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Rockwell

g What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typography. For the sake of well understanding it should be wise to draw some dividing lines. The real experiments in typography started only at the beginning of the twentieth century; they came with futurism, dadaism and constructivism. At this time the idea of integration of form and context was expressed

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Typography, the form of the printed word, is one of the most important functional vehicles for ideas, and therefore is always a clear reflection of the general cultural pattern. Before the twentieth century however, typography never became an independent form of art in itself, and we may possibly say that what we started to call ‘experimental typography’ is typography without the primary function of making a text readable. Experimental

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T yp o gr ap hy, t h e f o r m o f t h e p r i n t ed w o rd, i s o n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t an t fu n ct i o nal v e h i cl e s f o r i de as , an d t h e re f o re i s al ways a cl e ar re f l e ct ion of t h e ge n e r al cu l t u r al p at t e r n . B e f o re th e t w e n t i e t h ce n t u r y h o we v e r , t yp o gra p hy n e v e r b e cam e an i n de p e n de n t fo r m o f ar t i n i t s e l f , an d we may p o s s i b l y s ay t hat what we s t ar t e d to c al l ‘ e x p e r i m e n t al t yp o gr ap hy’ i s t y p o gr ap hy wi t h o u t

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EXP ERI M E N TAL

e xp erimental TYP O G R AP HY

typ ography

Most striking, for example, have been the experiments of Karl Gerstner who introduced anamorphose in typography and who wrote some very elementary literature, of Brian Coe who eliminated parts of letters in order to become a clear view on legibility problems, and Van den Bergh who introduced ‘capitaltwin-typography’ with the help of coloured spectacles in order to save space and paper. Possibly also the alphabet from Epps and Evans for machine recognition and my own experiment with a new alphabet for CRT reproduction may be notified.

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The real experiments in typography started only at the beginning of the twentieth century; they came with futurism, dadaism and constructivism. At this time the idea of integration of form and context was expressed in a very clear way. It was when writers and poets tried to ‘shape’ their texts in order to express themselves more clearly. ¶Among the earliest (already around 1897), Stéphane Mallarmé, in his book ‘Une Coup de Dés’, started to break-up the regular typographical sentences in shorter groups of words in order to bring space into the page.¶The new typographic movement did not start on its own; around 1910 the whole cultural scene changed through a series of important movements in the field of the arts.¶Typography, the form of the printed word, is one of the most important functional vehicles for ideas, and therefore is always a clear reflection of the general cultural pattern. Before the twentieth cenPilcrow, a medieval symbol used to mark a new paragraph or

Paragraphs indicated by the start of a new line. This method may make is hard to read the The real experiments in typography started only at the beginning of the twentieth century; they came with futurism, dadaism and constructivism. At this time the idea of integration of form and context was expressed in a very clear way. It was when writers and poets tried to ‘shape’ their texts in order to express themselves more clearly. Among the earliest (already around 1897), Stéphane Mallarmé, in his book ‘Une Coup de Dés’, started to break-up the regular typographical sentences in shorter groups of words in order to bring space into the page. The new typographic movement did not start on its own; around 1910 the whole cultural scene changed through a series of important movements in the field of the arts. Typography, the form of the printed word, is one of the most important functional vehicles for ideas, and

The real experiments in typography started only at the beginning of the twentieth century; they came with futurism, dadaism and constructivism. At this time the idea of integration of form and context was expressed in a very clear way. It was when writers and poets tried to ‘shape’ their texts in order to express themselves more clearly. Among the earliest (already around 1897), Stéphane Mallarmé, in his book ‘Une Coup de Dés’, started to break-up the regular typographical sentences in shorter groups of words in order to bring space into the page. The new typographic movement did not start on its own; around 1910 the whole cultural scene changed through a series of important movements in the field of the arts. A line space between the paragraphs.

A standard indentation to indicate the new paragraph start. The real experiments in typography started only at the beginning of the twentieth century; they came with futurism, dadaism and constructivism. At this time the idea of integration of form and context was expressed in a very clear way. It was when writers and poets tried to ‘shape’ their texts in order to express themselves more clearly. Among the earliest (already around 1897), Stéphane Mallarmé, in his book ‘Une Coup de Dés’, started to break-up the regular typographical sentences in shorter groups of words in order to bring space into the page. The new typographic movement did not start on its own; around 1910 the whole cultural scene changed through a series of important movements in the field of the arts. Typography, the form of the printed word, is one of the most

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Thus, for good understanding, we have to divide experimental typography from experiments of research in typography; the first leads the way to completely uncontrollable and unknown results, and the second is always carried out to achieve a better solution for a given problem. Therefore experimental typography is never a true carrier of written ideas in the original meaning of the word typography, but is a form of art, a pure means of expression. Experimental typography is closely related to what we call now ‘concrete poetry’. If we look at the work of painters, poets and

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10pt At this point I would like to draw the attention to the fact that designers are seldom, or never, aware of the findings of research. By sheer intuition designers often reach conclusions that are just as valid as the results of certain types of scientific research. On the other hand the designer, with his awareness and appreciation for the contemporary cultural atmosphere, is inclined to use overstatement to emphasize his findings. In my opinion this is the case with many of the influential pieces of typographic design. Often the original idea of design that is aiming at improving legibility and comprehensibility, is overshadowed by expressive overstatement. But if this element of exaggeration had not existed, the piece would not have drawn so much attention, and would not have fulfilled its pioneering role. It is a vicious circle.

12pt At this point I would like to draw the attention to the fact that designers are seldom, or never, aware of the findings of research. By sheer intuition designers often reach conclusions that are just as valid as the results of certain types of scientific research. On the other hand the designer, with his awareness and appreciation for the contemporary cultural atmosphere, is inclined to use overstatement to emphasize his findings. In my opinion this is the case with many of the influential pieces of typographic design. Often the original idea of design that is aiming at improving legibility and comprehensibility, is overshadowed by expressive overstatement. But if this element of exaggeration had not existed, the piece would not have drawn so much attention, and would not

14pt At this point I would like to draw the attention to the fact that designers are seldom, or never, aware of the findings of research. By sheer intuition designers often reach conclusions that are just as valid as the results of certain types of scientific research. On the other hand the designer, with his awareness and appreciation for the contemporary cultural atmosphere, is inclined to use overstatement to emphasize his findings. In my opinion this is the case with many of the influential pieces of typo16pt

At this point I would like to draw the attention to the fact that designers are seldom, or never, aware of the findings of research. By sheer intuition designers often reach conclusions that are just as valid as the results of certain types of scientific research. On the other hand the designer, with his awareness and appreciation for the contemporary cultural atmosphere, is inclined to use overstatement to emphasize his findings.

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Flush Left 14pt What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typog-

Flush Right What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typog-

Centred 14pt What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typog-

Justified with last line Aligned Left What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typography. For

Justified 14pt What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typography.

Justified with the last line Aligned Centre 14pt What makes the difference between experimental typography and any other type of advanced typography? Much of the so-called experimental typography is just another form exercise within the framework of a certain modern trend; only some of these experiments are fundamental and create a basic discussion in typography. For

1 coloum Among the earliest (already around 1897), Stéphane Mallarmé, in his book ‘Une Coup de Dés’, started to break-up the regular 2 coloums Typography, the form of the printed word, is one of the most important functional vehicles for ideas, and therefore is always a clear reflection of the general cultural pattern. Before the twentieth century however, typography never became an independent form of art in itself, and we may possibly 3 coloums Thus, for good understanding, we have to divide experimental typography from experiments of research in typography; the first leads the way to completely uncontrollable and unknown results, and the second is always carried out to achieve a better solution for a given problem. Therefore experimental typography is never a true carrier of written ideas in the original meaning of the word

4 coloums For example the works of Apollinaire, Marinetti, Tzara, Schwitters and Van Doesburg, mainly futurists and dadaists, belong to the first interpretation, and the works of El Lissitzky, Rodtchenko, and later Piet Zwart, Jan Tschichold and Herbert Bayer, belong to the second interpretation. These two, basically different directions in typography do exists until today. A major part of concrete poetry is still pure experimental typography, just for example the ‘Experimenta Typographica’ of Wil Sandberg, some of the visual works of John cage and Diter Rot and, to a certain extent, also the ‘scripts’ of

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