Barnbrook versus Zapf

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ł

∂ H er mann Z ap f

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Q

Jo n at h a n B a rn br o o k

expression A ND

ˌ legibility

He sees his children; his alphabets manipulated beyond his wildest imagination

造

Hermann Zapf

“type are

TOOLS

of the Compositor...

like a good tool the type

must express its purpose” Communicating the design or the message to the audience should always be the first concern of the designer. The Designer should convey imagery clearly and simplisticly. The message should be a simple phrase, so that remembering “it” is a quick reference to the design composition. But, if we were to examine design, one would notice that the choice of the typeface used is argueably the most important element to market a product, idea, or action clearly. Typographers design typefaces with every little detail in mind. As illustrated “I 4

really wanted to be able to describe

the whole range of

emot intel and

above with the quote of Hermann Zapf, type must express its purpose. And

what is the greatest purpose of type, but to communicate its message; to communicate a message the type must be legibile for the reader.

reasons for

This is the thinking of most, if not of all traditional masters of typography. However, as the equipment of designing type changed, so did its values. When designing, type and legibility may be the first concern, but it is not the one and only; type and expression is another relationship that can be sought out. As Hermann Zapf was a great example of what traditional typography was and still is, Jonathan Barnbrook shadows what type is and can be.

“I really wanted to be able to describe the whole r ange of emotional and intellectual reasons for releasing the fonts — releasing a typeface is like when a band releases an album. It describes your emotional state of mind at that moment (Creative Char acters Interview with Jonathan Barnbrook, October 2010).”

Barnbrook’s ideology of what a typeface should be is allowing the reader feel an emotion from not just the content or what the is saids, but the type itself. And he is willing to sacrifice legibility for it. Some of his typefaces are not usable at book sizes, but great to use as a Display.

tional llectual releasing

5

t he

font s

releasing a typeface is like when a band releases an album. it

describes

your

emotional

state

of

mind

at

the

moment”

For example, “Infidel” typeface was designed with traditional Lindisfarne Gospel scripts and other similar manuscripts from the middle ages. Although these scripts hold beauty in their forms, these letterforms are far from what we deem as legibile today; some may even deem these scripts as unflattering. This juxaposition of how we hold these medieval manuscripts was related to the name and reasoning behind making the font. The name “Infidel” corresponded with a contrast of ideals. The typeface was designed in response to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon. September 11th allowed many Americans to come together in response to a National outcry, but in all that beauty of unity a lot of blindless hate came down upon the religious groups.

Two typographers with different views on how type should be designed. When you look at there influences and inspiration, you can see a little bit more into why they have differing philosophies on type, its form, and its content.

“The whole duty of typogr aphy, as of calligr aphy, is to communicate to the imagination, without loss by the way, the thought or 6

image intented to be communicated by the author (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 99).”

Hermann Zapf was born in Nuremberg, Germany on November 8th. Unfortunately, for Zapf, those were hard times for Germany’s economy. A famine struck in 1920.

As a young boy, Zapf would prove to be interested or linked to typography and its mysterious ways of communicating. As boys, Zapf and his brother invented a secret way of writing, which allowed the two to exchange information.

BE

†

“They were some kind of

TWEEN

c ro s s 7

german runes and cyrillic and could only be deciphered if you knew the code. ” Zapf self taught himself Calligraphy using a broad-edged pen. The broadedged pen and Calligraphy would be the basis of many Zapf’s type designs. He would learn by reading and imitating two books: One, Das Schreiben als Kunstfertigkeit (The Art of Writing) by Rudolph Koch. Two, Writing and Illuminating and Lettering by Edward Johnston. He was also a frequent visitor of the Nuremberg City library studying the historical texts.

“When I began my first efforts at writing with a broad pen, I had not the least idea how great a field of creative activity would one day open out before me (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 20)” Jonathan Barnbrook was born in Luton, England in 1966. Unfortunately, Barnbrook grew up without a stable family at home. The family always seem to be changing and not for the better. With never a true foundation found in Luton, Barnbrook always found the need to establish one. When Barnbrook graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1990 the design world in Britain was looking dim; Britain’s economy was not in the best of shape. Many of the best Design firms of the 80’s were no longer in existence.

"it used to be that

typograph

This left many British designers to leave the country in pursuit

would

of work. At that time, Ducth Design was the most prevalent and many designers left for the Netherlands. However, with the 8

need to establish himself, Barnbrook did not follow the wagon.

Barnbrook stayed in England and used his surroundings as the stable of his designs.

“I think my typeface are absolutely informed by my immediate environment, so yes, my work does have that English/British/European identity. It used to be that typogr aphy would absolutely give you a sense of where you were but that is becoming less and less...

(Creative Char acters Interview with Jonathan Barnbrook, October 2010).”

The only traditional typeface that he found useful would be the Garamond family; from there he would use his surroundings for inspiration. Barnbrook would look to the past or roots of England to create his post modern and neo-classical designs. He would be heavily influenced by the work Edward Johnston and all that he did for the London Underground. But, his main influences would be of stone carvings and this use of hand chiseled work.

“He enjoys the problem-solving aspect of design with

hy

the need to be honest (The Barnbrook Bible, pg. 11)

Absolutely

GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE YOU WERE Bu t

that

is

becoming

less

and

less...”

The straight lines of British architecture and looking of old manuscripts, greatly influenced him. Barnbrook would even linger in British cemeteries looking at old letterforms for inspiration.

Technically, the first typeface designed

by Zapf was in 1938 which would be a fraktur type called Gilgengart. However, it wouldn’t be until 1946 with the typeface Novalis that Zapf would be going somewhere new and start establishing himself as a typographer.

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The huge gap between the two typefaces is not due to the lack of Zapf’s talent, but rather Zapf was part of the Cartographic unit for the German Army. Zapf’s talent would prove him well and keep him off the the front lines. As he states:

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So you see

the fateful effects T H AT L E T T E R S 1mm large can have

w i t h o u t a w o r d o r p h r a s e h e c o n t i n u e d o n h i s w a y, a n d I r e m a i n e d t h e y o u n g e s t c a r t o g r a p h e r i n t h e g e r m a n a r m y

“I was quite happy in the cartogr aphy unit. But these backup units were forever being combed for young soldiers who could be commissioned. We called it ‘stealing heroes.’ Being only 25 years old, my turn eventually came.

However my officer in the cartogr aphy unit was anxious to keep me, and sang pr aises for my special skill in dr awing maps of Spain. While he was speaking, I took a fine brush and wrote out the gener al’s name without glasses or a magnifying glass. He took a close look at it, and his monocle fell off. Without a word or phr ase he continued on his way, and I remained the youngest cartogr apher in the German army. So you see the fateful effects that letters 1mm large can have.”

Novalis was named after the German poet Novalis Freiher Freidrich Von Hardenberg. Novalis would be a Roman typeface based on accentuating the letterforms in the broad pen style. However, Novalis would not be manufactured and could only really be used in 10pt. type; eventually, it would be used in a couple experimental jobs. But, the main purpose or significance of Novalis is that in 1948 Zapf would use Novalis as a base for Palatino. With Palatino, Zapf would exert all of his efforts towards it; Novalis would be discountinued. Palatino would be specifically designed for the composing machine. The ratio of capital height to the its thickness for Palatino regular would be 1:9 and for Palatino Bold 1:5.

Palatino would go on to be one of Zapf’s most recognized typefaces; it is even argued to be the most “copied” typeface in the world. 1948 is a busy year for Zapf because not only did he come out with Palatino, but he would start sketching for Melior.

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Melior was designed with legibility as its first concern. It would be designed with the Super Ellipse. However, Scandinavian philosopher and poet Piet Heir wouldn’t conclude his theory of the Super Ellipse until 1952. About the Super Ellipse, Piet Heir states,

“The Super Ellipse writes the qualities of the rectangle and the ellipse in a precise way (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 93)” This just adds to the genius of Hermann. Zapf is also skilled in designing in different languages. In 1954, he would be tasked to cut a new type in Persian. This wouldn’t be too difficult for Zapf since he had already studied Arabic Calligraphy (Naskhi Style) in 1946. In 1956, Alabram (The Pyramids) was introduced. However, Zapf’s traditional typeface that is best known is Optima. Zapf states,

“I wanted to produce a good, readable face, which would not be as monotonous and tiring as a normal Sans Serif, simple and self-explanatory in its forms (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 28)” With Optima, Zapf would create a Roman, Humanist Sans Serif typeface. The proportions, shapes, and weight stress 12

are very similar to traditional Serif typefaces. Optima has no Serifs, but rather a flare to its terminals. The flares found on this terminals are a bit exaggerated than what Zapf first intended in his design. However, the change was meant to complement the process. He had noticed that when metal types would be on for a long run, Sans Serif typefaces would lose their crispness.

Thus, the change to flaunt the flare.

“Type designs must be adapted for complicated technical processes, without losing their beauty, for that would be a step backwards in the art of printing (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 28)” The process of how typefaces are executed allows the typographer certain advantages and disadvantages. However, it is the job of the typographer to make sure the typeface looks like it was intended to when it was first designed.

When

I

first

started

designing,

it

seemed

like

Ty p e f a c e

design

was

an

UNTOUCHABLE

profession MONK and you had to train like a

to even Attempt it.

Barnbrook, being a post modern and neo-classical type designer and in the age of the computer, designs digitally; even though much of his typefaces would be influenced by traditional subjects. Many of his typefaces would exemplify the monumental look and feel of Roman and Greek lettering. He first started designing and publishing his typefaces through Emigre foundry (Ex. Exocet, Mason, Priori).

“When I first started designing, it seemed like typeface design was an untouchable profession and you had to tr ain like a monk to even attempt it (Creative Characters Interview with Jonathan Barnbrook, October 2010).”

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The Mason typeface was originally called Manson; after the serial killer Charles Manson.

However, after receiving many complaints on the name, Emigre insisted the name to be changed to Mason. The reasoning behind using the Manson name was to show the extreme opposites of emotion. Manson sounds very similar to Mason, Mansion, and Manse, but in truth it has a violent association. Barnbrook wanted the name of a typeface to be more than just historical literature.

The Mason typeface itself shows off Barnbrook’s way of translating the past into the modern. It twists the inspirations of Eric Gill and Edward Johnston to something entirely, Barnbrook. It has been used by numerous sources, from the BBC to Walt Disney. This range of companies exemplifies

-

language

is

a

virus

from

outer

space

-

falsely imposed i liked the idea of this thing

14

infected

that

us all.

Mason’s versatility as a typeface. It comes in a Serif and Sans-Serif forms. However, Emigre left Barnbrook’s imagination a bit limited.

They did not want to publish his more extrava gant fonts and instead of going to another foundry, Barnbrook decided to set-up his own Foundry. Barnbrook would call his Foundry, Virus. The name wasn’t received well, but Barnbrook backs up his idea:

“At the time I set up Virus in 1997, type design was just starting to come to terms with affordable computers being able to create fonts. Up until then it was quite a stuffy, dull profession. Suddenly though, a lot of young people were able to release fonts and the scene exploded. So first this name was to say that this was something quite subversive, not mainstream. Second that it was absolutely linked to the computer, not tr aditional methods. Third, it was to do with a statement from William Burroughs I found intriguing — he said ‘language is a virus from outer space’.

I liked the idea of this thing falsely imposed that infected us all.

Interestingly, as the fonts were sent out on floppy disks at the time, the disk was packaged warning people that serious harm would come to their computer, without reference to the font. I really thought that it should be an expression of the new ideologies that were coming into gr aphic design at that time because of new technology.”

Now with Virus and the freedom to express himself, Barnbrook has brought out more controversial fonts. The “Bastard” typeface is controversial by name. Many believed that when Barnbrook came out with “Bastard” that he was just trying to pull a reaction for arbitrary sake. People thought that Bastard directly alluded to Nazi fascism.

However, that is not Barnbrook’s intention. Bastard is gothic letterforms fused with rounded humanist shapes. It is based on traditional Fraktur gothic characteristics overlayed with a digital aesthetic.

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The Fraktur letterforms became a propagada tool perfected by the Nazi party during World War II. Because anyone involved with Nazi’s and fascism are of course Bastards the name stuck to highlight that association. Although this is a true relationship of the name, Barnbrook bases his work on the profession.

“I am interested in people being free, but absolute freddom is as par alysing as restriction. So I am all for a structured society, it just has to be the right kind (Creative Char acters Inter-

absolute view with Jonathan Barnbrook, October 2010).”

The name Bastard was also influenced by a Letterpress 16

typographical catergory. When a letterform from the wrong font got misplaced into the setting, the letterform would be called “Bastard Type.”

freedom is as paralysing as restriction so

I

am

all

for

a

structured

society,

it

17

just

has

to

be

the

right kind

Barnbrook plays more with the reaction of the audience and not legibility factor. Some of his typefaces could be thought of as distorted and not fit for use. For example, his “Exocet� typeface is an all caps, display font. Although beautiful in form, there is little versatility to it. Compare that to Zapf’s approach he thinks about legibility first and that the reader should get the message instantly.

But, if there are two things that both typographers can agree on: One, a font is created with everything in mind; whether it be legibility of calligraphy with Zapf or the expression of Barnbrook. Distorting letterforms is so easy today, that most of it is done incorrectly. Zapf remarks on distorting a typographer’s type,

“He sees his children; his alphabets manipulated beyond his wildest imagination (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 95)“ The computer allows the designer or the user to stretch and pull very easily. It even allows typefaces to be presented in a way it shouldn’t be; one click and the typeface may be Small Caps or Small Caps Italics. Second, the computer age has downgraded the profession of Typographer. To be a typographer of old you needed a studio, a punchcutter, and a great deal of financial back-up to succeed.

Today, an inexpensive software and a Macbook Pro labtop is all that’s truly needed.

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The underlying ideal that the two share though is the process of how typography is executed should be taken into consideration.

Barnbrook is a post modern typographer immersed in the digital age and as such relishes it. He flaunts the name of his foundry on the ease of the digital. Zapf being a traditional designer designs with traditional means. But, Zapf makes a good point of what type is today digitally,

“How can you capture the spirit of Nicholas Kis, the punchcutter of the Jason-the human touch let we call itin the abstr act and simplified bitmap of a digitalized alphabet (Hermann Zapf and His Design Philosophy, pg. 100)”

The masterpiece’s of old were designed with the process of letterpress in mind and that is how the excel. We should now focus on making masterpieces of now taking advantage of the digital process.

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“how can you CAPTURE the SPIRIT - the Human Touch let [us] call it - ”

Hermann Zapf

✚

Zapf, Hermann. Hermann Zapf and His Design

Philosophy. New Haven: Yale Univ. Pr, 1989. Print.

✚

Barnbrook, Jonathan. The Barnbrook Bible. New

York: Rizzoli, 2007. Print.

✚

Zapf, Hermann. “Letter from Hermann Zapf.”

Letter to Bruce Beck. 06 May 1995. MS. Caxton

Club Society.

✚

“Creative Characters Interview with Jonathan

Barnbrook, October 2010.” MyFonts. Oct. 2010.

Web. 01 Nov. 2010. <http://new.myfonts.com/

newsletters/cc/201010.html>.

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Class: Typography III

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Instructor: Francheska Guerrero

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Typefaces used: Echelon, Exocet, Manson,

Melior, and Zapf Dingbats.

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