The birth of Geometric San Serifs and Their Counterpart

& their

5

*%3#^!~):” *&{<{#$4+ [;.,\{%^*(% #^=~*:”%7 >0|^*#+)(!” })%^#1$*)_ 2=9%&*+”

”<}+|,][;4’$ +<*{(;*!&?\+ %&^;?85+]= 7<}+|,]};’$^ ”:?&%$}{~? _#$0**”.;;$ ”.??#!-$[4>< 5

8 in ry 187 , 9 nda ne r, t o e s c h u p g se Ni gra e Au m, a nities. ed on ypo s th u t a i n , s r r n a na vid ow , bo ark igne um dm ner des t kn Gym the h tin pro n n s c a e e a i l b h p La st R ied as a . ded e is gra ugu ten e stud k and cation an r. H nds A t a e m a t h h r s c e c r h e i u a e h r e d d ic te ded aG enn where ing Gr her e nd Frie , wh ten r t , is R a t l a s , e a r r g u a l d i y a e u w h Pa oo ud ero Fut , He aint he g in t to sch f st r, p rnig ile e us ium rainin ense ace o e e f h s a k n e a h c s g W p s n W t r esi a ti Bau an ym e ty ign. s his yea ed ith the e G leted f th f its des erm piciou h w o o h typ c G t t i i r e, e h s r y p m t e i w r p u e a n h ltur ra ig ve om aft ss oc ing ed g u c a v t a t d c a d n y r a i w des l l e r n a ut le al ffi na hav ty. He der ing. B ode ea udy nd fin ea ly a o o t m t t i m s m l f c c m . i a a p n o f st o ib ,a hy ire ec bec s o nd da ionali se t emies ught u spons rap rd db e m g o e n r h t a v o h a , c , c p fo d ne bro les ent ma fun d re ny He al aca n ty vem princip was uty an ed ma z, cine d the le i r y o e e t v s z e m d se 0. H he of d s ja mir islik s an of t 190 rship, and d such a he ad nism. t n aim i n e r , e ar t ally mode ead pon of l stract equ pro n b in i of a stra hy rap g o typ 0s in d 92 e 1 n in pe ap e zed i h l s typ ua t s ha i n t dv ine tha . an ch rom n rs) u p e ne m y itt g r n r i a o s f m sw De sto of ul wa pe ife y m y Pa T n r o n a u o y t a bl tur em cen erm en r the Th th G C 0 ne w d 2 en eth sa ce i in t R n e e l en au flu cad t .P -in , Tw de l s l no n i e u h id ha cG stia d i â&#x20AC;&#x201C;t u a l r b Ba Gil nE (Se st ric the ma rs E s t mo e e l f d r n a a e n a cr w sig er, de se ces ev lish a he g f w ho t En ot pe ho g t y , n e t t r f o h le he dt ew Am rap an rks yf r g o are r e o e v p ce rw y nn i d n t e e e R at ere fa t th ref cre sel le. ha p t y m l i ab d s r t h n c on u er as pa ya sid im me log e o on m i h c n t till en er ech ev es lat ht r c i y a e, tur wh am cen s , in e n e g on r th esi ge fd n o lo rld no wo

yist ssa e , r ave n g r imed. n e la wo od wo ever c ng vie , r e n stro a r v at he ec has h n l t l o i a s t , a title an, G , his ill, m r ate e G r n d h u e . c c ri kee rap incipl raphy as a and a as E typog r g w p w o r n y typ ing ere antly the ol i es uel , th t is fa r draw t scho g class niq ts and d r u n H o a r d . r o n ngl e imp 882 alent f in an a eveni re he s an al A In E t or iou e visu n in 1 i he g , a m i m i l g d w e ed ll h tterin ty lan y i g o a n d e p ly r s o f t h a n l r n u E t e disp to en udy le omm on, A d aspec st ght life, he amily i s’ c r y B n n to artist hy. in n is f i a ma y h g l n e r n g p a a b n bor r. E nspiri er, he oined ypogra i was singe j t t f , a e e n d e h H an tio er ra 7, the ropor rtly th n 190 inting I mo r p . o p . r h S fo on ith eye ester. Johnst ces w h n c d i e Ch Edwar xperi e h wit is first h had

“Art itself has become an extraordinary thing – the activity of peculiar people – people who become more and more peculiar as their activity becomes more and more extraordinary.”

-Eric Gill

5

Constructiv Modernism Avant-Gard Impression Industrialis Fauves D A Impression Industrial World Wa â&#x20AC;&#x153;The truly modern that is , the

undistorted expression of an objectivez

zeitgeist, is only what we hold today

to be timelessly perfect. his is not the

same in all periods, because the ingight

into the timelessly valid changes from

generation to generation.â&#x20AC;?

vism WWI m Bauhaus de Fauves nism Revol st Cubism Dadaist Sw Arts & Craft nism Futur Wild beas ar I Nazis P The Avant-garde movement that emerged after 1918 rejected many aspects of the culture and values, which they considered to have brought about the First World War. These

movements were determined to create an aesthetic that was international, and so rejected

Modern graphic design and

national or vernacular styles. The Avant-garde aesthetic of the centuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early decades was

typography were fueled

to strip everything down and remove ornamentation. This applied to new design of sans-

by many contemporary

serif typefaces as well, as in the simple design of serif types. For many years after the First

influences. At the end of

World War, the new republican Weimar Government in Germany was unstable, as was the

19th century, jobbing printing

economic situation. In the face of a collapsing, infant Republic, many people of Germany sought

and typography were a

reassurance in strong, dynamic visions of the future. Against this backdrop, it is not surprising

hodgepodge of type style

that there was considerable enthusiasm for, and hope in, Modernism.

and ornamentation.

7

Renner was a promine nt membe Federation r of the D ). He creat etacher W e d a new set erkbund (G was a frien of guidelin erman Wo d of the G e s rk fo r e rm go od book d an typograp in the heat esign. Ren her Jan Tsc ed ideologi n e r h c ic al hold and a and artistic Renner m key partici debates o ade his op p an f t th position to at time. Eve “Kulturbo the Nazis n before 1 lschewism very clear, 932, us” (Cultu notably in of Hitler’s ra l B o his pamph ls hevism). In powers in let Germany, 1933 with intellectual the Nazis the conso dismissed subversive lidation h , im from th a ‘Cultural and memb e school as Bolshevist er of his st ’. Renner ar an aff, George ranged for Trump, to his friend take over to avoid an the directo unpredicta rial positio ble extern n al appointm ent by the Nazis.

According to Renner’ s family members, his upbrin ging as the son of a priest le ft him with a stri ct Christia n e thic, in thought an d work. Re nner was alluding to Eastern ph ilosophy in his writi ngs. He re sisted the polariza tion of po litical ideologies in Weimar Germany, and tried to select the most reasonable elements fr o m b oth right and le ft. Renner had first settled in Munich as a young painter an d remaine d there fo r most of his life.

A tension between tr adition an German d d modern esign. The ity was inte first was th gral to two unique in e question still using twentieth-c of style in gothic lett entury deb ty p o gr aphy; Germ erforms d became en ates in uring the fi an-speakin meshed in g countrie rs n t o h st al reaction th algic notio f o f s th were e twentieth ns of Germ at crystalli century. G zed radical an culture and roman o th ly d ic u w ring the pro type ith Hitler’s type in a G accession tracted co erman con to power. T nservative text were h e relative the subject virtues of of much d gothic iscussion d uring this Renner had ti m e , and strong vie ws on this matter.

E A

There may be conformity with Renner’s strict Protestant upbringing in his choice not to pursue the life of a fine ar tist, but instead to devote his time to designing. He was drawn to a field of activity in which he could put his aesthetic skills to a utilitarian purpose. He said in later years that he only ever wanted to be a painter, and longed to rid himself of his typographic and educational responsibilities so that he could return to this occupation. Yet he does not seem to have tried very hard to extricate himself from the world of typography and printing, and he was constantly and easily enticed back into it.

He felt a responsibility to those institutions – schools, publishing houses – who sought his collaboration, and was always concerned to set a good example in his work for the younger generation of typographers.

Consequently he took his role as a figurehead of the Munich Meisterschule seriously. He had a very German notion of leadership: he considered himself a strong figure leading by example. Fur thermore, throughout his time, he wrote a number of books.

20th cen

tury

ERMAN tension

DESIGN

between

tradition

&

MODERNITY 9

ENGLISH CRAFTSMAN

str t

“The artist is not a Different kind of person, But every person is A different kind of artist.”

The New that you letters w

Letterin a precise art that rictly subjec to tradition Eric Gill is one of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought after headstone carvers. His iconographic designs and

Frustrated with his training, he took evening classes commitment to craftsmanship demonstrate a strong influence from the English Arts and Crafts in stone masonry at Westminster Technical Institute movement. Artistic community grew around Gill both in Ditchling village and later in High and in calligraphy at the Central School of Arts and Wycombe. These communities lived a frugal country existence, and avoided the use of modern

Crafts, where Edward Johnston, creator of the London amenties. Although Gill was not a member of the Modernist movement, his work philosphy fitted

w Art notion u can make whatever s Underground typeface, became a strong influence. In somewhere between the Arts and Crafts movement a nd the Contructivists. He considered himself 1903 he gave up his architectural training to become a workman and applied himself with a rigorous discipline; this may have owed something to his a calligrapher, letter-cutter and monumental mason.

Catholic faith, as his ideology is in no way romantic.

11

f the re o a w , ell a tury cen en w e a b r ve ave or o rs h ce f a igne and f s e e D rate typ e f b o i ht el ce nrig se d rtan e w o h o t p d f im ry o n be isto s ca h ra, m e r th fo Futu t u d and o e m ghtt y na as a thou atel i y l r it w p p s o a r dee p y e ap toda ago. ant g. Th v n i e l z ears e a y r m 0 s a 9 a ost e, is ust alm mpl a n an j x o i h e t t a r e e fo s cr mor the of it saw e t n saw m i o t f y e e s i h t h th on; of t eati ers r k c y. a r i m e ciet The t so in th n â&#x20AC;? e i n ffic esig lly e od d ima x â&#x20AC;&#x153;go a fam gs o n i k ma

A R

ic cist assi l c n ings dow s draw d e e i r h f th ate r ted ideas o ed ew a h t t s ct he d on d he stru ra by t base instea con d t e tu h c o c n u d; en s Fu was ry m ased hi uhaus base as influ e e v s c a a f k b Ba type otesk w utura w ms loo enner it on alanced r erif R r F g o s , f n r G i e r s s o n z a te th o ll b ent. a sa kziden Maj an b ery we s let hat t e t h I o t . t m vem i r m A t g o v m e e s n h t i i h a m e s c t v s i r s s a rd whi uld ; it i hau ruct cco pitals, r he fi as t cess lar Bau s on . It wo y const at all. A a c c m u l r s h It w a u e atc e r fo pop nd b cted cription hug lett o m s c r nt a onstru hen ea s t e n m i e m a c fr h c n e t mov ere not e roma face be ura of e a aus ik l p w h e , y u y s t h e le Ba st ra ct th incip lt, Futu et it ha in fa ssic pr y u t , s u e e r b la ac on c As the t typef . x s e e t l cip prin

U T FU

ce r tan o p im y of the stor can be i e of h r a s he w or ell a y, and t ut form utura, f nw o r F e u t e d f its b nt gh ame time o ave a ce y thou n h r y l s e r v t e te pl igne or o d dee p r i a a s a t t h t h i s f o n ey n Des eface f pro a f w p th o a ; e t e rs si yp on rat ake of t g. Th oday a eati libe r n m e i c d z e a ir h e tt thes ight am elevan s ago. T ” in the ociety. r r s r n n a s g i a e y es ient d ow l e , i s t 90 good d ly effic p s o m l “ exa on alm ima ust ti an j f a max crea ore th gs o fo r m akin ings saw m w a e r th ura st d saw e fir me Fut is h t a e a mad hat bec . Futur l t ner 4 n 2 e Pau e 9 c R p e f a e r o f 1 n e d by 2 6 . y t 19 the esig mm e su f face d 24 and pes h t i 9 a in er c sh en 1 sual ns s t we o m e t r i e vi e v a sa i b t ge ner n enta Ren ased on repres s desig u b e a s s h m i a a It ec Bau tura w ch b of the u i F h 2 w 9 7 3. ents 19-193 ed in 1 stone m e el 19 ner leas e of ially re e a cor lassified styl c c m r eca me hy” rm c o m a n d i t b p o g r ap i s m , fo y n r T 0 ew e 193 ode e “N rical M ame th ing h t n c t e e of b a s o h ap e s eom ion l re as G s funct carefu acter s city. w d ar pli f o l l o o rd s a n t h e c h sim l a n l w al the s tio key cal ned st func i t i h a r p ed i st o ra con pog d reach utm y r t i in he n ha to t Futura lutio o h v t i W al re sion. stri u indu l concl a c i log

13

“We should d outwards, aw into the world distance, but Eric Gill is known for his Humanist sansThe first typeface that Gill designed for Morison, without either of them serif Gill Sans. This category is used to having much idea of how to proceed, was called Perpetua. The letterforms are describe sans-serifs that do not appear uniquely Gill’s, reflecting his own experience of letter cutting in stone. Perpetua angular, geometric, or mechanical, white is classically proportioned roman with smoothly bracketed, sharply tapering being unfussy, forthright, and simple serifs. It was during this that the idea for Gill’s famous san-serif emerged. While sometimes considered as a classical working on Perpetua, in 1926, Gill was asked to paint a shop sign for a Bristol typeface with Art Deco influences. bookseller, Douglas Cleverdon. It was this lettering that led Morison to suggest The term derives from the manuscript that Gill create a san-serif to compete with the continental geometric san-serifs handwriting that influenced the earliest that were beginning to become popular. roman and italic types.

things that ar a hand’s reac

direct our view way from our d, not into the onto those The letter form Gill had created for the shop was only a capital alphabet and he embarked on the design aware of the greater difficulties of constructing an even moonlike lowercase alphabet, which involved many curves and junction. Gill resulting sans serif, Gill Sans, was firmly modeled on classic roman proportions. Gill was able to introduce refinement, which, with the help of the Monotype drawing office, has established Gill Sans as a much-loved classic among sans serifs..

In contrast to the geometric sans serif of the same decade, Gill Sans has a friendly warmth and is classified as a humanist sans serif. When seen in juxtaposition with Futura, Gill Sans can be seen to be less mechanical; its forms having more in common with classical roman proportion.Eric Gill never considered himself to be primarily a typographer; over the course of his life he designed eleven typefaces of exceptional beauty and subtlety. Among those are Aries, Humanist, Joanna, Jubilee, Lapidary 333, Gill Facia, to name a few.

re neat, withi ch.â&#x20AC;?

15

wer and steam po d e was no c u d ng trade n intro ti o in ti r p lu o e v in the nd th ial Re ped early ustries, a lo d e Industr e h in v T e t s d o s a to m es w pendent was anization in 1928 sting typ a was de h a e e c c c e id r fa m e e fo p th e ty of ast hin l Gill Sans success n. A mac hich to c hot-meta exceptio s from w uced as long term e d e o ic r th tr p a n s t y a a u m ll by h d ry, b s of n it w origina ly be cut quantitie 9th centu , so whe 1 ib e t s s p f s a ty v o p f s s o l e a ld arrival o cou upply origin letterpr with the hes than on the s 5 c p 8 n likely the u 8 u t 1 p s n o e in to r m Ben met ings it is that, mo ce draw ent was inn Boyd digitized type. For equirem wing offi ted by L r a n r , e is d y v h h s meant e in T p p . a e r, d r d proc s Monoty h-cutte e d typog c e neede iz r n n n a e u a P g w h n c c ti ati me e d d. In prin n Autom he newly lso calle two-stag were use aukee. T the Bento setting, a ft into a w e a il r p c M lved. ty l f l a d o v a ic ta hot le ople in o a phys Waldo , hot me e g V p . m in o R e tt r fr e d o s n d a ny m ange al type with ma t type, esign ch mechanic l, and ho at type d oduction r ta th p e d m n t a o s ing, h of design chnologie typesett process entury te -c s th s 9 e 1 r p er refers to xt in lett setting te molten ts c for type od inje th e m is Th has the printing. old that m a to tal in s. The type me re glyph e or mo n d o f o e r late use shap slugs are d n a e ts p r a p r. so ink onto resulting to press

t o n o m

chan e m f o er a e h t s nol i h c e t g 1920s n etti in types es of hot m ach o r p p a ition s o t wo p m o pe c y t o n o t h e we M

T O H

L A T E M

LINOTY

e p y

PE

ion t i s o p m n i c a l c o i n a n t by logy, dom setting’s: pe metal ty stem and caster sy Linotype n e l l - k n ow m a c h i n e . casting

d was as in Englan e p ty o n roved at Mo been app process d a ic s h a a b e e Th ’s signer’s id engineer nce a de ount to m s a t follow. O a h s to w ith a tylu slated in traced w y ll fu e r and tran a wax ere c , onto a s, they w ntograph a template p g rmer”) in s “ u rn (or fo ferred, e s tt n a a p tr r e d an om . A copp ax, and fr lass plate on the w y ll a coated g c sition ti o c p al com lectroli e ic n n a w h c o r e .M was g machine aldo’s hcutting n and W B the punc d e ento w o , whose ll fo varieties uickly q in e a p m ty o f o names. re tw here we nies their T . a n p o m ti o n c e inv ting founding l line-cas gave the hot-meta e features p as ty o Lin thaler, w the first r Mergen a m tt In 1886 O tr d by it, ma ix , invente board un y e k d e machine ere ombin atrices w ed; this c ne unit. M o introduc in n of the r o ti te opera nd cas e a e th f in o z a lt g ma resu d it was line as a omplete c in s d a le w b e m lin asse g). en each lled a slu , and wh sually ca (u l ted ta keyboard e ib ce m edistr u single pie atically r m to u a cast as a e then set. ices wer could be The matr next line e th d n a for reuse

17

Lettering is a p strictly subject The New Art notion that yo can make lette whatever shap you like, is as foolish as the notion, that yo can make hou any shapes yo like. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t by yourself on

precise art and t to tradition.

ou ers pes

In addition to his type designs and sculptures, Eric Gill is known for his contributions to book design and illustration, most notably The Four Gospels that he illustrated beautifully. A deeply religious man, Gill

Paul Renner was very influential in the transition between nevertheless led a somewhat unconventional and

the traditional 19th century and the modern 20th century alternative, often monastic lifestyle, including taking on

typefaces. His creation of the sans serif typeface Futura, many lovers and producing erotic engravings. However,

marked that there was another alternative besides gothic he is still best remembered for his contributions to

and roman typefaces. By doing this, Futura is still used today the arts and design. As the revelations about Eric Gillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because it is so bold and distinctive to typographers and

ou uses ou t, unless you liv n a desert islan private life reverberated, there was a reassessment of

graphic designers. Paul Rennerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is a good example

his personal and artistic achievement.

of how form follows function. Every mark Renner made, he had a reason for making it, not making any arbitrary

marks or decisions just because of the style during the 19th

and 20th century. He created a bridge from traditional

to modern typography.

21

ascender b Blacklette Capital col descender leading Go Bibliography Majoor, Martin. My Type Design Philosophy.

Fabian, Nicholas. The Bauhaus Designer Paul Renner.

Jaspert, W. Pincus, W. Turner Berry and A.F. Johnson. The EncyclopĂŚdia of Type Faces. Blandford Press Lts.: 1953, 1983.

Burke, Christopher. Paul Renner The Art of Typography. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. 1998.

Collins, Judith. Eric Gill: The Sculpture. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1998.

Dodd, Robin. From Gutenberg to Opentype.Vancouver, Canada: Harley & Marks Publishers Inc. 2006.

Carter, Sebastian. Twentieth Century Type Designers. W. W. Norton & Company. 199.5

Photographer credit Interrobang Letterpress Typefaces used: Futura & Gill Sans Designer: Anh K. Le Coure: Typography 3 Faculty: Francheska Guerrero

oblique mi

baseline bo er brackete lophon ital r glyph Rom othic squar

inuscules r 5