At Encyclopedia.Design, we are fascinated by all aspects of design, both current and historical. It is essential to recognise the influential designers who have paved the way. Jan Tschichold (1902 – 1974), was a typographic genius. Tschichold was first introduced at Shillington College, where I studied Graphic Design. His straight lines and hierarchical structure appeal to me as a digital designer. His concepts, in my opinion, work well in the digital realm.
Jan Tshichold, one of the most prominent and influential typographers of the time, pioneered a typographical movement that created many new typefaces to reflect the emerging machine-driven age.
Biography
Tschichold, born in Germany, is regarded as one of the most outstanding and influential typographers of the twentieth century. He removed the pre-1925 typography to create a new, modern, structured and regulated one. His work is distinguished by its rigorous structure, asymmetrical placement of contrasting elements, and layouts based on horizontal and vertical underlying grids. You will notice a harmonious composition of balance, white space, straight lines, and thick rules throughout his designs.
Ann Out neu Jahr
1955
Tschichold was born in Leipzig, in 1902. His first book, “Elementary Typography,” was published in 1925. In 1927, he became a lecturer at the Master School for Printing in Munich. He held this position until 1933 when the Nazis dismissed him. He relocated to Switzerland, where he continued to design and teach. In his third book, “Typographische Gestaltung,” he begins to turn away from “the new typography” as he begins to associate its rigid style with the totalitarianism of the Nazis.
Tschichold is known for his famous typeface Sabon. He authored several books, the most influential being The New Typography, published in 1928. A modified version of his font family Sabon, for example, is widely used in publications such as Vogue and Esquire.
He is, however, most remembered for his post-war refashioning of Penguin paperbacks. During his career with Penguin, he re-designed over 500 books. Below you will see some examples of his work for Penguin.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Typography Books – Amazon
* This website may contain affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission when you click on links at no additional cost. As an Amazon and Sovrn affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Inside Paragraphs: Typographic Fundamentals -
The Essential Type Directory -
Moholy-Nagy and the New Typography A-Z -
Sketching Type: A Guided Sketchbook for Creative Hand Lettering -
The Typography Idea Book: Inspiration from 50 Masters -
Designing with Type, 5th Edition: The Essential Guide to Typography -
Thinking with Type, A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students -
Graphic Design: The New Basics: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
More on Typography
-
Paul Rand (1914 -1996) – Designer who led the way
Paul Rand, was a seminal figure in graphic design who made innovative visual identities for some of America’s major corporations and book and magazine publishers We all have seen the designs of Paul Rand at some stage of our lives. He had a career spanning nearly seven decades. There is the seminal logo for IBM…
-
Punk Fanzine: Sniffin’ Glue
The DIY style was one of the novelties that British punk introduced in the 1970s. There were hundreds of these fanzines, the most well-known of which being Sniff in ‘Glue. i-D, published by the art director Terry Jones, evolved from a fanzine into a publishing success.Read More →
-
Glyphs – Road to International Understanding
Glyphs are graphical symbols that are more or less universally used. The Ancient Greeks had a word for most of today’s needs, the glyph is a Greek word meaning carving. Glyphs should carve a road to international communication by breaking down language barriers.Read More →
-
Penguin Book Covers (1946 – 1949) Designer: Jan Tschichold
Tschichold created new standards of text arrangement and style that inspired all of the British postwar graphic design, although only working for the publication for three years. Then, with the formulation of the “Penguin Composition Rules,” he was able to apply Modernist theory to the requirements of book manufacturing.Read More →
-
Peter Behrens (1868 – 1940) – German architect/designer
Peter Brehens (1868 – 1940) was a German graphic artist, architect and designer. He studied at the Karlsruhe and in Düsseldorf and Munich.Read More →
-
Capitalisation rules – the basics
If you have ever read an old newspaper (early nineteenth century) and you look carefully at the old broadsheets. You will notice that words are capitalised here and there and that the rules of capitalisation, some of which you will learn shortly, seem nonexistent.Read More →
-
Peter Behrens (1868 – 1940) – German architect and designer
Peter Brehens (1868 – 1940) was a German graphic artist, architect and designer. He studied at the Karlsruhe and in Düsseldorf and Munich.Read More →
-
Adrian Frutiger (1928 – 2015) Typographer – creator of widely used fonts.
Adrian Frutiger was a Swiss graphic designer and typographer. Frutiger created some of the most widely used fonts of the 20th century, and they can be seen daily in airports on street signs and in subway stations. He was the creator of many internationally known and loved fonts such as Avenir, Frutiger, Univers and Vectora.Read…
-
Wolfgang Weingart – Swiss Typographer and Designer
He was dubbed “the father” of New Wave or Swiss Punk typography . LEARN MORERead More →
-
Ikko Tanaka (1930 -2002) 🇯🇵 Graphic Design blend of East and West
Ikko Tanaka was a Leading Graphic Designer in Japan. He had an enormous impact on the post-war visual culture in Japan.Read More →
-
Claude Garamond (1510 – 1561) made the letter a living thing
Little is known about the early life of France’s most distinguished type designer Claude Garamond, though he is mentioned as being “at work” in the printing business early in the sixteenth century, Garamond was commissioned by the French monarch, Francis I, to cut a font of Greek letter which later became known as the “Royal…
-
Jan Tschichold (1902 – 1974) – Swiss Typographer
German-born, Tschichold is one of the most outstanding and influential typographers of the 20th century, He cleared away the old typography of pre-1925 and made room for a modern, structured and regulated new typography. His work is characterised by rigorous structure, asymmetrical placement of contrasting elements, and layouts based on horizontal and vertical underlying grids.Read…
-
Million Mark Note – Design Classic
The Bauhaus was the most well-known design school of the 20th century. Herbert Bayer created notes in denominations of one million, two million, and two billion. The designs exemplify the ideology of hardline Modern Movement graphics.Read More →
-
Herbert Bayer (1900 – 1985) – Universal Typeface – Bauhaus Master
The universal typeface, 1925, was a geometric alphabet based on bar and circle and was designed by Herbert Bayer. READ MORERead More →
-
Typography Glossary – Design Terms
It helps to have an appropriate language to talk about typography. The following is a glossary of some of the words and their definitions that are used to described typography.Read More →
-
Frederic Goudy (1865 – 1947) – Typographic Genius
Less dramatic accomplishments and contributions to the culture of modern civilisation by artists, artisans and designers have been but little publicised. It was in 1937 that a mild-mannered, quiet and kindly man was recognised as a real genius – Frederic W. Goudy, one of the most famous type designers in the world!Read More →
-
What is a Monogram?
A monogram is a single symbol made up of one or more letters. Every aspect of an individual’s taste and fancy can be accommodated with a monogram. Monograms differ significantly, and there are of a great variety of design. There are so many different types and combinations of the same letters that no two persons…
-
AIGA – American Institute of Graphic Arts – What is it?
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a group of professional designers who aim to show how important design is to industry, society, and our future as a whole. It was started in 1914 by a small group of graphic designers, printers, publishers, and illustrators. Since then, it has developed into a national network…
-
Typography Books from Amazon
Typography is one of design’s most delightful frontiers, a strange medley of timeless rituals and timely transformation in the face of technical progress, whether you’re a serious artist, a recreational type-nerd, or a casual lover of the fine letterform you will enjoy this selection of books.Read More →
-
William Dwiggins (1880 -1956) – Typographer and all-rounder
Dwiggins was known for his “Metro” series of typefaces, the first designed specifically for newspaper headlines. He produced that in 1929 when he won the gold medal of the American Institute of Graphic Arts.Read More →
-
William Caxton (1422 – 1491) Father of English Printing
William Caxton learned about the mystery of printing in the Low Countries, and it was in Bruges that he translated a French work, ” The Tales of Troy, ” through his printing press.Read More →
-
Aldus Manuitius (1449 – 1515) – pioneer of printing
The type in which this sentence is written is called “italic”. Aldus Manutius the man who invented it died almost 500 years ago and his type is still in use. Today publishing a manuscript is almost instantaneous, a new best seller can be placed on Amazon and I can buy a copy minutes later. To look at…
-
William Dwiggins (1880-1956) – Typographer and all rounder
Dwiggins was born in Martinsville, Ohio in 1880, he had studied East in Chicago, and then he moved to Boston. Between the years 1917-1918, he became the acting director of the Harvard University Press. He also worked for the Yale Universty Press, designing jackets, endpapers, bindings and posters.Read More →
-
Motion Design: True Detective 3 Opening Title (reblog)
We are featuring a collaborative work from Mill+ and Antibody with Nic Pizzolato to create the opening title sequence for the long-awaited third season of HBO’s ‘True Detective’.Read More →
-
Night & Day Experimental Sculpture
If you follow artist Aaron De La Cruz on IG you know he’s been experimenting with sculptural takes on his signature shapes for some time now. Two editions are currently available via his web shop – A Perfect Day & A Perfect Night .Read More →
-
Vernacular Typography – Motel Signs
Motel signs are one of my favourite examples of recognisable American vernacular typography. Read More →
-
Trajan, the Fallback Movie Poster Font
A serif all-caps typeface designed in 1989 by Carol Twombly for Adobe, Trajan is based on the letterforms carved into the Trajan’s Column in Rome in AD113. Read More →
-
Aesthetic intelligence from an early typographic luminary
Benjamin Sherbow, a copywriter who honed his typographic skills and fervently learned the nuances of type and languageRead More →
-
Haunch of Venison Poster – Power of Asymmetry
Asymmetry can help give some life and power to a typographic arrangement. The designer has used the idea of a long piece of tape or receipt. The typography is contrasted against large and small to make it stand out.Read More →
-
Kotaro Branding & Art Direction by Estudio Wikka
Kotaro is a Cancun-based Japanese eatery that specialises in ramen, baos, and gyoza. It expertly integrates classic Japanese elements like finely illustrated cherry blossoms and a love of fine artisanship with a decidedly tropical flair appropriate for the Yucatan peninsula.Read More →
-
Halfomania: Futuristic Sans Serif Typeface
A futuristic sans-serif font , perfect for use in headlines, branding visual identity, poster, logo, magazines, and any display media. The font can be found in TTF and OTF file formats and contain uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and some special characters.Read More →
-
Baobab magazine poster
Baobab is a new magazine featuring work from photography students at KABK. The poster was designed as a call for guest editors for the magazine’s third edition.Read More →
-
Ikea’s sleep campaign got a boost with a series of eye-catching posters.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our sleep is one of the more well-documented side effects, with the scenario being described as a “perfect storm of sleep difficulties”. Ikea’s 2020 ad campaign, which emphasised the need of getting enough sleep, is thus suitable.Read More →
-
MuirMcNeil’s New Typeface Is As Fragmented and Malleable As Memory
Graphic designer Natasha Lucas began designing Bisect while still a student at the London College of Communication as part of a more significant project based on Harold Pinter’s mid-career “memory plays.”Read More →
-
Uppercase versus lowercase letters for branding
The letter case is a subtle change to a brand name, i.e. whether a brand name appears in all lowercase or uppercase letters. Research published in the Journal of Retailing suggests whether a designer chooses uppercase or lowercase letters significantly impacts a customers response to a brand. Read More →
-
Balzak Font – Organic Calligraphy
The Balzak font —organic calligraphy by Gulya Ju of studio PeachCreme. Gulya Ju is a type and graphic designer with a strong passion for handmade lettering. The skilled designer has recently published Balzak, a new calligraphic typeface based on real handwriting.Read More →
-
85+ Times People Had Such Perfect Handwriting
We’re so used to typing these days that most of us probably can’t even remember the last time we needed to use our handwriting skills. But there are still some people out there whos handwriting is so incredibly good it’s unbelievable that they write like that on their daily basis. This list compiled by Bored…
-
Outstanding Lettering and Typography Designs for Inspiration
Various artists created these great lettering and font designs. Passion, career, pastime, and even free time may motivate them to create such works of art. Read More →
-
5 fonts that Spock would have loved
Spock is my favourite characters from Star Trek. If Spock were a designer what sort of Typography would appeal to him? This theoretical perspective interested me as Spock is a scientist rather than a creative.Read More →
-
Tuna Typeface
Please update your browser. Why? A typeface for print and screen. Bubbling, strong, but very accurate. Created with much fine tuning and precision.Read More →
-
Paris: May 1968 Posters of the Student Revolt
In the turbulent days of May 1968 in Paris, a group of artists calling themselves the Atelier Populaire created posters that were vital in spreading the call to unite student and workers. The propaganda of the French revolt was fed by immediate pressures. The day by day events – the disruption of classes at Nanterre…
-
Historic Route 66 Sign – beautiful example of vernacular typography
Piece by piece old Route 66 landmarks, vintage gas stations, famous hamburger stands and cages with such euphonious names as Pig Hip are vanishing. As this example of classic route 66 vernacular typography, there are still some gems as the fascination lives on. Read More →
-
Gutenberg’s contribution to printing
Sourced from Daily Press – Newport News Virginia 17 April 1939 The invention of movableRead More →
-
Introduction to the role of typography in design
Typographic design skills give the designer, who develops an appreciation for the subtler points, aRead More →
-
The difference between italics and oblique typefaces
Italics are probably the most common form of typographic emphasis and is used in both text and display settings. True-drawn italics are usually a unique and separate design from their Roman brethren. Aldus Manutius, a commercial printer, was looking for a way to fit more type onto a page and to reduce the price of…
-
Renner*: A free Futura alternative
Renner* is a free typeface inspired to Futura that supports OpenType Variable Font, allowing users to control the exact weight and italic of the font. The post Renner*: A free Futura alternative appeared first on Freebiesbug .Read More →
-
‘Brand New Roman’ is a Fun Mashup of All the Corporate Logos You Know and Love
Arrow Design ‘Brand New Roman’ is a Fun Mashup of All the Corporate Logos You Know and Love BY Shaunacy Ferro. Hello Velocity Brand New Roman is not your average typeface. You’ll probably never find it in the drop-down menu of Microsoft Word or see it on a sign, but it’s instantly recognizable.Read More →
-
Troptical Hypnotic, Energetic Multilinear Typeface
Troptical is inspired by the dazzling dynamism of op-art and the clever geometry of Latin American designRead More →
-
Do People Still Love Helvetica?
Do people still use Helvetica ? Today, we will see what designers say about the notorious font. Are you curious to find out how many hate it and how many love it? So am I. Let’s find out! Approximately 1000 years ago, the Chineseman Bi Sheng invented the mobile letter.Read More →
-
Type Hike: typographic posters that celebrate American national parks
Type Hike is a collaborative design project that take a look at the US national parks from a typographic perspective. 60 designers have each created a poster about a national park, type being the main graphic tool used for each poster. Read More →
-
A Typeface That Stitches Together Haute Couture, and Midcentury Geometric Fonts (reblog)
Name: Ysans Designer: Jean François Porchez Foundry: Typofonderie Release Date: October 2017 Back Story: Ever since 1925, when the severely chic Chanel logo designed by Coco Chanel herself modernized the graphic identity of couture brands, geometric sans serif type has ruled the runwayRead More →
-
Greeking – No it is not the latest Sexual Fad
Although it sounds like it ‘Greeking’ is not some weird sexual practice practised by the ancients. ‘Greeking’ is a technique that originated in advertising where the potential ad copy or text for a new ad being developed is represented by non-words so that the viewer can focus on the overall design rather than getting caught…
-
Gelion is a Sans Serif Typeface with a Geometric Touch
Gelion is a Sans serif with a geometric touch with a minimal contrast of strokes, inspired by Futura, Avant Garde, Avenir and neo-grotesque Akzidenz-Grotesk, Helvetica form remaining true to the gracefully geometric look of the early 20th-century typefaces, that ticks off a long list of branding requirements.Read More →
-
Typography: TT Smalls Geometric Sans Serif
Smalls is a geometric sans serif created for use in video clips and for video production by the TypeType foundry typography minds. The main feature of the font family is the big difference between the uppercase and lowercase characters, in which we intentionally diminish the x-height.Read More →
-
The best of the typographic posters by Robin Weissenborn
These posters by Robin Weissenborn are not new, they were designed in 2015 and awarded in an international poster competition. The graphic designer, who was studying at the prestigious Bauhaus university at the time, designed a series of posters using experimental typography and cool distorted perspectives. Read More →
If you enjoyed reading this post you may also be interested in reading;
Xanti Schawinsky influential Swiss Designer – Encyclopedia of Design
Alexander Schawinsky was a Swiss designer born in Basel. He studied painting and architecture in Zürich, Cologne, and Berlin. He was at the Bauhaus in Germany between 1924 and 1925. Between 1926 and 1927 he was a theatre designer in Zwickau. Following that he was a Graphic Designer for the city of Magdeburg.
Marianne Straub Swiss weaver and designer – Encyclopedia of Design
Marianne Straub was a Swiss designer and weaver and designer she was born in Amriswil. But her career grew in Britain from the time she entered Bradford Technical College (in the middle of the Yorkshire wool industry) in 1932 to expand her knowledge of powerloom weaving.