Student Mike Thomas went back to basics with his work for my experimental type course.
As part of an 11-week study, Mike explored types created by the originator of italics, Francesco ‘Griffo’ da Bologna (1450-1518).
Mike’s work was produced using a stack of 20 year old, aged paper – and involved media ranging from paint to ink to digital.
His final project (above) was realized by cutting Griffo’s italic directly out of pieces of lead and creating a ‘soot proof’ of the carved letters. Not quite to spec, but challenging nonetheless.
I teach an experimental typography course at Ai Sacramento. And this past quarter, student Joyce Tabujara ventured into song.
For her final project, she wrote and preformed This Is To Mister Bell (above) – a tribute to typographer John Bell (1745-1831) and his types.
Below, a few of her studies.
The work of designer Pino Tovaglia, circa 1960.
Started in 1963, Lui was a French take on adult magazine pioneer Playboy.
So successful was Lui, in 1972 Playboy licensed their own version for the US market, titled Oui.
No longer published, Oui still holds some significance in the small town of Shawano, Wyoming.
Sorta.
It started with the advice: ‘You have to go back to the broad edge pen. It’s all there.’
Brilliant calligrapher Arthur Baker gave me direction when I first set up my beginning typography course. And I’m still using the same approach today. [Read more →]
‘Legend has it that Helvetica came in and vanquished the competition. Paul Shaw shows that it didn’t happen that way’
In his new book, Helvetica and the New York City Subway System: The True (Maybe) Story, designer and historian Paul Shaw (below) takes a look at some Swiss type and the trains of the MTA.
Pre-order your copy here (book drops March 11, 2011). Official site here. Idsgn interview with Shaw here.
Found via Delve Withrington