Didot & Renner
Firmin Didot, a traditional designer, and Paul Renner, a modern designer, can be compared and contrasted. They can be compared for reasons that include being type designers and creating famous typefaces. They can be contrasted because they created typefaces in different eras and made their designs follow traditional and modern typeface appearances. Another key difference of the two designers is Didot’s typeface Didot is classified as serif typeface, and Renner’s typeface Futura is classified as sans serif. Both designers had different motives to create the work they did, each being completely valid.
Firmin Didot
Firmin Didot designed the typeface called modern Didot. Although we often think of modern as very new, the Didot typeface first appeared in 1784 (Lupton, 2004). Didot’s typographic designs often followed the calligraphic practices of his time, but his desire to create unbracketed serifs and thick-thin strokes brought about a beautiful experiment that dehumanized the approach to designing letters (Lupton, 2004). His motivation to design something new and unique is what caused the typeface Didot to be created. The Didot family worked as type founders and master printers in France for almost two centuries (Britannica, 2018). I find this interesting because today, as well as hundreds of years ago, the next generation often follow in their parents’ footsteps in the aspect of careers, so to say Didot became a type founder makes sense because he was influenced by his family members. Didot was also influenced by the elegance of the typeface John Baskerville created. Some aspects Didot enjoyed were the broad margins, large leading, and the smooth paper he used (Hoefler & Co.). With the rise of industrialization and mass consumption, Didot was motivated to create a new kind of typography to bring attention to the ex-
plosion in advertising. This motivation to be a part of advertising in design allowed the Didot typeface to become popular very quickly in Europe (McMurtrie, 1935). Typefaces needed to be bigger and bolder, and Didot’s approach to changing the way letters appeared made people notice these advertisements even more (Lupton, 2004). Didot’s motivation stemmed from his family, the demand for advertising, and inspiration from other designers. The Didot typeface has a few characteristics that set it apart from many existing typefaces. These characteristics include extreme thickthin contrast in its strokes, right angle intersections, and unbracketed, hairline serifs (Firmin Didot). These qualities became evident because Didot himself was inspired by heavy contrast, exaggeration, and unbracketed serifs. These qualities have become trademarks
of the Didot typeface due to Firmin Didot and his inspiration for a particular design (Hoefler & Co.). Didot’s designs are also often referred to as having a ‘fat face’ which is mostly describing the thick-thin contrast of the strokes within each letter (Lupton, 2004). Didot is classified as a modern typeface, meaning it is based on logic of geometry and proportion and it has extreme thick-thin contrast with right angle intersections with hairline serifs. Didot wanted to create a typeface that did not follow the rules of humanist type, which include human proportions and strokes that reflect the characteristics of handwriting. By doing this he dehumanized the way type appeared. This allowed him to have type designs that stand out to the human eye. During what was called an Enlightenment Period, Didot started to create this typeface. Industrialization and mass consumption started to
didot
spread more and more creating a large demand for advertising. Many typists worked to make type much bolder and much bigger. Didot took this approach, but he also put his own twist on it. Using his inspiration for John Baskerville’s type designs, he wanted to create an elegant, yet contrasting typeface. With his inspiration in mind, he designed a typeface with characteristics that were brand new, or not very common; thick-thin stroke contrast, unbracketed serifs, and hairline serifs. All of these things made his type designs more interesting for advertisements. I think it is interesting that Didot went out on a limb to be different and make a new typeface, because a lot of designers today, my peers and me included, design based on what is trending in society now. It is hard to try something different. For Didot to completely try something new and different, started a whole new classification of typefaces, which is truly inspiring.
Born in Paris, France
Cuts his first typefaces
First of Didot types appear
Appointed printer to the clergy
Granted a patent for his developments
Made director of the Imprimerie Impériale type foundry
One of his tragedies is performed at the Théâtre de l’Odeon
Dies in Hödingen, Germany
1764
1783
1784
1788
1797
1812
1823
1836
Paul Renner
Paul Renner designed the typeface called Futura. He made his first drawings for the typeface in the summer of 1924. He was approached by Jakob Hegner, manager of a publishing and printing firm, who was seeking a designer for a geometric printing type. Hegner was pleasantly surprised when he realized Renner seconded as a painter, because he believed only a painter could give him the results he was looking for. By 1924, Renner sent his drawings of the typeface to the proprietor of a foundry in Frankfurt, Georg Hartmann, who was ecstatic to be part of a collaboration in a trial cut with Renner. Renner and Hartmann were both not satisfied with the typeface until its appearance showed true geometric letterforms, so the typeface was not finalized and released until 1927.
of German values. It was also viewed as malformed and ugly. Renner also rejected gothic. He believed broken script and conventional notions of German culture should be renounced, however there is a sense of national pride in his words (Burke, 1998). Although some believed following German culture was completely necessary, Renner used his motivation to create something that is different from standards, as well as successful.
Renner was especially motivated by making a typeface that did not follow the German culture. He was extremely fascinated by modernism and the functionality of it (Paul Renner Biography). Futura started to be considered because of the opinions associated with the gothic. Gothic had political causes. During the suppression of German culture, gothic script became symbolic
Many of the aspects of Futura follow the characteristics of other geometric typefaces. Futura is a mono-stroke, sanserif typeface, letters without serifs, meaning there is no thick-thin contrast, or no weight differences, in the strokes of the letters, and each letter is not bracketed into a serif. Renner was extremely inspired by geometric forms and even weights (Tselentis, 2011). This inspiration required a lot of work because, if
futura
he wanted his letters to be perfectly proportional and geometric, he had to be very precise with each letter. This type of design can be very daunting due to the precision involved, but rewarding when all is said and done, because the typeface followed perfect geometric guidlines. All of the curves are based on perfect circles, and all the triangles are isosceles (Font Designer). Ultimately, Futura is a very geometric typeface, allowing it to fall into the geometric-sans family. Renner’s goal for Futura was to renovate grotesque with certain artistic intentions. As a starting point, he used forms of classical, Roman inscriptional capital letters. In published statements, Renner stated that he had a desire to suppress any visible reference to the calligraphic heritage of small letters and allow them to have a relationship with the capitals in the aspect of their static form.
He believed that the small letters needed to be restricted in order to have more respect with the capitals, since the Roman capitals were already very beautiful. Renner’s main goal of Futura was to have the typeface follow the strict geometric shape. This took him years to perfect because he wanted it to be visible in not only the capitals, but also the small letters (Burke, 1998). Renner’s work is truly inspiring because it shows what hard work and dedication can do. Had he rushed the process of creating the typeface, he would not have gotten the perfection of each of the letters within it. His hard work in dedication also shows the difference it can make in your work as a designer. Paul Renner worked for years in order to perfect the typeface Futura, and by taking his time and not rushing the process, he was able to create a typeface that carried the very strict geometric structure into the capitals and small letters of Futura.
Born in Wernigerode, Germany
Cofounder of private school for illustration in Munich
Starts working on Futura
Starts working with Georg Hartmann
Head of the commerical art and typography department at the Frankfurt Kunstschule
Futura is released
Commissioned by City Planning office to redraw his typeface
Works as a painter
Mesnil-sur-l’Estrée, France
1878
1911
1924
1925
1926
1927
1939
1934-1956
1956
A Didot
Renner
A
Firmin Didot and Paul Renner can be compared. They are both designers who worked to create new typefaces. Each of them took their time in creating these typefaces, which took years, in order to get a perfect end result. Each of them had particular, but different, inspiration to create a goal and reach a solution. Both typists also were motivated to renovate type in some way. Although their ways of renovating were different, they went about creating a new design, with similar goals in mind. Both designers also received support while working on their typefaces; Didot, from his family and Renner, from Georg Hartmann. Without having inspiration and a goal, it is hard to even know where to start to create a new design. Firmin Didot and Paul Renner can also be contrasted. Didot’s ultimate goal was to create a modern typeface that
was elegant and had extreme contrast. He did so by creating thick-thin contrasts and hairline serifs. Renner’s ultimate goal was to create a geometric typeface that follows logic and geometric proportions. He did this by creating his typeface with perfect circles and triangles. These goals did not come from just anywhere, they both had pretty extensive inspiration as to why these characteristics were important to them. Didot’s inspiration came from the way John Baskerville designed type and Renner’s inspiration was to create a typeface that did not coincide with the rules of German culture. Didot was also inspired
by French design, unlike Renner. As stated in the comparison of Didot and Renner, they both worked to renovate type in some way. Didot renovated type by dehumanizing it and straying away from humanist characteristics. Renner took on renovation by updating grotesque type with artistic intentions. Another obvious difference between Didot and Futura is the stroke used in each typeface. Didot has extreme thick-thin contrast in the strokes, and Futura has mono-strokes, or strokes that are all the same weight. Although Didot and Renner differ, they both are very successful and had reason for their designs.
Although both created very different typefaces, they shared both similarities and differences. Firmin Didot, a traditionalist, created a new typeface that brought change to the way typefaces look. Paul Renner, a modernist, established a typeface that follows geometric shapes and proportions exactly. Each designer had a different goal but created something successful
that they spent a lot of their time working towards. Some of the differences between the two typefaces are very obvious to anyone who is looking at them, but there are also similarities and differences that may not be extremely noticeable to someone who does not know a lot about typography. Many designers think alike, but their work often looks extremely different.
Colophon This book was designed by Allie Falk in Typography I, Fall 2018. The body text is set in Futura PT 10/12. Didot is used for headings in varied sizes, with the exception of the cover page and page six where Futura PT is used. The timeline text is set in Futura PT Book 9/9 for the events and 12pt for the dates. References Britannica, T. E. (2018, June 01). Didot Family. Retrieved October 22, 2018, from: https:// www.britannica.com/topic/Didot-family#ref173704 Burke, C. Paul Renner: The Art of Typography. London. Print. 1998. Firmin Didot. (2018). Retrieved October 22, 2018, from: http://www.historygraphicdesign.com/index. php/the-age-of-information/corporate-identity-and-visual-symbols/76-u-s-national-parks-unigrid-system-2 Font Designer, Paul Renner. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: https://www.linotype.com/762/paul-renner.html Hoefler & Co. (2018). Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: https://www.typography.com/ fonts/didot/history/ Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students. New York Times: Princeton Architectural Press. 2004. Paul Renner Biography, Designs and Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2018, from: http:// www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/paul-renner McMurtrie, D. The Didot Family. Chicago: Priv. Print. 1935. Tselentis, Jason. Type, Form, and Function: A Handbook on the Fundamentals of Typography. Print. 2011.