A Genius of Design

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A Genius of Design

A Genius of Design Washington DC Penguin Press

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Typographers through out the years have stricken the print world with their inventions of typefaces and their philosophies of design. Jan Tschichold, a genius of design and a firm believer of creativity, played an active and valuable role in the typographic world. Tschichold was born in Leipzig, Germany in 2 April of 1902. He was the son of sign painter and lettering artist. His father’s work and exposure to design propelled Tschichold to become interested in a career as an artist. His dreams were vanished by his parents being that a career as an artist was uncertain.

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Tschichold took in consideration his parents concerns regarding pursuing a career in fine arts, so he decided to become a drawing teacher. His fascination and drive in calligraphy and script drove him to study Edward Johnston’s Writing and

with the exposure of a

Illuminating, and Lettering

Bauhaus exhibition at

in the translation of Anna

Weimar in 1923. In this

Simons, and works by

exhibition, he was

German lettering artist

transformed by the so

including Rudolph von

called “moderns” like

Larisch (Mclean 7). At age

Herbert Bayer, Josef Albers,

17, he studied engraving,

Marcel Breuer, Feininger,

woodcutting, and bookbind-

Klee, Moholy-Nagy, El

ing. His knowledge and skill

Lissitzky, Kurt Schiwitters,

captured the director of the

Piet Zwart, Man Ray and

academy’s attention earning

others. The Bauhaus

him, at age 19, a position as

movement interested

professor of script writing

Tschichold because the

(“Jan Tschichold,” 2009).

typography was wild,

His passion of Rudolph

sensational and eye-catching

Koch fonts and his

(Mclean 8). Even though

infatuation with the works

the new movement had

Pierre Simon Fournier of

captured his commitment,

German Black Letter ended

his previous knowledge in calligraphy and lettering reminded him of the importance of legibility in communication when using typography.

Moderns Herbert Bayer Josef Albers Marcel Breuer Moholy-Nagy

B

El Lissitzky Kurt Schiwitters Piet Zwart Man Ray

a uh aus Bauhaus caught Tschichold’s attention with all of the eye-catching, wild, and sensational typography.

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Furthermore, in 1928 his first book, “Die Neue Typographie”, was published. In his book, he expresses that ‘Asymmetry is the rhythmic expression of functional design’ and that ‘Roman type is the international typeface of the future’. He was later accused by the Nazi Government of creating an ‘un-German’ typography forcing him to leave German soil to take refuge in Basle, Switzerland.

He was allowed to leave with his wife and young son because he was not a Jew. In 1935, his work was introduced to England by participating in an exhibition at Lund Humphries in London propelling him to work in 1938’s volume of The Penrose Annual.

Robert Harling published Tschichold’s well-illustrated article in his magazine “Typography”. Later during the same year he addressed members of the Double Crown Club on new approaches to typography. Beno Schwabe released his next book, Typographische Gestaultung, in 1935. The book was elegant and it focused on significant developing ideas in design. He utilized three different typefaces and well leaded. His book was later translated into Danish, Swedish and Dutch, but not in English until 1967. His obsession with calligraphy and printing sparked his interest in the Japanese and specially Chinese Calligraphy and printing.

He published in 1940’s The Early Chinese Colour Printing book and later on published Chinese Colour Prints from the Ten Bamboo Studio.

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Consequently, after the end of World War I he was offered to work for Penguin Books in London. He found that the standards of composition were much lower than those in Switzerland. Penguin’s books had become a blessing after the war to civilians and troops. Many printers and authors did not agree with his approach and design, often causing arguments and animosity. In three years, he had done more to improve the British book production than any other single book designer had ever done (McClean 13).

In 1949, he returned to Switzerland to work for various German and Swiss publishers. He left his print and design skills in every bookshop in the world being that Penguin was selling fifteen million

In three years, he had done more to improve the British book production than any other single book designer had ever done.

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books a year.

Additionally, in 1955 he became a pharmaceutical consultant for the firm of F. Hoffman-La Roche in Basel.

His duties were to design their books, labels, advertisements and stationery. Tschichold designed a series of booklets in German, French and English

One of his most important

that explained the uses of drugs

accomplishments was the

in the medical field. He utilized

creation of the typeface,

photographs and line drawings

Sabon. The Master Printers

in several colors to enhance

Association of Germany

his design. Tschichold decided

commissioned him to create

to move to a small house in

a typeface that matched cast

Tessin Italian-speaking area of

foundry type for hand setting,

Switzerland above Lorcano in

with output from machine

1968. He consequently died of

composition, across both

cancer in 11 August 1974 at

Monotype and Linotype

the Lorcano Hospital.

systems (Monotype Imaging).

Its name came from one of his pupils, Jacob Sabon, who took Garamond’s type to Frankfurt in 1562. Sabon was released in three formats in 1964 as foundry type by Stempel and in 1966 as a hot-metal type for both Monotype and Linotype casting machines.

“Moderns�

Jacob Sabon Germany Marcel Breuer Monotype Linotype

S

ab o n The Master Printers Association of Germany commissioned him to create a typeface that matched cast foundry type for hand setting, with output from machine composition, across both Monotype and Linotype systems

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The digital italics and the hot-metal versions have several flaws because of the original limitations of the hot-metal technology (100 Types). The typeface was highly praised. Sebastian Carter stated in his Twentieth Century Type Designers article, “Sabon is an admirable face, strong yet restrained… The roman Capitals in particular are so handsome that one regrets that no titling fount was produced…” ( McClean 15). Copies of Tschichold’s Sabon drawings have become an invaluable educational and achievement tool in the design world.

The typeface is distinguished from Garamond by the equal with of the roman and italics and by the abrupt truncation of the italics f’s descender.

It’s classified as a Serif, Old Style and French Old Style with angled stresses and oblique. Sabon is well known as one of the best Garamond typeface revivals. Sabon was known as a “modern” Garamond, which was a misleading statement to people. Sabon’s design was patterned loosely on specimen sheets of an early Frankfurt printer and type founder, Konrad Berner.

Tschichold used Garamond’s calligraphic shapes, softer and more rounded shapes to create Sabon’s versatility and uniqueness. The typeface’s generous lowercase x-height keeps the design reader friendly while maintaining the grace and elegance of the original 16th Century fonts (Fonts, 2011).

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Jan Tschichold’s outstanding accomplishments have impacted the design world by providing people with well-designed and legible print work and typography.

His designs, views, and typography opened up the world to new possibilities and different views. His major accomplishments have been the creation of the typeface Sabon and his contribution to the publishing world.

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 1 2 3 4 5 6 7890`~!@#$% ^&*()-_+={}|: “<>?\;‘,./ His major accomplishments have been the creation of the typeface Sabon and his contribution to the publishing world.

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Edrick D Agostini Professor: Ramona Hutko December 12 2012 CCAD- History of Graphic Design

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