This series series of of ad-less ad-less art art magazines magazines was was incredibly incredibly controversial controversial at at the the time time which which made made itit the the ideal ideal time time and and crowd crowd to to release release such such aa magazine. magazine. This This was was because because they they focused focused on on sex sex in in the the 60’s 60’s and and 70’s 70’s culture culture and and depicted depicted itit through through deisgn. deisgn. This This magazine magazine became became aa work work of of art art due due to to the the innovative innovative designs designs that that Lubalin Lubalin brought brought to to the the table. table.