TYPOGRAPHIC HISTORY SPREAD Mariah Bly
Inspirations
Sketches
These are some of my sketches that I had drawn. The bottom two are the ones that I norrowed down to. I ended up picking the bottom left.
Kelmscott Press William Morris W
illiam Morris had been experimenting with producing books for many years in his own time. He was best known as a writer and poet. William Morris wanted his own work to look good, he wanted to produce books but was not sure how to pursue it. In the 1860s William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones first experiment with an illustrated edition called Earthly Paradise. Morris was not satisfied with the work that they had done. He then got inspired to start his own press; he then founded the Kelmscott Press in 1891. The year 1891 marks the beginning of the last project by William Morris, which was the printing of fine books.
The Kelmscott press was a boxy grid layout, therefore my sketches had to be just your typical up and down and across layouts.
William wanted to produce fine books for quite some time and the revival of
W
the art of the early printers. illiam wanted this press to be one that wouldn’t have poor printing, poor binding, and low quality paper. William was determined to make his books finely crafted and made from the best materials. The kelmscott approach was established in its early books.
M
orris designed 644 blocks for the press, including initials, borders, frames, and title pages, William H. Hooper was a master craftsman lured from his retirement to work at the press, he engraved and decorated borders and initials designed by Morris on wood. One of Williams’s friends Walker was able to help him create the best press. Walker had trade connections and was able to give practical help when needed.
H
e photographed and enlarged typefaces for Morris to study, and also assisted with photographing the illustrations. Handmade paper was sourced from Joseph Batchelor in Kent, and after an intensive search, truly black additive-free-black ink was founded in Hanover, made by the Gebruder Janecke. Morris would first lightly sketch the main lines in pencil, and then with white paint and black ink he would work back and forth painting the background in black and went over it with white. The entire design would be developed through the fluid process. William Morris designed over two hundred initial letters and words for use in the kelmscott.
T
he press was a huge success after The Story of the Glittering Plain came out in May. By July, 200 copies were sold they were sold out. Over the next seven years the Kelmscott Press produced fifty-two works in sixty-six volumes. Morris had created three typefaces, golden, troy, and a gothic type.
These are some of William Morris prints that he did. I got my ideas from these three. The one I used that I related my work to was the bottom one. I put the red in mine and also used the the capital images.
Kelmscott Press W
Kelmscott Press
William Morris had been experimenting with producing books for many years in his own time. He
William wanted
The press was a huge success after The Story of the Glittering Plain came out in May, by July 200 cop-
to produce fine books for quite some time and the revival of the art of the early printers. William wanted this press to be one that wouldn’t have poor printing, poor binding, and low quality paper. William was de-
Kelmscott Press William Morris W
illiam Morris had been experimenting with producing books for many years in his own time. He was best known as a writer and poet. William Morris wanted his own work to look good, he wanted to produce books but was not sure how to pursue it. In the 1860s William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones first experiment with an illustrated edition called Earthly Paradise. Morris was not satisfied with the work that they had done. He then got inspired to start his own press; he then founded the Kelmscott Press in 1891. The year 1891 marks the beginning of the last project by William Morris, which was the printing of fine books.
William wanted to produce fine books for quite some time and the revival of
W
the art of the early printers. illiam wanted this press to be one that wouldn’t have poor printing, poor binding, and low quality paper. William was determined to make his books finely crafted and made from the best materials. The kelmscott approach was established in its early books.
Morris designed 644 blocks for the
press, including initials, borders, frames, and title pages, William H. Hooper was a master craftsman lured from his retirement to work at the press, he engraved and decorated borders and initials designed by Morris on wood. One of Williams’s friends Walker was able to help him create the best press. Walker had trade connections and was able to give practical help when needed.
H
e photographed and enlarged typefaces for Morris to study, and also assisted with photographing the illustrations. Handmade paper was sourced from Joseph Batchelor in Kent, and after an intensive search, truly black additive-free-black ink was founded in Hanover, made by the Gebruder Janecke. Morris would first lightly sketch the main lines in pencil, and then with white paint and black ink he would work back and forth painting the background in black and went over it with white. The entire design would be developed through the fluid process. William Morris designed over two hundred initial letters and words for use in the kelmscott.
T
he press was a huge success after The Story of the Glittering Plain came out in May. By July, 200 copies were sold they were sold out. Over the next seven years the Kelmscott Press produced fifty-two works in sixty-six volumes. Morris had created three typefaces, golden, troy, and a gothic type.
illiam Morris had been experimenting with producing books for many years in his own time. He was best known as a writer and poet. William Morris wanted his own work to look good, he wanted to produce books but was not sure how to pursue it. In the 1860s William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones first experiment with an illustrated edition called Earthly Paradise. Morris was not satisfied with the work that they had done. He then got inspired to start his own press; he then founded the Kelmscott Press in 1891.
William wanted to produce fine books for quite some time and the revival of
W
illiam the art of the early printers. wanted this press to be one that wouldn’t have poor printing, poor binding, and low quality paper. William was determined to make his books finely crafted and made from the best materials. The kelmscott approach was established in its early books.
H
e photographed and enlarged typefaces for Morris to study, and also assisted with photographing the illustrations. Handmade paper was sourced from Joseph Batchelor in Kent, and after an intensive search, truly black additive-free-black ink was founded in Hanover, made by the Gebruder Janecke. Morris would first lightly sketch the main lines in pencil, and then with white paint and black ink he would work back and forth painting the background in black and went over it with white. The entire design would be developed through the fluid process. William Morris designed over two hundred initial letters and words for use in the kelmscott.
Morris designed 644 blocks for the
press, including initials, borders, frames, and title pages, William H. Hooper was a master craftsman lured from his retirement to work at the press, he engraved and decorated borders and initials designed by Morris on wood. One of Williams’s friends Walker was able to help him create the best press. Walker had trade connections and was able to give practical help when needed.
These were my three different grids that I decided to go with. They are each a differnt style. I choose to go with the first grid.
The first one I liked a lot because it was just plain and simple and not over kill with a bunch of text boxes.
Morris designed all the type-
faces himself, including the decorations which were on the sides in a flowery vine pattern, and also all capitals. Kelmscott Press was devoted to the publishing of limited edition, illuminated-style print books. The 1896 Kelmscott edition of the Works of Geoffrey Chaucer is considered a masterpiece of book design.
The other ones are just filled with a bunch of text boxes and dont really show a good grid system.
T
his was my final poster, and im happy that I ended up going with this grid. I like the way its even and proportional on each side and how the picture fits right in. Im glad that I ended up putting some red in the text because thats how William Morris had done his pages.
W
illiam Morris and Kelmscott Press was very interesting to learn about. I really liked the old fashion look and how he used the flowery background and some red text to switch it up.