What is it typography?

Arranging letterforms to produce printed matter.

Helvetica was invented in 1957 by Eduard Hoffmann, Director of Haas Type Foundry in Münchenstein, Switzerland, with the help of Max Miedinger. The original typography was called Neue Haas Grotesk and it aimed to embody a no-frills style. Hoffmann wanted Neue Haas Grotesk to form a contemporary version of an older typeface known as Akzidenz Grotesk. This new design would allow the typeface to be featured in a variety of situations without ever seeming inappropriate.

Eduard Hoffmann

Task 1Grungvetica

Project yourself far into the future. Linotype GmbH has been chosen to create the seventieth anniversary edition of Helvetica – a modern update of the font composed of destroyed letterforms. What would the twenty-six characters of this new font look like? How would you associate your work to the legacy of the original face?

Helvetica Font

1. Choose to work in lower or upper case.

2. Keep the same shape and work in black and white.

3. Now change and distort the alphabet. You can collage, use fine liners and work on a variety of different papers.

What to do…

Task 2Artist Research

Your second task it to research one of the following Artists who have used text and/or numbers in their Art. Once you have chosen your Artist you must:1.Write facts and opinions in rough in your own words (use the How To Write About Artists sheet for support)2.Create a transcription of the Artist’s work.

Michael Craig-Martin is one of the most influential British Artists of recent decades. He was a key figure for the YBA generation of Artists, whom he taught in his capacity as tutor at Goldsmiths College of Art. In his recent series, Alphabet, he has produced 26 screen-prints in which the letters of the alphabet are overlaid with everyday objects such as a book, a glass of water or an umbrella.

Michael Craig-Martin

American painter and printmaker, forerunner of Pop Art, who uses commonplace emblematic images such as flags or numbers as the starting-point for works of great richness and complexity

Jasper Johns

Rob Ryan

Rob Ryan is a British paper cutter Artist who specializes in paper cutting, screen-printing, drawing and painting. He is most famous for his detailed paper cut out and he often uses text in his artwork.

Display typeface constructed from a personal tie collection. A large amount of the collection was acquired from my dad, the rest bought at flea markets, thrift stores with a few brand new purchases sprinkled throughout. I hope to soon extend this project to add alternates, numbers and ligatures as the collection grows.

Tie-pography, by Ed Nacional

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Tie-pography/227637