Good Typography is Invisible

Craig Ward is an award winning art direction and typography for a range of clients from fashion to advertising. His work consists a lot of typographical images using a conjunction of materials. One of Ward’s typographical pieces include ‘Good Typography is Invisible’, pictured below. This particular piece of work by Ward shows off a lot of personality and meaning through the use of colour and the choice of typefaces. The following quote taken from Ward’s personal website lets us know what this piece of artwork is all about. ‘It shows that both good and bad typography are everywhere, but bad usually overshadows the good.’ (Mr Craig Ward, 2011). The red text that reads ‘BAD TYPOGRAPHY IS EVERYWHERE’ suggests to the viewer that if you pay enough attention to detail, you can start noticing these things around you and how graphic design has not yet resolved many visual communication problems. For some, this idea of not every design problem being resolved isn’t major. However, there are a few people out there who are striving for success and always have their thinking heads on whether they are watching a film, out with friends or getting the train to work. They, like many of us, just want to put their skills into practice and not only show everyone their capability, but to also resolve big problems within the visual communication environment.

Craig Ward - Good Typography is Invisible, date unknown

Anglepoise

The anglepoise lamp designed by George Carwardine became a hit worldwide ever since 1933. Carwardine was a car engineer who strived to design new ideas constantly, when he came along a spring found in one of the cars he fixed. Carwardine saw that the spring could be used for more than one purpose and decided to put his creative skills to practice. This was when the Anglepoise lamp was invented. It is believed that Carwardine used 4 springs per lamp attached to two long arms which held a base at one end and a lamp shade at the other. The mechanism of the lamp structure functioned in the same way as the muscles in a human arm. This not only enables the lamp to be adjusted, but it allows you to reposition it in any way depending on the amount of light source needed. This example of Carwardine’s imagination from the spring to a worldwide hit lamp, shows capability within the mind of a designer and it is something that everyone involved in the design industry should take into account. How big things come from little ideas, applying this rule to every day life and going with what we believe will make us successful in the business.

George Carwardine - Anglepoise 1227, 1934

Wolfgang Weingart

Wolfgang Weingart is a very well-known graphic designer and typographer and is accredited as the founder of the New Wave of Swiss Punk Typography. His work includes many typographic charecters and it very often lacks in colour but the meaning and boldness of it always shine through. A particular piece of work by Weingart that is somewhat inspiring is ‘18^th Didacta/Eurodidac’, where it is very clear to see the link between layout and composition within a piece of design. The reason why this particular piece of Weingart’s work might be inspiring to others is because often as graphic designers, we are taught that simplicity is key and that the less information on a page the better. However, Weingart here proves that theory wrong showing that busyness and a mash up or collage do work well together to still send a message across. The composition of this collage is remarkable and it truly shows how it is not needed to use computer software to produce something beautiful. The use of colour within this image is also very eye catching and emotive as the grey suggests sadness, loneliness, depression, but the orange, yellow and red tones liven it up by highlighting certain parts of the said image.

Wolfgang Weingart - Didacta Eurodidac, 1986

Grid Systems

Swiss Design is often referred to as the International Typographic Style. This design came about around the 1940s and 50s and it was the foundation to much of today’s design influences and the progression of graphic design since. Josef Müller-Brockmann could possibly be the one of the most known Swiss designers, who was and still is a huge influence to many. A quote by Müller-Brochmann reads: “The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each
designer can look for a solution appropriate to his
personal style. But one must learn how to use the
grid; it is an art that requires practice.” (The Grid System, 2012). Müller-Brochmann along with other Swiss designers and typographers created the grid systems which have turned out to be very successful within the design industry. The Grid System photograph below is a screen shot of a website about Swiss design which allows you to view the grids on which the website was designed. Design developed greatly thanks to the findings and invention of artists such as Müller-Brochmann. Grid systems mean we don’t have to worry about making books, leaflets, newspapers and magazines consistent as the design of the grid has done it all for us. Josef Müller-Brochmann is seen as a pioneer of the simplicity and preciseness of Swiss typography.

The Grid System website - Grid on show, 2012

László Moholy-Nagy

Staatliches Bauhaus was a school that brought crafts and fine arts together, based in Germany in the 19^th century. It was well known for the particular design perspective that it taught and advertised. László Moholy-Nagy was not only a painter and photographer, but also a professor in the Bauhaus school. His work consisted of black and white photography including photograms. Nagy’s work is very pleasing to the eye and quite aesthetic because of the compositions within each image. Photographs and photograms produced by him are intriguingly framed within the image. The framing of each print is well-composed and not only does it give out the impression of things falling, but it also shows movement and contrast between the objects photographed. The lack of colour in these two images also makes them quite mysterious and therefore, makes it harder to reveal what each image is about. This then challenges the viewer to interpret each image in his or her own way with no set idea or message behind each artwork. Relating this to graphic design is quite difficult at times, but potentially, it is very inspiring as composition is extremely important when designing a piece of visual communication. 

László Moholy-Nagy - Unknown, 19th century

László Moholy-Nagy - Unknown, 19th century