Piet Zwart: Typographic Rebel

Z C I W PH A R R G O P T TY I EL B E R T

Piet Zwart “I am trying various experiments which, I think, have never been used in advertising.�

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ithout prior knowledge of typography or graphic design Zwart approached page layout as a process of searching for composition rather than creating it. He would create thumbnails as a way of developing a theme or idea. From here Zwart would buy and set type into what he referred to as “typographic collages.� He did this not only to find composition, but to strengthen his original idea as well.

This experimental process unfettered by typographic convention and preconceived notions of graphic design allowed Zwart to find innovative solutions to design challenges.

May 28, 1885 born in Holland

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Piet Zwart, Series of Monograms on Film Arts, No. 2–5, American Film Arts by Dr. J. F. Otten, Cover 1931

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However, these weren’t his only influences.

Zwart also draws upon De Stijl principles he learned while working as a draftsman for De Stijl architect Jan Wils.

Piet Zwart, Hoog en laagspanningskabels, kopperkabel, koperdraad, c. 1923

he inspiration behind Zwart’s innovative designs comes from the artistic movements that developed in the aftermath of World War I. Of the movements that popped up Zwart was drawn to Russian Constructivism, Dadaism, and the International Avant-garde.

1907 Graduated from Amsterdam’s School of Arts and Crafts for furniture design

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E C N E U L L F J I N T I S E D F O Z

wart felt empathy for the simplicity and sense of organization of the De Stijl doctrine. His earliest typographic works were created using De Stijl techniques.

Despite his enjoyment of it Zwart never became a member of the De Stijl. He believed its strict emphasis on horizontals and verticals was too limiting.

Somehow, he managed to blend these principles with his sources of inspiration into a cohesive aesthetic vision that placed an emphasis on experimentation.

Piet Zwart, Letterhead design for Jan Wils, 1921

Piet Zwart, E.G. De Roos, bookplate, circa 1921

1914–1918 World War I

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Piet Zwart, Laga Company, The Hague, Floors, card, 1923

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wart’s aesthetic vision can be seen as a culmination of his varied sources of inspiration. This vision can be seen as a kind of synthesis between the playful vitality of the Dada movement and functionalism and formal clarity of De Stijl.

Zwart saw the world as crying out for some kind of revolution in design, so he created one. He rebelled against standard conventions using various techniques and new ideals.

Piet Zwart, Brochure for Nijgh and van Ditmar, page, 1931

Zwart rejected traditional symmetrical layouts with emphasis on horizontals and verticals in favor of designing rhythmic compositions with vigorous contrast of size and weight.

He created cinematic flow between spreads by having the focal points change unexpectedly and having elements echo throughout the spreads. This allowed him to create dynamic and readable spreads.

To Zwart constructing a readable page was a matter of ideology.

Piet Zwart, Internationale Tentoonstelling Op Filmgebied, Poster, 1928

1920 Designed first typographic work

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“Ponder this question and know that to make beautiful creations for the sake of their aesthetic value will have no social significance tomorrow...

Every era contains the conditions for providing a rebel.�

Piet Zwart, Page from advertising booklet for the printer Nijgh en Van Ditmar, 1931

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DESIGN FOR THE MODERN AGE

Piet Zwart, Trio Printers catalog, page 1931

1939–1945 World War II

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September 24, 1977 died in Leidschendam

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Piet Zwart, Square flat Round, NKF Advertisement, 1926

wart’s aesthetic vision in part came from his desire to create advertisements for the modern age. Zwart believed that people in the 20th century didn’t have adequate time to read and absorb vast amount of primarily “gray text.”

Zwart believed the task of functional typography was to create designs that were in harmony with the present age. He believed that composition not typography should be creating expression and delivering the message of the piece.

He wanted to free the reader from so called ‘fancy’ typography by accentuating words in his copy, or text. Zwart did this through using visual puns, alliteration and repetition as a way of strengthening his message. He guided the reader through the text with these elements.

“The more uninteresting the letter, the more useful it is to the typographer.”

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Piet Zwart - NKF (Netherlands Cable Factory) Greater Sound Transmission Telephone Cables Advert, 1927

Piet Zwart,NKF: Nederl. Kabelfabriek Delft, c. 1924

Advertisement for Concentric Paper Insulated, Lead-Covered and Single Wire Armoured Cable. Ca. 1925.

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SOURCES

Brentjens, Yvonne. “Piet Zwart Working for

Bruynzeel.” Digital image. Iconofgraphics. 2008. http://www.iconofgraphics.com/zwart/large/piet_ zwart_portrait.jpg

Zwart, Piet. Hoog En Laagspanningskabels,

Kopperkabel, Koperdraad. 1923. MoMA. In

MoMA. https://www.moma.org/collection/ works/7778.

Keedy, Jeffery. “The rules of typography according to

crackpots / experts.” Eye 3, no. 11 (1993). http://eyemagazine.com/feature/article/the-rules- of-typography-according-tocrackpotsexp.

Zwart, Piet. Internationale Tentoonstelling Op

Filmgebied. 1928. MoMA. In MoMA. https:// www.moma.org/collection/works/5677?artist_ id=6592&locale=en&page=1&sov_referrer=artist.

Meggs, Philip B. A History of Graphic Design. 2nd ed.

New York: Van Nostand Reinhold, 1992.

Zwart, Piet. Laga Company, The Hague, Floors. 1923.

In A History of Graphic Design. 2nd ed. New York,

NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.

Meggs, Philip B., 1942-2002. “Piet Zwart’s NKF

catalog.”Print 50, (March 1996): 90. Art Full Text

(H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhost.

Purivs, Alston W. Dutch Graphic Design. New York:

Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.

Zwart, Piet. Advertisement for Concentric Paper

Insulated, Lead-Covered and Single Wire

Armoured Cable. Ca. 1925. In Fans in a Flashbulb. https://fansinaflashbulb.wordpress. com/2012/08/14/piet-zwart-2/.

Zwart, Piet. Brochure for Nijgh and Van Ditmar. 1931.

In Letterform Archive. https://letterformarchive. org/news/this-just-in-piet-zwart-ephemera.

Zwart, Piet. Letterhead Design for Jan Wils. 1921. In Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/ pin/271764158734571061/.

Zwart, Piet. “Monografieën over Filmkunst.”. 1931. In Index Grafik. http://indexgrafik.fr/piet-zwart/.

Zwart, Piet. NKF: Nederl. Kabelfabriek Delft. 1924.

MoMA. In MoMa. https://www.moma.org/collection/ works/7745?artist_ id=6592&locale=en&page=1&sov_referrer=artist.

Zwart, Piet. Square Flat Round, NKF Advertisment.

1926. In Piet Zwart. http://dubostbenoit.com/case-files/ piet_zwart/.

Zwart, Piet. Een Kleine Keuze Uit Onze

Lettercollectie. 1932. MoMA. In MoMA. https://www.moma.org/collection/ works/7876?artistid=6592&locale=en&page= 1&sov_referrer=artist.

Zwart, Piet. E.G. De Roos. Circa 1921. In A History of

`Graphic Design. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Van

Nostand Reinhold, 1992.

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Designed and written by Ashley LaBombard Composed in Futura designed by Paul Renner 1927 and Adobe Garamond Pro designed by Robert Slimbach 1989 Printed from 14 Hammer Mill 60# Text Copyright Š Ashley LaBombard, Maine College of Art, Portland Maine