Our second lecture in IxD102 was titled Gutenberg & Beyond.
‘Type is clothing for words’ – Erik Spiekermann
Kyle began this lecture by explaining the importance of choosing the right type for the right context, I liked this quote that he used by Spiekermann as it demonstrates this importance. Kyle gave an example of choosing the appropriate font for a business card and explained that the font chosen can affect peoples opinions and thoughts about that particular business. The chosen type sets the mood for the experience and context making it a crucial element to design.
The Discovery of Print
Gutenberg
I discovered that print was invented by the Chinese as early as the third century and the Chinese also invented movable type using ceramic material. However, most people think of Johannes Gutenberg as the father of print despite the fact he did not invent it. He was a revisionary inventor, he took what was already there and refined it. Gutenberg was the the first person who introduced printing to Europe, with the introduction of mechanical movable type printing press. Gutenberg accomplished many things but he had became well know for producing and printing the Gutenberg bible.
Albrecht Durer
Next we looked at Durer, an international artist and how his monogram was widely known and was a respected trademark. He used this mark to show it was his work. Monograms appeared on coins as early as 1350 but Durers trademark is one of the earliest we remember. Durer was quite serious about typography and print, he thought that the German craftsmen were superior to their Italian counterparts.
Durer made a number of famous prints by transforming woodblock printing though the use of intricate designs, fine intricate lines and precise carving. This is an examples of one of his famous prints, which I really like and its called ” Beast with Two Horns Like a Lamb from the Apocalypse, (1496)”.
Understanding Typography
Kyle explained in depth about typography, he delved into its anatomy, what makes up a typeface, its characteristics and different features. I found this aspect really interesting and I didn’t know that there was so many elements that make up a type face and there is a lot to consider about type and paragraphing, to name a few.
Modern typefaces
We then looked at more modern typefaces, those included;
Futura
Gills Sans
Helvetica
Palatino
Times New Roman
Baskerville
We looked at who created each typeface and a brief history of each, this overview was beneficial for my Type Specimen screen project. Typography and its history is new to me and I find it really interesting so I want to do more research on it and become more knowledgeable on the subject.