I ‘heart’ type: My first love… | PDD
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I ‘heart’ type: My first love…

By PDD

on December 13 2012

I’ve been in love with type for quite a while now. Most of my family and friends think my fascination with type is a bit strange, and I even had one boyfriend feel quite threatened by my obsession. So I’ve decided to write five posts which will go through the typographers / designers who have instigated my affection for type, starting with; my first love… Typographica.


 Featured image credit: Brickbat BooksTypography definition:

the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading (line spacing), adjusting the spaces between groups of letters (tracking) and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning).

1.  Typographica
I’ve been fascinated by type ever since I picked up a rare edition of Typographica in the library of my university. Why? Well, this was no normal bit of literature; this was a journal of typography and visual arts founded and edited by Herbert Spencer from 1949 to 1967, who vocally championed emerging trends such as Concrete Poetry, Semiotics and avant-garde Book Design.
Typographica _image 1

Inside Typographica. Image credit: 5cense.com

Typographica_image 2
Pioneers of typography. Image credit: Designers Books

Typographica_image 3
Image credit: grainedit.com

It comprised of some of the great typographers of the time; Diter Rot, Euan Duff, Chermayeff to name a few. And, included every reproduction, print and finish technique you can think of; offset-lithography, spot colours, metallic, matte, glossy, uncoated, rough sugar and wax paper overlays, special inserts and custom binding.

Typographica_image 4

‘Traces of man’ by Herbert Spencer 1967. Image credit: ShevketDesign
Typographica was the first publication of its kind that influenced popular culture by its critical analysis of type design and went on to help expose a new generation of typography enthusiasts to the history of modernist design – me being one of them.Typographica_image 5

Image credit: grainedit.com

These books were brilliantly unique, exceptionally emotive and can only really be appreciated if you can get your hands on one. Hint, Christmas present please 🙂

Next issue:
2. I need to know more… Fillpplo Tommaso Marinetti

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