Essay Plan

‘Typography is always designed within, and for a specific, anticipated context.’

Investigate the importance of context in relation to the form and function of typography, and address how culture and social context can influence our understanding of type.

Objective_

To gain a complex understanding of the importance of context in relation to typography. Addressing the importance of how culture and the social context influences our understanding of type, as well as addressing the various contexts where we encounter typography in today’s society, namely; the page, the screen and the environment.

Subject_

I will address the social context and cultural influence on typography, its form and its usage. Different cultures have different typesetting conventions, and cultures become accustomed to certain features of typography.

Typography has become something that is no longer static and refined to a page. I will investigate how technologies have opened up opportunities for typography, including interactive and animated typography. We also see many examples of typography that escape the page and screen entirely. I will approach this through investigating three-dimensional typography, as well as looking at typography in very unusual contexts, i.e. the use of the skin, the sky, water etc as a canvas for typography.

Structure_

The Social Context
I will look at various cultures and how they use typography. I will look at their various typesetting conventions and address how semantics, gender, grammar and idioms, all vary culture to culture. Japanese typography, for example is traditionally written vertically, English is written horizontally from left to right etc. I will look at specific designers from a few selected cultures. I will also discuss the purpose of articulating what the culture-specific use of type is.

On the Page
Addressing typography on the page. What various forms are there? Hand-written, maps and information design. Address how personality and tone of voice etc, can be reinforced by context.

On Screen
With the developments in technology over the last 40 years, the opportunities for typography and graphic design are endless. Screens and displays are penetrating to the mass market, and with this typography has been given a fresh challenge. I will address the differences in typographic design for print and screen. Designers such as Peter Cho, David Small have created online interactive displays, which allow the user to interact with typography, creating something which is interactive and changeable.

In the environment
Within graphic design today, more and more designers are creating typography which completely escapes the written page and screen. Many are exploring the dimensional qualities of type through creating 3-Dimensional typography. I will address this, as well as the various ‘canvas’’ that we see typographers using today, including the sky, water, the skin, cityscapes and so on. What does this bring to typography that traditional printed typography doesn’t? An added depth, dimension, texture, realism?

Conclusion
Compare and contrast the forms of typography which we encounter today. What are the positives and negatives of each? Conclude on the importance of social context in relation to typography and its usage. What impact does this have on reinforcing the form and function of the typography? Is it ever possible for typography to not be in a context, to be isolated and neutral?

Bibliography_

Vartanian, Ivan, Typographics: The Art and Science of Type Design in Context, Rotovision 2003

Beirut, Michael, Looking Closer: Critical Writings on Graphic Design, Allworth Press 1994

Tam, Keith, Wolfgang Weingart’s Tyographic Landscape 2001

Elam, Kimberly, Expressive Typography: The Word as Image, Van Nostrand Reinhold 1990

Baines, Phil; Haslam, Andrew, Type and Typography, Laurence King 2005

Grafik Magazine (Edition 160), Special Report Typography March 2008

Grafik Magazine (Edition 171), Special Report A-Z of Typography March 2009

DIMENSION

Dimensional Typography

As I am planning on doing my essay on the importance of context in relation to the presentation and meaning of typography, I came accross this essay on 'The Eye' Blog which is all about Dimensional Typography http://blog.eyemagazine.com/?p=288.

VISIT LONDON

When doing research for my latest graphic design brief, I came across these posters designed by Oscar Wilson. He created a series of posters for a 'Visit London' campaign, which were designed to entice people to visit London's most popular tourist areas, naming it's most famous events, attractions and restaurants. I really like the illustrative type he has created, and his use of colour to really push the imagery.

LIMITED EDITION

Stumbled across this on www.welovetypography.com. It is advertising design art furniture by desinger, Sophie Lavell. I like it because its a creative piece, which I am extremely fond of, but also because I like the typeface itself.

KITEOGRAPHY

I came across this designer, Tom Wrigglesworth, when reading the graduate edition of creative review in the summer. Him and his partner were presented alongside other graduates including James and Joe who went to Leeds.

I am very interested in typography in context, the more unusual the better, and this example really fascinated me. Type made out of kites that fly through the sky...beautiful! www.tomwrigglesworth.com

PRINTING PRESS

While doing an art foundation at the London College of Communication in 2007, I often used their letterpress facilities to assist my work. I developed a strong interest in the area, and used these facilities in a few of my larger projects. Here you can see some test prints which I stuck in one of my sketchbooks, and this was for a project, redesigning the branding for Classic fm. Also whilst on the course I set a lot of smaller, more intricate type, which was very time consuming but I found it very worthwhile. I learnt a lot about setting type in this form, and I would like to experiment with letterpress again soon.

HELVETICA

I thought I would start by including some work which I have done which is closely related to typography. Last year I did a project, whereby I had to present Helvetica as being the 'best' typeface. I did in depth research into the history and origins of the typeface, as well as looking it's numerous applications today, and why it is such a commonly used and versatile typeface.

My poster is printed on acetate and reads, 'Read between the lines: Helvetica; An aesthetic ideal. Sheer Simplicity and subtlety which allows it to adapt to almost any context. With each it brings something slightly different. Remember, the space between the letters is just as important as the letters themselves.'

The concept is that Helvetica is an adaptable typeface, which rather than having its own personality, it can adapt to its surroundings and the context its in.

I learnt a lot doing this project about the origins of type, Helvetica in particular, and this really introduced me to typography.

TYPE BY

This is a blog that I will use to assist a typography module, which I am studying this year.

I will use it to post about possible avenues for my essay assignment, as well as typography in general.