Tanya Quinlan's typography blog

“The knowledge gained through activities that can be described as tactical, everyday, or simply craft is powerful and important, and it must form the foundation of a designer’s education and work—it is how we create ideas; again, how we create culture.”

The above quote is form Lorraine Wild’s, The Macramé of Resistance. In it, Wild discusses the importance of educating design students in the craft of graphic design. Wild argues that “craft knowledge” is based on experimentation, and that it is central to successful design. Craft knowledge becomes instinctual and is often deemed a “skill.” She goes on to express that when craft knowledge is used in terms of graphic design, it refers to the designer’s voice. It is the part of the designer that follows an inner agenda and guides a body of work over time. (Armstrong)

To me, hand processes, or “craft knowledge” will always add an authentic feel to a design. It is fairly easy to replicate these processes with the use of technology. There are a ton of Photoshop brushes to mimic practically every mark making tool out there, but instead of a varied and sophisticated range of mark making that you get with hand processes, you get a repetition of the same marks. Another example is handwritten fonts. At first glance, they appear to be natural. But there are slight variations of the letter forms even within a single handwriting sample. An “a” written at the top of the page will not be identical to one written a paragraph, sentence, or even word later.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that technology has introduced many advantages into the design world. We are able to easily integrate processes from web design, photography, graphic design, and countless others. Not only does this mean it is easier to work across disciplines, but also that the roles of graphic designers have expanded. Still, it is my belief that there should still be an emphasis on hand processes in design education. Our discipline has it’s roots in hand processes, and we need to preserve those techniques while integrating technology.

I am a huge fan of the work of Dana Tanamachi.  She is a graphic designer currently working as a full-time custom chalk letterer. She has created large-scale chalk installations in New York City and has also been commissioned by high profile clients such as West Elm, Rugby Ralph Lauren, Google, The Ace Hotel, Adidas, EveryDay with Rachael Ray, Lululemon Athletica, and Garden & Gun Magazine.

Spread from West Elm's Holiday 2011 catalogue

In an interview with Design Sponge, Dana Tanamachi states:

My toolbox is pretty straightforward, I think. I keep it stocked with a few packs of dollar-store chalk (non-toxic!), old rags, a flexible sewing tape measure and a wooden yardstick. To the side of my toolbox are lots of swatches and small jars of chalkboard paint samples from Hudson Paint in upstate New York. They produce almost any color I’m in the market for. I’ve also got several pads of tracing paper going at once; I’m always sketching something, whether it be layouts or letters for my upcoming projects. And of course, at any given time, there is a giant stack of old type books piled on my desk.

In an interview with 100 Layer Cake, Dana Tanamachi talked about why she chooses to work with chalk.

“What I love about chalk is that it is such an ephemeral medium. We use it to scribble or doodle with, but rarely do we consider carefully crafting something with it. Maybe it goes against our practical nature—why spend time on something that will be gone in a day, week or month? But that’s why it’s the perfect medium— because for me it’s about the process. I love starting out on a clean wall, climbing up on a ladder, sketching with broad strokes, refining the letterforms, adding little details, etc. It’s a chance for me to take a break from the computer and create something purely by hand. I’m such a crafter at heart!”

Below is a time lapse video of Dana Tanamachi’s design for Nagging Doubt wine label. I find watching her process really inspiring.
Nagging Doubt Voignier by Dana Tanamachi

Sources:

Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2009. Print.

Branch Stelling, Ginny. What’s in your Toolbox: Dana Tanamachi. Design Sponge. <http://www.designsponge.com/2011/08/whats-in-your-toolbox-dana-tanamachi.html>

Dana Tanamachi. 100 Layer Cake. <http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2011/01/12/dana-tanamachi/>

Tanamachi, Dana. <http://www.danatanamachi.com/about/>

“A grid system is a rigid framework that is supposed to help graphic designers in the meaningful, logical and consistent organization of information on a page.” (Terror) An article from Smashing Magazine, titled Lessons From Swiss Style Graphic Design, discusses the Swiss style and grid system in depth. The Swiss Style utilizes  clean typography and content layout rather than focusing on textures and illustrations.

The grid system strips design of its decoration and utilizes a strict systematic order to clarify communication. Designers can utilize this tool through analyzing it’s development, application, and influence on modern design.  As Josef Müller-Brockmann said, “Working with the grid system means submitting to laws of universal validity.” Josef Müller-Brockmann was a strong supporter of the use of the grid and Swiss Typography. He believed that by pairing down work to its essentials, an ordered, objective, and timeless method of communication could be made. (Armstrong)

Joseph Müller-Brockmann Poster Design for the Zurich Town Hall

The article describes how easy it is to consider the grid system as purely visual framework. This is not the case, however, as the grid system also serves as a subtle semantic organization of data. In other words, the grid helps with the typographic hierarchy as well as establishing a clean and pleasing layout.

Font size is also a large part of creating a hierarchy with the grid. This method is a very efficient way of guiding the reader’s eyes through the page, thus working as an interface to the content. (Terror)

While the grid system is as old medieval times, it became more popular by graphic designers such as Josef Müller-Brockmann. Nowadays, designers continue to use the grid system in both print and web design. “Swiss Style artists tend to put their artistic efforts in that the content they are conveying delivers its intended message in a clear, unobtrusive fashion. One can make the point that they were thinking, in a broader sense, about usability long before the web even existed.” (Terror)

Sophisticated grid layouts on the web offer more flexibility and enhance the visual experience of visitors. They provide structure, balance and organization, as well as a predictable rhythm and a sense of familiarity to the design. (Johnson)

So how does a designer implement a grid system? Well, Josef Müller-Brockmann’s advise is as follows. “Designing Grid Systems in Graphic Design, 1. figure out the page size, 2. divide it into a grid, 3. start designing”.

SOURCES:

Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field. New York:Princeton Architectural, 2009. Print.

Johnson, Joshua. Ditching the Grid: Alternative Layout Strategies and Tips. http://designshack.net/articles/layouts/ditching-the-grid-alternate-layout-strategies-and-tips/

Müller-Brockmann, Jose. Grid Systems in Graphic Design

Terror, Diogo. Lessons From Swiss Style Graphic Design. http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/17/lessons-from-swiss-style-graphic-design/

I’m taking a course this quarter called “Design Methodology.” I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I registered for the class. It was required, and a per-requisite for most other courses, so I signed up without putting much thought into what the class actually was. Basically, it has been an intensive course that focuses on understanding the processes that allow me to create a design/visual solution. The subject of design methodology has come up in my Typography class as well, and this week I’ve had the opportunity to research the design methodologies of three great graphic designers: Neville Brody, April Grieman, and David Carson.

Neville Brody is a British graphic designer and art director.  Brody attended the Hornsey College of Art, followed by the London College of Printing, where he chose to pursue graphic design. Heavily influenced by the punk music, his career started in record cover design. He is known for pushing the boundaries of visual communication. In an interview with E.M. Farrelly, Brody said, “For there are, he says – in typography as in other things – no real rules; what we habitually regard as rules are really just assumptions too often unexamined” (Farrelly).

Similar to last weeks interview with Craig Mod, Brody also feels like the dawn of the digital space allows for more creativity outside of digital medium. In his interview for The Blank Sheet Project, Brody explains how he sees the new frontier of digital space as a new form of the “blank page.” There is an incredible opportunity within the digital media for creative exploration. “People are much more interested in producing the one-off hand bound book than they are of creating an app for an iPad. I would like them to be doing both” (Interview by Tim O’Kennedy). Brody goes on to explain that the medium is different, but they each have creative opportunity.

In 2010, Brody was asked to help in the BBC’s website re-branding. A blog post by Bronwyn van der Merwe highlights the process. While I can’t say this is Brody’s methodology, I do think it gives some insight into how even a project of this scale still uses similar ideation steps. For example, at the begining of the project, the team came up with a word list that described what they wanted the company, and website, to represent. Van der Merwe then goes on to describe how they developed several conceptual designs, taking visual inspiration from many sources (Van Der Merwe). These steps in the project really aren’t that different from the average graphic designer’s methods.

SOURCES:

“An Interview with Neville Brody, Art Director of The Face.” Interview by E.M. Farrelly. The Architectural Review. 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.architectural-review.com/archive/ar-1986-august-an-interview-with-neville-brody-art-director-of-the-face/8611931.article>.

Interview by Tim O’Kennedy. The Blank Sheet Project. D&AD, 1 June 2011. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.theblanksheetproject.com/creative/1/neville_brody>.

Van Der Merwe, Bronwyn. “A New Global Visual Language for the BBC’s Digital Services.” Web log post. BBC Internet Blog. British Broadcasting Corporation, 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2010/02/a_new_global_visual_language_f.html>. 

April Grieman is a graphic designer whose work is a fusion of art and technology that explores the relationship between image, word, and color. She attended the Allgemeine Kunstgewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland, followed by the Kansas City Art Institute.

While many designers were skeptical about the Macintosh being introduced to the design community in 1984, Greiman embraced it’s possibilities and became fascinated with the medium. “This fascination comes from the core of her being, a core of perpetual curiosity and questioning that fuels her desire to explore and inspires the cutting-edge design work that places her at the helm of integrated design at the close of the twentieth century” (AIGA).

Although schooled in the Swiss style, Greiman challenged the grid and experimented with typography and image placement. She is credited with introducing America to New Wave design, which she learned from her professor Wolfgang Weingart. And while many designers still push for learning hands on techniques, Greiman has moved almost completely to digital processes. “I tend to pretty much exclusively work with digital tools. If I’m doing color palettes for buildings and architects I have a huge library of color chips and different systems, so testing colors is still a hands-on thing. That’s the only ‘analog’ work for us, really” (Smith).

SOURCES:

AIGA. “April Greiman.” AIGA | the Professional Association for Design. 1998. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.aiga.org/medalist-aprilgreiman/>.

Smith, Josh. “Design Discussions: April Greiman on Technology.” Interview. Web log post. Idsgn: A Design Blog. 10 Sept. 2009. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://idsgn.org/posts/design-discussions-april-greiman-on-technology/>.

Unlike the previous two designers, David Carson doesn’t come from a design background. He attended San Diego State University and received a BFA degree in sociology. Carson was also a former professional surfer, he was ranked #9 in the world during his college days. In a video by Hillman Curtis, Carson explains that his lack of schooling may have contributed to his design aesthetic. It was only afterwards that people would come to him and say he was breaking rules. In an interview with Computer Arts, Carson states, “What matters is that you have an intuitive design sense, listen to it and explore your uniqueness through your work. Create rules that work for you and the type of work you’re doing. I never learned all the things in school I wasn’t supposed to do, so I just did, and still do, what makes sense to me” (David Carson)

In his work for Ray Gun, Carson often challenged legibility. Many criticized his style, calling it self-indulgent and disrespectful.  Carson’s rebuttal is that “as we get more computerized I think it becomes more important than ever that the work actually becomes more subjective, more personal, and that you let your personality come through in the work” (Hillman). Regardless of the level of legibility, Carson says the starting point is always to try to interpret something.In this way, although an article may not be legible, it is still communicating.

SOURCES:

“Artist Series: David Carson.” Interview by Hillman Curtis. Hillman Curtis. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://hillmancurtis.com/artist-series/david-carson/>.

“David Carson.” Interview. Computer Arts. 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.computerarts.co.uk/interviews/david-carson>.

I came across a video interview with Craig Mod on the I Love Typography website that I thought was really interesting. (See link below.) I’ve worked with the publishing industry for the past 2 years – mostly designing book covers, but also doing some manuscript formatting and e-book publishing. I’ve worked with fairly small publishers and have primarily designed for paperback books, which are much more cost effective to produce. The part of my job as a cover designer that I loved the most was finally receiving my printed copy of a book I’ve worked on. There is something about seeing your work as a physical object instead of a screen image that is so rewarding, and the tactile experience is such a strong part of the book experience.

A moment with Craig Mod from Graham CopeKoga on Vimeo.

In Craig Mod’s interview, he talks about the book as an object. There are books that are “throw away” books, like the mass market paperback you pick up in the airport, and then there are the high quality books that have a great tactile quality and are admired as an artistic object. The latter unfortunately is somewhat rare in the current publishing world, but this idea brings up a good point about social responsibility within the publishing industry.

Books have long held a place of high value. You only need to think about the illuminated manuscripts to realize how much of an art form they truly are. With the ease of printing today, perhaps we have lost sight of the art of the book. As typographers and designers, do we have a responsibility to the industry to raise the standards of the publishing? Perhaps. I love how Mod talks about focusing on the beauty of the book as an object.

He also talks about the digitization of the publishing industry thanks to the widely available reading tablets like the Kindle or Nook. This is a subject that has come to light fairly frequently among classmates and coworkers. I’ve heard claims that this new technology will be the end of the printed book, and while I do think the industry will certainly experience a shift towards digitization, I can’t agree with that statement. I liked Mod’s take on this subject.

In the interview, he discusses how the digital era of publishing is a great solution for both publishers and consumers. Publishing a book for the Kindle has very low overhead costs and is economically beneficial for both the publisher and the author. The consumer also benefits, since e-books tend to be cheaper and purchasing an e-book is a relatively simple process. This doesn’t mean the end of printed books, however. According to Mod, this digital shift is perfect for the “throw away” books and would allow publishers to focus on producing more artistic physical books.

http://ilovetypography.com/2010/11/05/an-interview-with-craig-mod/

This  example of socially motivated typography is an ad for Optimum Health. Although this is an advertisement for a gym, obesity has become a popular social topic and I feel like the design fits within the category. I liked that this ad is addressing a fairly serious issue in a cheeky way. Also, the simplicity of the design allows the content to speak volumes.

The ad reads: “Man is what he heats — diet cures more than the doctor.” The letters M, A, and N are arranged to give the appearance of a human body, the M being the head, the A being the torso, and the N making up the legs. The size of the letter A gives the impression of a rather large individual, while the placement of “is what he eats” within adds visual clarity to the message. It paints a clear image that the food we consume directly impacts our weight, and our health.

Advertising Agency: Nikotin, Pune, India
Creative Director / Copywriter: Nitin Adake
Art Director / Typography: Nitin Adake, Nikhil Kukalwar
Found Via: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/optimum_health_gym_man?size=_original

My classmates almost universally thought this ad lacked an emotional punch or follow through. As Madonna put it,

“This is a playful example of type, though I am not sure if the average person would pick up on the body shape. They would, however, have an emotional reaction to the swelling shape full of words filling it up. The typographic image plays with immediate emotional response in that way, but it lacks the follow-through of Meyler’s example, for instance. Beyond an initial understanding of overeating=obesity, there is not a prolonged engagement with of emotional experience between the viewer and the piece. It reads as an exercise more than an advertisement or branding piece. The idea is there, but the concept is not fully fleshed out. (Pardon the pun in relation to the subject matter.)”

I think Madonna is right in saying that the emotional reaction comes from the swelling shape filled with words. That is certainly what grabbed my attention when I first saw it, only after to understand the man figure. The scale of the letter A, and the words inside it, give it the highest level of importance in the composition. The stockiness of the letters really illustrate the point, as the bold A filled with the other words seems to carry quite a bit of weight. This is pushed further by the thinness of the M and N. The body of the man seems to balance precariously and the thin legs of the N.

Madonna, as well as others in the class, criticized the piece because it doesn’t engage the viewer for prolonged interaction. I do see their point. The poster does have a call to action, but it may be more of a whisper. Also, many of my classmate’s choices deal with very serious issues and do have a much more powerful emotional impact. Perhaps one of the following would have been a more appropriate selection for emotional typography.