Lubalin Graph: A Tribute to the Treasured Typeface

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

01

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

02

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

6

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

06

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.

07

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

08

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

09

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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