= Bodoni The Dawn of Modern Type
Introduction to Type
Bodoni CAP HEIGHT
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MEDIAN
BASELINE
1.BOWL OR COUNTER In typography, the curved part of the character that encloses the circular or curved parts (counter) of some letters such as d, b, o, D, and B is the bowl.
2. STEM The stem is the main, usually vertical stroke of a letterform. It is also known as the stroke.
3. SERIF a serif is a small line attached to the end of a stroke in a letter or symbol.
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About the Designer The quality of Bodoni’s design and printing, even though scholarship and proofreading were sometimes lacking, created a growing international reputation. In 1790, the Vatican invited Bodoni
 to Rome to establish a press for printing the classics there, but the Duke countered with an offer of expanded facility and a privilege of printing for other clients. Bodoni elected to remain in Parma.
A twenty-eight -year-old Bodoni was asked to take charge of the Stamperia Reale, the official press of Ferdi- nand, Duke of Parma. Bodoni accepted and became the private printer to the court. He printed official documents and publications desired by the Duke, in addition to projects conceived and initiated by Bodoni. His initial design influence was Fournier le Jeune, whose foundry supplied type and ornaments to the Stamperia Reale after Bodoni took charge.
Bodoni was no revolutionary. The modern roman style, which is attributed to him, did not, as many would believe, spring forth as if by magic. While the letters he cut and the books he printed were more refined and of exceptionally higher quality than most of the work originating before or during his lifetime, it would be difficult to classify any of Bodoni’s efforts as fundamentally new. When he was young, the work of John Baskerville served as his ideal; when he opened his first printing office for the Duke of Parma, Bodoni did so with type from Fournier. In later years, the work of his great Parisian competitor, Francois Didot, influenced him dramatically. Bodoni was always, in some manner, dependent on the work of other, bolder contemporaries.
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GIAMBATTISTA BODONI (1740-1813)
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Characteristics DIDOT BOLD
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Yet despite these influences, he was not a copyist. A comparison of Bodoni’s type to Didot’s two designs that on the surface may appear virtually identical is a perfect example. There are distinct similarities in their work, and Bodoni surely studied Didot’s designs very carefully, but a close examination reveals that Bodoni’s weight transitions are more gradual and his serifs still maintain a slight degree of bracketing. There is even hint of “old style” in Bodoni’s work. He followed Didot’s lead, carefully evaluating the designs of his great competitor, consciously remaining, however, always just slightly behind the radical modernism of his contemporary. Perhaps this explains to some degree the longevity of Bodoni’s type designs. They were radical enough to be considered new and different (to establish for Bodoni an important and influential place in current typographic circles), but not so different that they became the 18th-century versions of fad designs.
Higher X-axis, Flat serifs, Thinner crossbar
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Bodoni created typefaces and typography to impress the eye. His designs were studied efforts meant to be seen as well as read. Few would deny that Bodoni’s typefaces are beautiful; unfortunately, few would say they are also easy to read. By current standards, his designs are, in fact, the antithesis of what an easily readable typeface should be. Had he known this fact, however, Bodoni would probably not have been very upset. His goal was not to create typography to be appreciated by the masses. His books and other printing exercises were large regal efforts meant to be looked upon and appreciated as works of art, rather than as mere pieces of communication.
BODONI 72 BOLD
Higher X-axis, Flat serifs, Thinner crossbar
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Type Type
DIDOT BOLD
abrupt, angular serifs
ligature between letters
larger, wider eye
upward pointing tail
BODONI 72 BOLD
curving, round-tipped serifs
scalloped terminals, lack of ligature
less vertical emphasis on tail
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smaller, more arched eye
Evolution of Type
A A OLD STYLE
Originally created between the late 15th and mid-18th centuries, these early roman types are characterized by curved strokes whose axis inclines to the left, and little contrast between thick and thins. Serifs are almost always bracketed in old style designs, and head serifs are often angled.
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A A MODERN
TRANSITIONAL
“Modern� typefaces are distinguishable by their sudden-onset vertical stress and strong contrast. Modern serifs and horizontals are very thin, almost hairlines. Bodoni can be categorized as a Modern Typeface.
Transitional, as they represent the initial departure from centuries of Old Style tradition and immediately predate the Modern period. Transitional Characteristics. A greater contrast between thick and thin stokes. Characterized by wider, gracefully bracketed serifs with flat bases.
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If used carefully, Bodoni type can create typography that is exceptionally beautiful, even elegant, but not particularly easy to read.
Bodoni is often used in the context of branding, where it can be applied as a title. This usage coincides with Bodoni’s attempt to create a decorative font, since brand names are usually seen on a much larger scale than body text. Bodoni can be used frequently in this setting when readability is of less precedence.
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NIRVANA 9
ITC B ITC Bod ITC Bodo Beatrice Warde, an eminent typographic historian, in a famous essay, likened the perfect type to a crystal goblet. Her perfect type is transparent, or invisible, to the reader and allows the content to be enjoyed without coloration or distraction. Its hairline serifs, strong thick-and-thin stroke contrast, and abrupt weight changes cloud the reading process. Bodoni is no quiet servant to the communication process; it is a design that demands attention. If used poorly, Bodoni’s extreme weight contrast and vertical stress can cause a typographic effect, “dazzling,� which is visually uninviting and exceptionally disruptive to the reading process. Bodoni was one of the most prolific type designers and considered an arch-romantic. His hundreds of faces embrace considerable variety, and more than 25,000 of his punches are in the Bodoni Museum in Parma.
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Bodoni 72 doni 72 oni 72
The revivals issued in his name resurrect only a tiny part of this legacy, and many are simply parodies of his ideas.
The typical features of Bodoni revivals are abrupt hairline serifs, ball terminal, vertical axis, small aperture, high contrast and exaggerated modulation. The ITC Bodoni, digitized in 1994-95 under the direction of Sumner Stone, are the closest of all the revivals to Bodoni’s mature style. (There are three versions, based on 6, 12 and 72 pt originals.) Other favorites are the Bodoni cut by Louis Hoell for the Bauer Foundry, Frankfurt, in 1924, and the Berthold Foundry version, produced in 1930. Both have been issued in digital form. Small caps and textures are essential to all of these designs.
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Works Cited References
Bibliography
Philip B. Meggs, A History of Graphic Design (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992), 124.
Haley, Allan. Typographic Milestones. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992. (SC: Z250 A2 H18 1992 4o)
Alexander S. Lawson, Anatomy of a Typeface (Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990), 46, 48.
Lawson, Alexander S. Anatomy of a Typeface. Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990. (SC: Z250 L34 1990)
Alexander S. Lawson, Anatomy of a Typeface (Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990), 46, 49, 50.
Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style. Vancouver: Hartley and Marks,1997. (A&A: Z246 B745 1996 and Vault)
Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style (Point Roberts, WA: Hartley & Marks, 1992), 217, 218.
Jaspert, W. Pincus. The Encyclopaedia of Typefacs. Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press; New York: Distributed in the U.S. by Sterling, 1983. (SC: Z250 J36 1983) Cleland, T. M. Giambattista Bodoni of Parma. Boston: Society of Printers, 1916. (SC: Z232 B66 C5) Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces, essays by Carolyn Annand ... [et al.]; edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy McKelvey, New York: RC Publications, 2000. (A&A: Z250.R45 2000) Bodoni, Giambattista. Manuale Tipogra co, 1788. Facsimile a cura de Giovanni Mardersteig, Verona: Editiones Of cinae Bodoni, 1968. (SC: Z232 B66 1788a 4o) Bodoni, Giambattista. Preface to the Manuale Tipogra co of 1818, translated by H. V. Marrot, London: Lion & Unicorn Press, 1953. (SC: Z232 B66 1953) http://www. linotype.com http://www.fonts.com
This book was designed by Rachel Jackson in Spring 2017 at Washington University in St. Louis. The fonts used in this book were Baskerville, Bodoni 72, Didot, and Garamond.
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