Historical Typography

 This is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, you can visit the link below to view a larger version. Other than the official header text at the top, it is handwritten. I find it interesting how much handwriting has changed over time as well typography. Many of my current high school students can't even read cursive handwriting. We had a love job and the client wrote all the text in cursive. I was amazed how many of my students couldn't read the clients handwriting to interpret what was needed for the job.

Citation: Abraham Lincoln, Draft of the Gettysburg Address: Nicolay Copy, November 1863; Series 3, General Correspondence, 1837-1897; The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division (Washington, D. C.: American Memory Project, [2000-02]), http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/alhome.html.

Graffiti

This is a sample of graffiti at a local skateboarding hot spot off of Seminary Rd. Kids know it as “The Ditch”. It is interesting because there are so many different layers of graffiti built up over time, some better than others. None the less, it’s interesting to look at for a while.

Suburban Typography

Every suburban community has a logo or entrance sign as you enter the development. This particular logo was a new community that we considered moving to about 4 years ago in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Most of the time the community logos are simply text but this one incorporates some imagery as well.

Childlike Typography

This is the current to go bag from Panera Bread. I thought the typography was fun and childlike and captures the joy of the season as well as words associated with eating at the restaurant in a small space. To add a level of interest the bags come in different colors and shapes but the typography inside the shapes has the same treatment.

Historical Typography Resued in a Contemporary Design

I debated where to categorize this sample because I wouldn't say the typeface itself is historical but they are referencing historical ideas such as hieroglyphics or symbols next to the modern font to convey their message. I thought it was an interesting design so I wanted to share it with you.

US Typography

When I think of US typography I immediately think of money. Nothing seems more recognizable as official "US typography" than the fonts found on our currency. They are legible but created in such a way to hinder counterfeiting. This sort of typography can only be found on our US currency making it quite unique in design.

Research Assignment: The Culture of Type

Today we will take a look at three typefaces in detail and describe their cultural impact. I have chosen to focus on three main periods of transition where both culture influenced typography and typography influenced culture.

First, let’s examine the typeface Baskerville created in England by John Baskerville in 1757. John Baskerville was a printer who lived during a period of transition from calligraphy to print. The typeface Baskerville was considered modern for the time period with level serifs and stark contrast of thin and heavy lines. (“John Baskerville”) During his time Baskerville was criticized for creating letterforms with too much contrast and detail. Later, Baskerville influenced the Didot family in France and Bodoni in Italy and is still used today. (Lupton, 17) This typeface is mainly used for body text in books.

Next, let’s take a look at the typeface Futura designed in Germany by Paul Renner in 1927. Paul Renner was a graphic designer, type designer, painter, and teacher. (Fabian) Futura is a geometric typeface with perfect circles for the O’s. Futura was created during another period of transition when typefaces were becoming commercially available and Futura was considered “experimental” during it’s time. (Lupton, 25) Nicholas Fabian states in his article that Futura “became a cornerstone of the 'New Typography' classified as Geometrical Modernism.” (Fabian) Futura is still widely used today mostly in advertising and display design.

Finally, Verdana was created by type designer Matthew Carter in 1996 commissioned by Microsoft. (Saslow, 2) Verdana was designed specifically for body text viewed on a digital display during the most recent period of transition to widespread use of the internet. (Lupton, 55) Although Verdana may not be as aesthetically beautiful as some of the older fonts designed specifically for print, it is easily read for long periods of time on screen. It is a clean font with a practical application. This typeface is used today by millions for body text on screen.

These three fonts have played important rolls transitioning the way we view printed material through major industrial developments. First the development of the printing press, then widespread industry and advertising, into digital display of written material. I consider these three examples to be some of the most influential.

Bibliography

Fabian, Nicholas. “The Bauhaus Designer Paul Renner.” CreativePro.com. 15 Dec. 2000. Web. 6 Dec. 2010 <http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-bauhaus-designer-paul-renner>.

"John Baskerville." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. Web. 6 Dec. 2010 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004. Print.

Saslow, Rachel. “A Special Type: Font Designer Enjoys 'Life Sentence' as Man of Letters.” The Washington Post. 19 Feb. 2009. Web 6 Dec. 2010 < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803330.html>

Full examples of font families:

http://www.linotype.com/43255/baskerville-family.html

http://www.linotype.com/472/futura-family.html

http://www.linotype.com/339955/verdana-family.html

Logo-Typography

The Fed Ex logo is one of my favorite examples of logo-typography. The most interesting part of this logotype is how the negative space around the letters incorporates the arrow seamlessly into the design. On the side of the truck, as seen here in this photo, the arrow suggests forward motion.

Distressed or Fatigued Typography

After visiting the neighborhood, I decided to visit the web site http://www.brewershill.net, which led me to another interesting typography sample. Here, they are looking for new tenants for the old revitalized historic buildings. In their banner design they are using a distressed or fatigued typeface perhaps to reference the old buildings. I think it works well, and the captions are very catchy.

Hand Painted Typography

I loved how the street numbers were hand painted directly on the brick buildings in Brewers Hill. The background shape and the typeface mimic the neon sign. They were beautifully hand painted and they help tie the buildings in the neighborhood together. Using the exact same typeface as the neon sign was the key to the success of this design feature.

Neon Typography

In keeping with the theme from my coaster discovery, here is an example of a neon sign. I was biking in Baltimore this past Sunday, and the end of the ride took you right through Brewers Hill, so I decided to take a few photos. I was intrigued by the revitalization of the area and found many great typography samples. Unfortunately, the neon sign was not lit up at the time of my photo, but you can still see the overall design and shape of the letterforms. I find it interesting how the typography is so different on the Brewers Hill and the Bravo Health signs yet they exist together.

Local Flavor Typography

I found this coaster while I was helping clean out my grandfather’s house. Since Natty Boh is still a popular Baltimore icon today, it was exciting to find this old coaster. I’m guessing it’s probably from the 50’s. It is interesting how the typeface is quite different from what’s being used today.

Typographical Error

I didn't have to look hard for this one. There is a typographical error in the actual project description. Do you think our professors placed it there on purpose to see who is paying attention? It will be interesting to see how many of us post this as one of our twelve typography finds for the project.