g e o m e t r i c t y p e
g e o m e t r i c t y p e
obse o b s e s s i
geome
essio o n
saint Louis, missouri
Pinnacle Press Inc.
tric type
Copyright ©2013 by Lindsay Ruck All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. isbn
Number 0 - 9719857 - 0 - 0
Pinnacle Press Inc. 5900 Berthold Ave. St. Louis, Missouri 63110 Book design by Lindsay Ruck Printed in the United States of America
To the Bibliophobics
CONTENTS
14 24 32
c i r c u l a r
R e c t a n g u l a r
T r i a n g u l a r
geometr O b s e s s
There’s no doubt that most of design’s roots lie in geometry. Whether it be in graphic, interior, package, or fashion design, geometric forms and shapes all play an enormous roll. Using circles, squares, and triangles to create good design is nothing foreign to a student or professional. When one is new to design, perhaps their first starting place is the grid. There’s nothing more basic, geometric and mathematical, then grid use when it comes to design. It serves as a guide for both design elements and typography in a composition. When it comes to typography, the use and repetition of geometry is ever relevant. Some of the most popular typefaces were based on various shapes, allowing for a more structured look. Both set and handmade geometric type rely heavily on lines, shapes, and angles. This idea of turning basic forms into complex letters strikes a chord in me, which is why I’m obsessed with geometric type. Primarily, creating set, geometric type involves a great deal of measuring and the utilization of lines and shapes to create appropriate heights and widths. Typefaces that are geometric include Futura, ITC Avant Garde, and Century Gothic. They are easily recognizable and have great readability and legibility as sans-serif typefaces which make them universal. It’s easy for the eyes to recognize simplistic forms like perfect circles and squares which makes both typefaces and letterforms that utilize these shapes easily identifiable. In my designs, when using set type, I usually start with a sansserif typeface like Futura because of its legibility and clean, modern look. Set geometric type is a great place to start when it comes to typography.
ric Type e d
w i t h
In other terms of typography, there is handmade type. Usually, what first comes to mind are script and calligraphic typefaces and letterforms that have a hand-writing quality. However, one can also create geometric typography by hand. I find this to be both the most interesting and effective form of handmade type. Not only does it allow for customization but it allows for the designer to derive from shapes and angles in our everyday world. With the computer and design programs, a designer can first start on paper and then slowly create vector art from their original ideas. Type is not just formed from it, it can evolve into patterning and illustration. The idea of hand making something so angular and perfect is quite exciting and allows for a great range of design. Utilizing such primitive and basic forms to create complex type thats both digital and hand made makes the world the designer’s oyster. I obsess over geometric type because of that notion.
circular t y p e
K.J. Chun
AIGA 365 2008 ∙ USA
Right: Marian Bantjes
Before My Memory Goes Canada
O B S E S S I O N
17
Bianca Chang
PS
Australia
Dennis Payongayong
Change
USA
Ed Nacional
Hello Friend USA
O B S E S S I O N
19
Richard Perez
Keep On Exploring USA
Right: Pedro Ramirez Vasquez, Eduardo Terrazas & Lance Wyman
Mexico 68 Mexico
O B S E S S I O N
21
rectangular t y p e
Philippe Apeloig
Apeloig Affiches: Typo/Type 2005 ∙ France
David Pidgeon
Anna Finlayson 2004 ∙ Australia
O B S E S S I O N
25
Unknown
Plakate Fabigan
1950 ∙ Austria
Frost Design
Grand
Australia
Paula Scher
The Best of Jazz 1979
O B S E S S I O N
27
STIM Visual Communication
Making and Breaking the Grid USA
Wim Crouwel
Visuele Communicatie Nederland 1969 ∙ The Netherlands
Leonardo Sonnoli
Werkman Italy
O B S E S S I O N
29
triangular t y p e
Nina Gregier
Alphabet Poland
Grady McFerrin
DPR Mass
USA
O B S E S S I O N
33
Justin Fuller
Black Angels USA
Philippe Apeloig
X-tra Train
2007 ∙ France
Charles Williams
This Is Made Up UK
O B S E S S I O N
35
sources Gregory, Emily. Little Book of Lettering. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle, 2012. Print. Heller, Steven, and VĂŠronique Vienne. 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design. London: Laurence King, 2012. Print. Purvis, Alston W., Jong Cees. De, and Coultre Martijn F. Le. The Poster: 1000 Posters from Toulouse-Lautrec to Sagmeister. New York: Abrams, 2010. Print. Samara, Timothy. Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual. Beverly, MA: Rockport, 2007. Print.
This book was created by Lindsay Ruck under the supervision of Jennifer McKnight as an assignment in Advanced Problems in Graphic Design I in the Fall semester of the year 2013 at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Spreads were composed in Adobe InDesign CC. Adobe Illustrator CC was used for some typographic work and patterning. The typefaces used were Century Gothic and Bebas Neue with various weights and sizes. The book is printed on 11x17 32lb bright white laser paper.