20 TYPOGRPHERS
20th Century American Typographers Herb Lubalin House Industries
20th Century American Typographers
HERB LUBALIN HOUSE INDUSTRIES
Pluralism: American Typographers
POSTMODERNISM TYPOGRAPHY
“AVANT GARDE WAS LUBALIN’S SIGNATURE, A DISTINCTIVE FONT THAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A POST-MODERN INTERPRETATION OF ART DECO.”
Subject #1_Postermodernism Subject #2_Counter Culture Subject #3_Pluralism
1960’s
H E R B
L U B A L I N
COUNTER-CULTURE PLURALISM
T
hrough the early 1960s, before the advent of digital technology, typographers used metal type, often hand drawing on graph paper and using photocopiers or ink transfer to create typefonts. From the end of World War I until the 1960s, “Sans serif” fonts, distinguished by their lack of feet, or “serifs” on the “Avant Garde was Lubalin’s ends of each letter, signature, a distinctive font ruled typography’s that could be described proverbial roost. as a post-modern During the postmodern era, interpretation of art deco.” culture and politics were changing. In the midst of Marshall McLuhan’s encroaching global village, feminism, civil rights, major cultural shifts, social upheaval, the Vietnam conflict, the me and x-generations, and new technology, postmodernism was born. The most prominent
features of graphic design in this period were the established forms of high modernism, the erasing of the boundaries between high culture and pop culture, the incorporated history, Social theory, political science, and many other areas of study, including design theory. Perhaps no other art movement or philosophical positioning is more amorphous than postmodernism. No one seems to be able to agree upon exactly what it break and rejection of the international style, Bauhaus order, traditional use of typography, and the gird. It also tends to reject the tenet of arranging design elements and type at right angles. Some of these influences may be traced back to the futurists and the dada movement. Postmodernist design reflects that kind of rejection of order of the established design status
quo. Indeed, some of the initial futurist typography experiments could easily pass as postmodern designs. Postmodernism is not a description of a style; it is the term for the era of late capitalism starting after the 1940’s and realized in the 1960’s with neo-colonialism, the green revolution, computerization and electronic information. During the American postmodern era, culture and politics were changing. In the midst of Marshall McLuhan’s encroaching global village, feminism, civil rights, major cultural shifts, social upheaval, the Vietnam conflict, the me and x-generations, and new technology, postmodernism was born. The most prominent features of graphic design in this period were the established forms of high modernism, the erasing of the boundaries
between high culture and pop culture, the incorporated history, social theory, political science, and many other areas of study, including design theory. Perhaps no other art moveBauhaus order, traditional ment or philosophical use of typography, and the positioning is more gird. It also tends to reject amorphous than the tenet of arranging depostmodernism. No one seems to be able sign elements and type at to agree upon exactly right angles. what it is or means. Suffice to say that it’s probably easier to provide visual examples of postmodernism than to define it. One thing that is fairly clear is that it marks a clear break and rejection of the international style. Some of these influences may be traced back to the futurists and the dada movement. Postmodernist design reflects that kind of rejection of order
Through the early 1960s, from the end of World War I, “Sans serif” fonts, distinguished by their lack of feet, or “serifs” on the ends of each letter, ruled typogrphy’s proverbial roost.
Counterism: American Typographers
Pluralism: American Typographers
PL U RL ISM Postmodernism is not a description of a style; it is the term for the era of late capitalism starting after the 1940’s and realized in the 1960’s with the counter culture, the green revolution, computerization and electronic information. Coming from an anti-establishment counter-culture environment in the 1960s, companies needed to make messages and products big. Bigger was better. Plus, if it could also be in earth colors and look natural, it was even better. There were a lot of fat logos, wide lapels and ties, big shirt collars, bell-bottoms, and giant brown cars. During the period of the Counter Culture, Eros and fact: played a part in the opening up of the American imagination. According to the article the Quite American written by David Crowley, “the masthead of the first issue of fact: announced that this magazine is dedicated to the proposition that a great magazine, in its quest for truth, will defy
not only Convention, not only Big Business, not only the Church and the State, but also its readers. In contrast with Avant Garde, published in 1968, the high point of the Counter Culture was off the mark. While Lubalin was not an ideologue, his work with Ginzburg illustrates his professional and personal ethos. He was a liberal in the full sense of the word, committed to freedom of speech and thought as well as the freedom of the market place. When challenging censorship and conservatism, the liberal agenda had clear targets. When its battles had been won, new-found freedoms could look like exploitation. Lubalin’s faith in articulate design was declared in a 1959 trade advertisement Let’s Talk Type, Let Type Talk promoting the services of one of his then employer, the advertising agency, Sudler & Hennessey.
TYPE TECHNOLOGY THROUGH THE EARLY 1960S, BEFORE THE ADVENT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, TYPOGRAPHERS USED METAL TYPE, OFTEN HAND DRAWING ON GRAPH PAPER AND USING PHOTOCOPIERS OR INK TRANSFER TO CREATE TYPEFONTS.
02 Subject #1_Hand–Lettering Subject #2_Calligraphy
Hand–Lettering: American Typographers
HAND-LETTERING
HOUSE INDUSTRIES HAVE BEEN EXPLORING THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF HANDLETTERING AND THE APPLICATIONS OF ILLUSTRATIVE LETTERFORMS IN CONTEMPORARY TYPE DESIGN.
Hand-Lettering.
Lubalin’s craftsmanship on the intricate hand-lettering led him to creating “The CBS Wall” which was one of the most spectacular three-dimensional food wall in the CBS cafeteria. The idea for the project belonged to Dorfsman. After solving the problems of engineering, constructional and measurement, Dorfsman hired Herb Lubalin to execute rough layouts to scale for all of the panels on the CBS wall. The wall represented one of the most arresting deisgn creations seen anywhere. It was an eye-stopper, a visual example of the best three-dimensional hand crafted lettering. While he was in college, he was the worst student in the school for the first two years. In the last two years, he was about the best.
The turning point was a class in calligraphy. The angle of the flat pen point used in calligraphy prescribes that the art be done with the right hand. Lubalin drew with his left hand. The instructor told Herb he’d have to learn to use his right hand on the assignment. He didn’t tell her he wrote with his right hand. Since calligraphy really is handwriting, it was easy for him. He got the highest mark in his class, because the teacher felt he’d overcome a great handicap. From that time on, he got confidence and did well. Lubalin always loved to experiment with something new and his personal style was reflected by all things around him.
Lubalin drew with his left hand. The instructor told Herb he’d have to learn to use his right hand on the assignment. He didn’t tell her he wrote with his right hand.
Since calligraphy really is handwriting, it was easy for him. He got the highest mark in his class, because the teacher felt he’d overcome a great handicap. From that time on, he got confidence and did well.
Lubalin always loved to experiment with something new and his personal style was reflected by all things around him.
– Herb Lubalin
Calligraphy: American Typographers
Pluralism: American Typographers
CALLIGRAPHY Lubalin drew with his left hand. The instructor told Herb he’d have to learn to use his right hand on the assignment. He didn’t tell her he wrote with his right hand. Since calligraphy really is handwriting, it was easy for him. He got the highest mark in his class, because the teacher felt he’d overcome a great handicap. From that time on, he got confidence and did well. Lubalin always loved to experiment with something new and his personal style was reflected by all things around him. He drove the newest imported sports cars and enjoyed the admiration of passing motorists when stopped in traffic. He worked and lived in refined ambiance. He was fond of Victoriana, and accumulated Art Nouveau posters before it became fashionable. He loved ornate furniture and natural wood, and he responded to the craftsmanship of carpentry. In his working environment and in his houses, he was surrounded with taste. His offices in the building vacated by Hook and Ladder Com-
pany #7, his small mews in the city, and his rambling house in the country all projected his graceful control of space. His sense of form and texture was apparent in the glistening wood, the brass trim, beveled glass, the art and selective found objects displayed on the walls. In addition to the hand-lettering technique from Herb Lubalin, House Industries have been exploring the creative process of hand-lettering and the applications of illustrative letterforms in contemporary type design. They create sophisticated and unsophisticated letterforms, and digitize and vectorize analog lettering by hands-on techniques. House Industries is an american type foundry and design studio based in Yorklyn, Delaware. The company was created in 1993 in Wilmington, Delaware by co-founders Andy Cruz and Rich Roat. Delaware-based firm takes its cues from a different place.
Calligraphy: American Typographers
Calligraphy means beautiful writing. Calligraphy is fun. Calligraphy is an art. a type of visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a broad tip instrument or brush in one stroke.
Bibliographies Snyder, Gertrude, Herb Lubalin, and Alan Peckolick. Herb Lubalin: Art Director, Graphic Designer, and Typographer. New York: American Showcase, 1985. Print. Ryan, William E., and Theodore E. Conover. Graphic Communications Today. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/ Delmar Learning, 2004. Print. Cruz, Andy, Ken Barber, and Rich Roat. House Industries. Berlin: Die Gestalten Verlag, 2004. Print. Ryan, William E., and Theodore E. Conover. Graphic Communications Today. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/ Delmar Learning, 2004. Print. “Herb Lubalin âTypographer Extraordinaire Voices of East Anglia.” Herb Lubalin âTypographer Extraordinaire Voices of East Anglia. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2012/09/ herb-lubalin-typographer-extraordinaire.html>. Heller, Steven. “My Favorite Lubalin.” ImprintThe Online Community for Graphic Designers RSS. Imprint, 6 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://imprint.printmag.com/daily-heller/my-favorite-lubalin>. Keedy, Mr. “Graphic Design in the Postmodern Era.” Emigre Essays. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www. emigre.com/Editorial.php?sect=1>. “House Industries - About - House Aesthetic.” House Industries - About - House Aesthetic. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.houseind.com/about/housestory/aesthetic/>. Borden, Mark. “The Masters of Typography: House Industries.” Fast Company. N.p., 1 Oct. 2008. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://www.fastcompany.com/1007033/masters-typography-house-industries>. Crowley, David. “Faktografiadotcom.” Faktografiadotcom. N.p., 2 Sept. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://faktografia.com/2012/09/02/the-quiet-american>. “Art-Nouveau Feeder Fetishist.” Burning Settlers Cabin RSS. N.p., 21 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://www. burningsettlerscabin.com/?p=7487>.
Colophon Course_Typography III Instructor_Francheska Guerrero Designer_Soyeon Kim Typeface_Avant Garde Gothic, Lubalin Graph, Chalet, House Gothic, House Paint,, Sign Painter
Course_ Typography III Instructor_ Francheska Guerrero Designer_ Soyeon Kim