ISSUE ONE ISSUE ONE ISSUE ONE SSUE ONEISSUE ONE
type magazine
WOLFGANG WEINGART
WOLFGANG WEINGART W
olfgang Weingart, known for his iconic work in graphic design and typography, broke the mould of classic Swiss type. His intrigue and experimentation were unconventional, pushing boundaries in typesetting processes that would encourage the ‘New Wave’ of design and influence defiance of the conventional grid.
Born in 1941, Weingart grew up in Germany where he spent his formative years painting and drawing. At 18 he enrolled himself at the reputable Merz Academy, Stuttgart in applied graphic arts where he gained his sense of independence and developed greater technical knowledge in letterpress. He then went on to complete a three year apprenticeship at Ruwe Printing, where he notes his time, learning typesetting in hot metal hand composition, as having a significant influence on his work throughout his career. In 1963, Weingart moved to Basel where he studied under infamous graphic designers Armin Hofmann and Emil Ruder. He attended the Basel School of Design as an independent student then later went on to become one of their most renowned teachers of typography.
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M MM Digital experiment inspired by Weingart’s M series.
2 | Type Magazine WOLFGANG WEINGART
It was 1968 that Weingart joined the faculty at Basel School of Design at the direct invitation of Hofmann himself. He was fortunate to continue his own experiments and produce a formidable body of work while taking on the Postgraduate Typography course and beginners workshop. An extensive teaching career saw Weingart delivering lectures across Australia, Europe, Asia, and North and South America. He engaged well with students who had the motivation and discipline, encouraging them to continually investigate and experiment with their hands before going digital. His greatest wish for students was to find their own path and dream to follow.
‘THE THING THAT IS SO SPECIAL TO ME, IS THE VARIABILITY OF THE MATERIALS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF IDEA AND TECHNIQUE.’
Interpretation inspired by Weingart’s circular compositions using a letter ‘W’ stamp and ink
WHAT’S THE USE OF BEING LEGIBLE WHEN NOTHING INSPIRES YOU TO TAKE NOTICE OF IT? -WEINGART
Digital experiment inspired by Weingart’s typography/ collage experiments.
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eingart is most renowned for his experimental approach to typography; perceiving his own as a natural progression of the classic forms of Swiss. Swiss style maintains a rigidity and constraint that Weingart found grew boring. His curiosity for the extent to which he could push typography to its limits, yet still retain meaning, meant he would go on to pioneer the ‘New Wave’ of design. His experiments with photography and photomechanical processing, layering and abstract compositions, along with type that still reflects Swiss origins, excelled him to international acclaim and would see designers after him continue to work against the grid and create type that was as visually encapsulating as it was functional.
Paint Medium explorations inspiried by Weingarts1962 Experiment.
WHAT STILL SURPRISES AND INSPIRES ME TODAY: TO TURN BLANK PAPER INTO A PRINTED PAGE. - WEINGART
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