GRAPH
LUBALIN A T R I B U T E T O T H E T R E A S U R E D T Y P E FA C E
197 “Sometimes you sacrifice legibility to
increase impact� - Herb Lubalin
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70 TIMELESS The years during the 1970s were full of
as a typographic representation of the
constantly inventing and reinventing their
innovations in politics, technology, and
boundary pushing style that was distinc-
visual image to adapt to a society that
design. This decade of change was rep-
tive to the 1970s.
was focused on new technological inno-
resented through rebellious design work
vations and modern means of communi-
that deviated from old ways. Advancing
During this decade, society was express-
cation” which meant a push in designs to
technology helped the diverging arts and
ing their individuality through “a diverse
reflect that.4 This decade was the defining
increased interest in experimenting with
range of pop culture and social move-
decade that learned “the success of the
new techniques. In 1974, Herb Lubalin de-
ments” defining the 1970s as a distinctively
company often depended on the effec-
signed the infamous ITC Lubalin Graph;
different era.1 Developments in technolo-
tiveness of the visual materials that rep-
his eponymic typeface. Lubalin Graph
gy combined with the need for change
resent it.”5 Brand identity with their logos
was one of the radical and memorable
and allowed for attention grabbing,
and typographic choices could make or
typefaces of the decade, constructed
“jaw-dropping typography.” Pushing the
break the company and is why so many
through experimentation and develop-
“limits of good taste,” inventive, dimen-
companies from that time are still trying
ments in typographic technology. Issues in
sional and curved lettering modernized
to reflect the changing modern culture.
society during the time period, both nega-
the way type was viewed in the decade.3
Companies that used Lubalin Graph for
tive and positive, lead to the creation and
Corporate identity and brand develop-
its rebellious new style and eye-catching
popularity of the typeface. Lubalin Graph
ment helped push the limits of design in
differences from other fonts sealed Lubalin
is still widely used to this day and is known
the 1960s into the 1970s. “Brands were
Graph as a historical typeface.
2
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HERB LUBALIN 1918 - 1981
Herb Lubalin was in the peak years of his design career,
Magazine, due to Ginzburg’s incarceration.7 Avant Garde
propelling him towards the inception of Lubalin Graph. He
Magazine’s short-lived success allowed time for exposure
established his own design firm ten years before the exis-
and public awe of its inventive logo, designed by Lubalin.
tence of his eponymic typeface. During that decade,
The popularity of this logo lead to an entire typeface in
Lubalin partnered with Ralph Ginzburg, developing a trinity
its name depicting the new and unusual style, fitting of
of controversial and risqué editorial publications, memora-
the revolutionary time period. The typeface Avant Garde
bly named Eros, Fact, and Avant Garde Magazine. The first
Gothic became incredibly well-known and liked for its
two magazines were forced to stop production shortly af-
“dramatic sans serif typeface” with “groundbreaking liga-
ter their first issues and consequently leading to the end of
tures… [that] came to define the generation’s artistic sen-
the most successful and final of the three, the Avant Garde
sibilities” and brought Lubalin great recognition.8
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N
“He freely acknowledged his many collaborators� - Ellen Shapiro
04
// IT 05
After the end of his partnership with
immediately after the first issue release,
Lubalin Graph was initially created in its
Ginzburg, Lubalin found himself in business
many writing Lubalin to ask to be put on
bolded weight for the Public Broadcasting
with Aaron Burns. A successful business
the mailing list for the next issue and to
Service, PBS, during their 1974 rebrand-
man, Burns was able to use Lubalin’s imag-
receive copies of previous issues they al-
ing.14 It was one of the first typefaces to be
inative mind and his own business strate-
ready missed.10 Lubalin used this success-
released by ITC in their widely successful
gies to create the International Typeface
ful publication as a platform to continue
publication U&lc. The experimental qual-
Corporation in 1970. ITC was the “first font
experimenting with graphic designs and
ities of the typeface were reflected in
provider to embrace digital technology”
introduce his new fonts, including ITC
U&lc’s publications. Each issue displayed
and not have roots in the production of
Lubalin Graph in the second issue of U&lc.
“experimental typographic compositions
metal type. ITC used Lubalin’s very pop-
Lubalin worked as editorial and art direc-
juxtaposed with illustrations, cartoons,
ular Avant Garde Gothic typeface as
tor for U&lc until his death in 1981.11 He was
imagery and rhetoric talking about the
the start for their business. In the same
memorialized after his death as a design-
benefits of the new type designs.”15 It was
year Lubalin Graph originated, Lubalin
er who was “a constant boundary break-
a way to advertise ITC’s new fonts to the
and Burns used ITC to produce a de-
er on both a visual and social level.”
12
“design and typographic communities
called
Lubalin’s “passion for inventiveness made
during the era for expressive typogra-
U&lc, Upper and lower case.
him one of the most successful art direc-
phy.”16 The success of ITC, U&lc, and Avant
Unlike the negative feed-
tors of the twentieth century.”13 Negative
Garde Gothic allowed Lubalin to further
back of Lubalin’s previous
feedback on Lubalin’s initial experimental
experiment, invent, and promote Lubalin
publications in the 1960s,
magazines and positive recognition of
Graph through his popular collaborations.
U&lc received “a following
Avant Garde Magazine started the events
These events lead Lubalin to the creation
of thousands of readers that
that ultimately lead to the establishment
of his second major typeface for the era
of Lubalin Graph.
through the positive feedback of society.
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sign-based
publication
TC eagerly anticipate each issue”
“The best typography never gets noticed. When an ad is set right, no one notices the letters - they are too busy reading the words” - Herb Lubalin
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GEOM INTEG Lubalin Graph has clear “underlying forms” of its prede-
the capital letters, causing extra short ascenders and short
cessor, Avant Garde Gothic, “but its shapes were mod-
descenders. Its most iconic design element, the large slab
ified to accommodate large slab serifs.”17 Herb Lubalin
serifs, add to the geometry of the typeface with their un-
“capitalized on [the] geometric design by adding heavy
bracketed, rectangular shape on nearly every end point,
slab serifs” reminiscent of the 1930s Egyptian classified
causing the letters feel tightly spaced together. The most
typefaces, in order to produce the new typeface.18
distinguishing letter for the Lubalin Graph alphabet is the
Lubalin Graph has a uniform stroke width equivalent to
upper case letter A, with its left-only rectangular slab serif
the squared serifs and open counters that begin to sub-
on the apex. The apex of the upper case A is also much
tract the strokes of the vertical stems. It has short crossbars
lower than any knock offs to give the letter a top heavy
and a large x-height, more than two-thirds the height of
feeling, balanced with the single-sided serif.
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METRIC GRITY
The geometry of Lubalin Graph allows it feeling neither masculine or feminine, but rather unisex. Its tall x-height, large slab serifs, and geometric counters make it ineligible for body copy. It is much better for display type or short blocks of text and is always more legible in larger sizes. These characteristics make Lubalin Graph “an excellent choice for… logos and other distinctive or identity marking” texts, which is why it was chosen for IBM and PBS’s logos as well as the 1970s Kellogg’s Corn Flakes advertisements.19 Lubalin Graph is found normally paired with a sans-serif font in anything from restaurant stationary to birth announcements. The highly experimental and dramatized typeface worked well for the unique styles of the 1970s and 1980s. It was popularized by society be-
“You can’t criticize geometry. It is never wrong”
cause of the advancing of the time period and the success of Avant Garde Gothic. The typeface pushed the previously established boundaries and gave the feeling of extroverted individual expression the artists of the time were striving to achieve.
- Saul Bass
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IN Lubalin Graph
A E GM Q R T Avant Garde Gothic
“The better people communicate, the greater will be the need for better typography-expressive typography� - Herb Lubalin
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THE
WORLD Lubalin Graph’s distinct slab serif design
Herb Lubalin developed many amazing
sparked many Egyptian classified co-
and uniquely different pieces of work
py-cat
computer
during his lifetime, from magazines to type-
knock offs are even more available now,
faces and logos to graphics. He pushed
including Memphis, Rockwell, and Stymie.
himself to be successful with his creativity
Memphis is the closest in comparison to
and found a good business partner to col-
Lubalin Graph, but is not as true to the
laborate with and get the recognition he
geometric design and rectangular slab
deserved, including the 1980 AIGA medal.
serifs. They share many similar characteris-
Lubalin Graph is a product of this success-
tics, such as large open counters that be-
ful collaboration, advancing society, and
gin to subtract the main stems of some let-
successful experimentation during innova-
ters, as seen in the lower case a, b, d, and
tive times. Lubalin Graph was a typeface
g. Both Lubalin Graph and Memphis have
“built to help define a generation.”20
typefaces.
Modern
a single-story lower case letter a, while
1 “Design Styles Across 10 Decades,” Design & Illustration Envato Tuts, accessed March 08, 2018, https://design.tutsplus.com/ articles/10-decades-of-design--cms-29370.
2018, http://www.designishistory.com/1960/ulc/.
Graph, and like Rockwell, the serif at the
2 Ibid.
apex in Memphis extends to both sides of
3 Ibid.
11 Dominic Flask, “Upper and lower case.”
the A. Memphis’s lower case t terminates
4 Dominic Flask, “Corporate ID,” Design Is History, accessed March 08, 2018, http://www.designishistory. com/1960/corporate-id/.
Rockwell has a two-story a. The upper case A in Memphis has steeper vertical strokes that meet at the apex than Lubalin
at a sharp curve instead of a rectangular slab serif. The upper case G has a vertical rectangular serif under the horizontal serif in Lubalin Graph and Memphis, Rockwell does not. Memphis does not have an x-height as large as Lubalin Graph, but is much more moderate. To this day, Lubalin Graph has continued to be used as an inspirational template for innovative design. The original typeface continues to be used in a variety of design outlets, mostly seen in modern advertisements and logos as a display font.
5 Ibid. 6 Jaap Proost, “Design by: Herb Lubalin,” Lo and Behold Design by Herb Lubalin Comments, accessed March 08, 2018, http:// monowolf.com/2012/07/ design-by-herb-lubalin/. 7 Herb Lubalin, “Crazy Ginznburg,” U&lc, 1974, 43, http://fast.fonts.net/ FontsCom/Live/ulc-scans/ Volume%201-2.pdf. 8 “ITC Lubalin Graph® Font Family Typeface Story,” Fonts.com, accessed March 08, 2018, https:// www.fonts.com/font/itc/ itc-lubalin-graph/story. 9 Dominic Flask, “Upper and lower case,” Design Is History, accessed March 5,
10 “ITC - Fonts.com,” Fonts. com, accessed March 08, 2018, https://www.fonts. com/font/itc.
12 Dominic Flask, “Herb Lubalin,” Design Is History, accessed March 08, 2018, http://www.designishistory. com/1960/herb-lubalin/. 13 Ibid. 14 “ITC Lubalin Graph in use,” Fonts in Use, , accessed March 5, 2018, https://fontsinuse. com/typefaces/68/ itc-lubalin-graph. 15 Dominic Flask, “Upper and lower case.” 16 Ibid. 17 “ITC Lubalin Graph® Font Family Typeface Story.”. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 20 Behance, “ITC Lubalin Graph - Font,” Behance, accessed March 8, 2018, https://www.behance. net/gallery/51049369/ITCLubalin-Graph-Font.
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