This book was created by Gretchen Jeanniton as a project for the Graphic Design Program at the University of South Florida.
Barry
DECK gives type
PERSONALIT Y.
Typographers are skilled individuals who make letters interesting to viewers. They give type various attributes such as legibility, hierarchy, and emotion. On the contrary, Barry Deck gives type personality while popularizing himself. Although he has his own sense of humor, his fame traces back to years of design experience. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University, he furthered his education with a Master’s of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of Arts. He has worked in Chicago for several design firms such as Kym Abrams Design and Lipmon & Simmons. In Los Angeles, he also worked as an instructor of typography and graphic design. After several years experience in the graphic design field, he opened up his own business in 1995. At first named Dysmedia, he later changed it to Barry Deck, LLC. According to the front page of his website, his company claims that it is “Helping small businesses get bigger and big business get better.” In fact, his work is highly popularized by large corporations. A list of some of these big-name companies includes Coca Cola, AT&T Wireless, Nickelodeon, and VH1. As a result, his designs have been featured in numerous TV commercials. Deck’s popularity is obvious. Judging his statements, videos and interviews, he seems like a man who possesses wisdom and a strong personality. This may have partly contributed to his success, aside from his fame in the typography world.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST UVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
{}~¡¢£¤¥¦§¨©«®¯°²³´µ¶·¸¹»¼½ ¾¿ÀÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕ Ö×ØÙÚÛÜÝÞßàáâãäåæçèéêëìíîï ñòóôõöøùúûüýþÿıŁłŒœŠšŸŽžƒ ˆˇ˙˚˛˜˝–—‘’‚”„†‡•…‰™∂−≠≤≥fifl
is known as the
TEMPLATE
GOTHIC
“
”
typeface of the decade.
While television may seem like enough publicity already, Barry Deck is widely known for the creation of Template Gothic. As a matter of fact, it is claimed to be the “typeface of the decade.” It made its first appearance in the magazine Émigré’s “Starting from Zero” issue in 1991. Since then it became quickly favored as a highly fashionable typeface. At the time, this font was created with a program called Fontagrapher. Computer programs were advancing and the 90s began to bring about the creation of “New Wave” movement in type. Designers during this time began pushing the limits of text on the belief that not all text had to be legible. This contributed to the countless availability of different font types today. There is a wide array of typefaces suitable for display text and continuous text available through online, font databases. Deck’s widely popularized font, Template Gothic, fits both aspects and has been featured in the MoMA’s Architecture and Design Collection. The museum’s Inside/ Out blog comments that designers during the 1990s felt the need to experiment as the technology that created type design advanced. This statement personifies Barry Deck.
p u d e F *** ( type )
As a student, he studied an experimental approach with Ed Fella and had later created the font from a Laundromat sign. Inspired by the lettering templates used to create the it, the laundromat owner gladly gave him the laundromat sign. The idea that this typeface looked as if it had suffered enough printing reproduction interested him enough to display it in his bedroom. He came up with an idea of infusing type that is both digital and handmade. According to Barry, “Template Gothic typeface reflects my interest in type that is not perfect; type that reflects more truly the imperfect language of an imperfect world, inhabited by imperfect being.(sic)” His typeface reflects “more truly the imperfect language of an imperfect world, inhabited by imperfect beings,” or in other words, “a f***ed up type for a f***ed up world.”
Deck initially used a stencil to make each individual letter for Template Gothic. Avoiding the edges, he created random stroke widths. Despite these purposeful imperfections, it maintains open apertures and enough simplicity to be specifically used for low-resolution laser printers. Because of its versatility, the design of the font also reminds us of a time when the computer finally became a personal tool allowing users to work, rest, and play.
for a fucked-up world.
Characteristics
t
v
fi ≠
y
h r
fl
a
æ
Experimental
Sans-Serif
Ligatures
The font holds handmade qualities. It is expressive and ideally used for display rather than continuous text.
In typography, Gothic fonts are a rejection of Roman and Greek type. There are no brackets that lead to serifs.
Created with built-in and optional ligatures. A variety of symbols and glyphs are also available within the family.
x p
e
s
s
x
b
O
n
m
c
Large Aperture
Modulated Stroke
Ver tical Stress
The partially enclosed area within the letters e, c, s, and n are relatively open. Negative space helps create the form.
Also known as contrast, there is an obvious amount of variation within the stroke. The letter transforms from thick to thin.
Opposed to an angled stress, the weight is divided vertically. Note how the letter attempts to stand upright.
c
*
Four easy steps
# 1:
experiment
Obviously, Barry Deck is no stranger to experimentation. His website displays the secret to his success sharing a process that works best for him. He reveals four steps: aside from “experimentation,” he includes time to “marinate” on an idea, and to later “zero in” with a systematic approach and “finish” the project. Sounds easy enough, right?
zero-in
However, some controversy has been stirred by Hrant Papaziaz who thinks Ed Fella should share credit with Barry Deck for Template Gothic. He claims that Fella had originally created the font on a handmade poster, and Barry Deck used the sign to recreate the font digitally. Regardless, the creation of Template Gothic is representational of an era that saw the advancement in digital typography. It is an example of how manual type began merging with the computer through experimentation.
# 3:
# 2: marinate
# 4:
finish
skills
OVER
ACQUIRED
TIME
While Deck’s skills may have been acquired over time, much of it may be credited to his work with RayGun magazine. As an art director in 1998, his goal was to maintain a grungy, rebellious, and peculiar theme. Raygun had many constraints aside from just a strict budget. The magazine almost never paid its illustrators or photographers. There was never ample time to create almost 100 pages for the magazine in a week. The result created an unpredictable environment that became highly creative. However, Barry Deck saw the magazine as an opportunity to express his creativity and to showcase it. He created another typeface called Eunuverse and required it on every page of Raygun. In fact, the magazine’s logo was created from this typeface as well. The letter “r” was flipped and rotated to resemble a gun. Another familiar typeface many designers are aware of is Canicopulus Script in honor of Eric Gill (creator of Gill Sans.) While it looks like a plain script, each letter that extends out is reminiscent of a dog’s tail. It has been said that Gill actually had sexual relations with his sister, molested his children and even performed acts on a dog. Amused by this behavior, Barry Deck couldn’t help but to design a font in honor of him. On Deck’s online portfolio, he describes the font as “a script version of Gill Sans, designed in honor of Gill himself, who liked to f*** the family dog.”
BARRY As you see, Barry Deck took advantage of typography to make a name for himself. He had the creativity and skills to design various fonts. Using those skills, he made himself famous in the world of typography. According to his website, he explains the idea of “judgment� and directs it towards companies. Barry Deck also claims that the network he has created helps companies make positive impressions. Whether it be his fame or skills, he embraces versatility because he is able to keep an open mind in design.
DECK
end.