Notes for essay 1

What is typography?

‘Typography can be defined as ‘the ordering of the visual elements of the printed word’ (Eric K Bain, 1970)

‘Printing can be seen to be primarily an aid to communication (Eric K Bain, 1970)

Key developments?

key 1: before industrial rev. (Gutenburg press) and introduction of mechanisation

Before industrial revolution, printed works were values due to the expensiveness of hand-made materials and manual method of production. Therefore the invention mechanization led to more and cheaper print (Eric K Bain, 1970)

Typography had changed little since Gutenberg, 1939 and then only in conformity with a rigid pattern of rules. (Friedrich Friedl, Nicolaus Otl, Bernard Stein, 1998)

‘any lingering doubts over the benefits of mechanized type-setting could hardly be sustained’ (Robin Kinross, 2004)

key 2: Modernity

key 3: Post Modernity

New ways of exploring typography must be explored ‘so that the basic elements of our letter can appear in new form’ (Armin Hofmann, 1965)

Logotype ‘calls for a new and fresh approach to lettering in the role of the designer’ (Armin Hofmann, 1965)

Functions it performs?

‘Still today our most important method of communication, despite competition from relatively recent inventions’ (Eric K Bain, 1970)

The effect of typography on all spheres of human activity are constantly present. (Friedrich Friedl, Nicolaus Otl, Bernard Stein, 1998)

The visual element of type design allows personal selection of what is relevant to the reader, which isn’t the case with media and other recent inventions (Eric K Bain, 1970)

Without pictorial representation, shape and colour is capable of communicating subtle yet precise feelings. (Eric K Bain, 1970)