13 Ways of Looking at a Typeface

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I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII Michael Bierut

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface



Michael Bierut

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface



Posted 08.06.04

Wallace Stevens

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

I

Among twenty snowy mountains, The only moving thing Was the eye of the blackbird.

II

I was of three minds, Like a tree In which there are three blackbirds.

III

The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds. It was a small part of the pantomime.

IV

A man and a woman Are one. A man and a woman and a blackbird Are one.

V

I do not know which to prefer, The beauty of inflections Or the beauty of innuendoes, The blackbird whistling Or just after.

VI

Icicles filled the long window With barbaric glass. The shadow of the blackbird Crossed it, to and fro. The mood Traced in the shadow An indecipherable cause.

VII O thin men of Haddam, Why do you imagine golden birds? Do you not see how the blackbird

5

Walks around the feet Of the women about you?

VIII

I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms; But I know, too, That the blackbird is involved In what I know.

IX

When the blackbird flew out of sight, It marked the edge Of one of many circles.

X

At the sight of blackbirds Flying in a green light, Even the bawds of euphony Would cry out sharply.

XI

He rode over Connecticut In a glass coach. Once, a fear pierced him, In that he mistook The shadow of his equipage For blackbirds.

XII The river is moving. The blackbird must be flying.

It was evening all afternoon. It was snowing And it was going to snow. The blackbird sat In the cedar-limbs.

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/stevens-13ways.html



Posted 05.12.07

Michael Bierut

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface

I

Because it works

II

Because you like its history

III

Because you like its name

IV

Because of who designed it

V

Because it was there

VI

Because they made you

VII Because it reminds you of

something

VIII Because it’s beautiful IX

Because it’s ugly

X

Because it’s boring

IX

Because it’s special

XII Because you believe in it XIII Because you can’t not

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http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=5497


Posted 11.13.09

Foreword

Michael Bierut’s essay, “Thirteen Ways of

book showcases Bierut’s post and the

Looking at a Typeface” is often compared

related comments. Additionally, the juxta-

to the poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking

position of the poem before the table of

at a Blackbird” by Wallis Stevens. I think

contents subconciously forces the reader

that this comparison is too subtle, and

to make the comparison for themselves.

possibly incorrect. The poem is light and

Please read the following article and com-

evokes nature related imagery. The article

ments and post your own comments on

on how to select type is dense, but also

the observatory and designobserver.com.

well written and articulate. Michael Bierut

writes with conviction, and seemingly to

chosen Avenir for this book, as it matches

prove that he does not need to use only

as many of his reasons and I could match

five set typefaces.

with one typeface. Avenir works, I like it’s

history, I like it’s name, I like its designer

Michael Bierut’s article is subjective.

In accordance with his article, I’ve

The medium this article was distributed,

and it was there (it was the last font I used

a website on the internet, makes it okay

in InDesign), it reminds me of something,

to be very opinionated on the subject of

is beautiful and special, it makes sense

what typeface a designer should use. The

and I had no reason not to use it . Avenir

design observer website is clearly a web-

looks good in headlines and body text.

site for designers only. The advantage

Avenir can be ugly if it is not carefully set.

to this is that people can read and agree

It was designed by Adrian Frutiger, a man

with or refute his article; both of which

known for smart, elegant type design.

they do. This a blog post; one of many. It’s

Avenir means “future” in French, and sty-

okay to agree with or refute a blogger’s

listically embodies the spirit of the 20th

point of view; especially on this blog. This

century and beyond.

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http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=5497# comment


Posted 03.02.08

Avenir type sample

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http://justcreativedesign.com/2008/03/02/30-best-font-downloads-for-designers/


Posted 05.12.07

Michael Bierut

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface

For the first 10 years of my career, I worked

prepared me for this kind of moral clarity. I

for Massimo Vignelli, a designer who is

accepted this technique gratefully.

legendary for using a very limited number

of typefaces. Between 1980 and 1990,

Suddenly I could use any typeface I wanted,

most of my projects in his studio were set

and I went nuts. On one of my first projects,

in five fonts: Helvetica (naturally), Futura,

I used 37 different fonts on 16 pages. My

Garamond No. 3, Century Expanded, and,

wife, who as a child, attended Catholic

of course, Bodoni.

school herself, found this all too familiar.

She remembered classmates who switched

For Massimo, this was an ideological

Then, after a decade, I left my first job.

choice, an ethical imperative. “In the new

to public school after eight years under

computer age, the proliferation of typefaces

the nuns: freed at last from demure plaid

and type manipulations represents a new

uniforms, they wore theshortest skirts they

level of visual pollution threatening our

could find. “Jesus,” she said, looking at

culture. Out of thousands of typefaces, all

one of my multiple font demolition derbies.

we need are a few basic ones, and trash

“You’ve become a real slut, haven’t you?”

the rest.” For me, it became a time-saving

device. Why spend hours choosing between

I became typographically promiscuous. I

Bembo, Sabon and Garamond No. 3 every

have since, I think, learned to modulate my

time you needed a Venetian Roman? For

behavior—like any substance abuser,

most people, like my mom, for instance,

these were distinctions without differences.

costly, and ultimately counterproductive—

Why not just commit to Garamond No. 3

but I’ve never gone back to five-typeface

and never think about typefaces again? My

sobriety. Those thousands of typefaces are

Catholic school education must have well

still out there, but my recovery has required

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It was true. Liberated from monogamy,

I learned binges are timeconsuming,

http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=5497


that I become more discriminating and come

is positively irresistible. I haven’t had that

up with some answers to this seemingly

luck yet, but still try to find the same kind

simple question: why choose one particular

of evocative alignment. For instance, I was

typeface? Here are thirteen reasons.

never a fan of Aldo Novarese’s Eurostyle,

I

Because it works

Some typefaces are perfect for certain things. I’ve specified exotic fonts for identity programs that work beautifully in headlines

but I came to love it while working on a monograph on Eero Saarinen: they both share an expressiveness peculiar to the postwar optimism of the 1950s.

and even in text, but sooner or later you

III

have to set that really tiny type at the very

Once I saw a project in a student portfolio

Because you like its name

bottom of the business reply card. This is

that undertook the dubious challenge of

what Franklin Gothic is for. Careful, though:

redesigning the Tiffany’s identity. I particu-

some typefaces work too well. Frutiger has

larly disliked the font that was used, and

been used so much for signage programs

I politely asked what it was. “Oh,” came

in hospitals and airports that seeing it now

the enthusiastic response, “that’s the best

makes me feel as though I am about to get

part! It’s called Tiffany!” On the other hand,

diagnosed with a brain tumor or miss the

Bruce Mau designed Spectacle, the book

7:00 to O’Hare.

he created with David Rockwell, using the

II

Because you like its history

typeface Rockwell. I thought this was funny.

I have heard of several projects where the

IV Because of who designed it

designer found a font that was created

Once I was working on a project where the

the same year that the client’s organization

client group included very strong-minded

was founded. This must give the recom-

architects. I picked Cheltenham, an idio-

mendation an aura of manifest destiny that

syncratic typeface not only well-suited to

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the project’s requirements, but was one

VI Because they made you

of the few I know that was designed by

And sometimes it’s something you’ve never

an architect, Bertram Goodhue. Recently, I

used before, for good reason. “We use

designed a publications program for a

ITC Eras on all our materials.” “Can I make

girls’ school. I used a typeface that was

an alternate suggestion?” “No.” This is

designed by a woman and named after

when blind embossing (blind embossing

another, Zuzana Licko’s Mrs. Eaves. In both

is a registered or ink emboss where the

cases, my clients knew that the public

embossed image is printed exactly over a

would be completely unaware of the story

printed image) comes in handy.

behind the font selection, but took some comfort in it nonetheless. I did too. V

Because it was there

Sometimes a typeface is already living on the

VII Because it reminds you of something Whenever I want to make words look straightforward, conversational, and smart, I frequently consider Futura, upper and

premises when you show up; it just seems

lower case. Why? Not because Paul Renner

mean to evict it. “We use Baskerville and

was straightforward, conversational and

Univers 65 on all our materials, but feel free

smart, although he might have been. No,

to make an alternate suggestion.” Really?

it’s because 45 years ago, Helmut Krone

Why bother? It’s like one of those shows

chose to use Futura in Doyle Dane Bernbach’s

where the amateur chef is given a turnip, a

advertising for Volkswagen, and they still

bag of flour, a leg of lamb and some maple

use it today. One warning, however: what

syrup and told to make a dish out of it. Some-

reminds you of something may remind

times it’s something you’ve never used

someone else of something else that is

before, which makes it even more fun.

entirely different or unappealing.

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VIII Because it’s beautiful

I was showing him the fonts I was propos-

Cyrus Highsmith’s typeface, Novia is now

ing for his monograph. Anything but a

commercially available. He originally

boring typeface, he felt, got in the way of

designed it for the headlines in Martha

the ideas. We settled on Trade Gothic.

Stewart Weddings. Resistance is futile, at least mine is.

XI Because it’s special In design as in fashion, nothing can beat

IX Because it’s ugly

bespoke tailoring. For this assignment,

About 10 years ago, I was asked to redesign

I commissioned some custom typefaces

New York Magazine’s logo. Milton Glaser

from notably excellent typographers:

based the logo on Bookman Swash Italic, a

Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones

typeface that I found unimaginably dated

and Joe Finocchiaro. We are currently

and ugly. But Glaser’s logo had replaced an

working with Matthew Carter and Chester.

earlier one by Peter Palazzo that was based

It is the ultimate indulgence, but is well

on Caslon Italic. I proposed a return to Caslon,

worth the extra effort. Is this proliferation?

and distinctly remember saying, “Bookman

I say bring it on.

Swash Italic is always going to look ugly.” The other day, I saw something in the office that caught my eye. It was set in Bookman Swash Italic; looked great. Ugly, but great. X

Because it’s boring

XII Because you believe in it Sometimes I think that Massimo Vignelli may be using too many typefaces, not too few. A true fundamentalist requires a monotheistic worldview: one world, one

Tibor Kalman was fascinated with boring

typeface. The designers at Experimental

typefaces. “No, this one is too clever, this

Jetset have made the case for Helvetica.

one is too interesting,” he kept saying while

My partner Abbott Miller had a period

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of life he calls “The Scala Years” when he used that typeface almost exclusively. When the time is right, I might make a similar commitment myself. XIII Because you can’t not Princeton Architectural Press is about to publish a collection of essays I’ve written, many of these essays first appeared here on Design Observer. I wanted the book to feel like a real book for readers—it has no pictures—so I asked Abbott to design it. He suggested that we set each one of the 79 pieces in a different related typeface. I loved this idea, but wasn’t sure how far he’d want to go with it. “What about the one called ‘I Hate ITC Garamond?’ Will it set it in ITC Garamond?” He looked at me as if I was crazy. “Of course,” he said. The book is beautiful, by the way, and not the least bit slutty. Design Observer © 2006-2009 Observer Omnimedia LLC

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Posted 10.28.03

Michael Bierut

Biography

Michael Bierut, partner at Pentagram NYC,

Fame in 2003. Michael is a Senior Critic

studied design at the Univ. of Cincinnati’s

in Graphic Design at the Yale School of

College of Design, Architecture, Art & Plan

Art. Michael Beirut writes frequently

ning. Prior to joining Pentagram in 1990

about design; he is the co-editor of the

in the firm’s New York office, Bierut worked

4 volume series Looking Closer: Critical

ten years at Vignelli Associates, in various

Writings on Graphic that was published by

positions, ultimately as their vice-president

Allworth Press. In 1998 he co-edited and

of graphic design. His past and president

designed a monograph; Tibor Kalman:

clients at Pentagram include Motorola,

Perverse Optimist. His personal commen-

Mohawk Paper Mills, Princeton University,

taries about graphic design in everyday life

Harley-Davidson, The Minnesota Children’s

can be heard nationally on the Public Radio

Museum, Fashion Designers of America,

International program “Studio 360.”

The Walt Disney Company, the Brooklyn Academy of Music., and the NY Jets.

MIchael Bierut’s work is exhibited in

Contact Information: bierut [at] pentagram.com www.pentagram.com

the permanent collections of the MoMA and the Met in New York; and in Montreal at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Bierut served in the NY Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) from 1988 to 1990 and is president emeritus of AIGA National. He was elected to the Alliance Graphique Internationale in 1989, and was elected to the Art Directors Club Hall of 15

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Designed by Lynn Hasday Avenir light, light oblique, black 8/13 (body), 7/8 (captions) Baskerville Regular 6 (runners) Type 2 Fall 2009


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