Graphic Design projects

Information compiled from various articles from Wikipedia:
Updated, June 28, 2010

The term Modern in Typography refers to typefaces that were first created in the late 1700’s which were characterized by flat, unbracketed serifs with extreme contrasts between thick and thin strokes. They were more geometric and mathematically precise than their previous Transitional style fonts had been, and in addition, had a more vertical, upright stress. They also differed dramatically from the handwritten, calligraphic style typefaces of the Medieval and Renaissance eras that preceded both the Transitional and Modern typefonts.

The Modern fonts, called “Didones” were created by Firmin Didot (1764-1836) in 1783, who along with his father, François-Ambroise Didot is credited with designing the first Modern classification of typefaces. (At the same time, Giambattista Bodoni of Italy was also creating a similar typeface, hence the name Bodoni in many Modern typefaces today). In addition to creating typefaces, Firmin was also an inventor of stereotypography — which was the use of a metal printing plate for setting type, a device that revolutionized printing at the time. He was responsible for creating and actually cutting the Didot font, while his brother Pierre used it in the printing of books.

Their father, François-Ambroise Didot (1730-1804), was the second generation of a family of printers and learned book publishers. During his lifetime he was appointed as printer to the clergy for whom he became an avid publisher. He also invented a new printing press, and was the first to print on vellum paper. In addition, François is credited with adapting a point sytem of sizing typefaces that was based on 1/72^nd of a “French inch” — before the Metric system was invented. (The French inch was larger, proportionally than the UK or American inches of the 18th century.) His unit of measurement was appropriately named the ‘didot,’ and became the prevailing system of type measurement throughout continental Europe, as well as in colonial America. Later on however, it was standardized to .375 mm in Euorpe, and America developed from this measurement its own ‘point’ system, which was based upon the same proportion, only used the smaller inches which the English-speaking countries had originally adapted.

Three modern-day renditions of the Didot fonts are featured below: Didot Display by Canada Type, and Didot Std Italic by Adobe in the poster on the left; and Modern Number 20, a revival of the English, Victorian-style Didones of the 1700’s, in the poster on the right.

Modern No. 20 was originally issued by the Stephenson Blake foundry in 1905, but was recreated in the mid-1900’s by the font designer, Edouard Benguiat. It differs somewhat from the other two Didot fonts in its hairline strokes, and also has more rounded ball serifs as well as more curves as seen in the character and numeral sets. All three fonts however, are considered to be members of the Modern type family, or Didones. The Didot fonts are also Neoclassical and Romantic in style, and make elegant display fonts. Other examples of Didones include Bauer Bodoni, as well as many 20th century typefaces. They can vary from extremely finelined versions to ultrabold ones, as well as fonts with more narrow and condensed letterforms; to wider, more expanded ones. There are even fancier variations on serifs and terminals. Some good examples of the more decorative, contemporary Didones can be seen on the MyFonts.com website, and include Ambroise Std, and Bodoni Classic Swing. Just do a search with those names, and you will see them.

Below are two posters I created for Didot and Modern No. 20, using some of the font history and information outlined above, from the Wikipedia website. The poster on the left has had some new facts added and corrections made to it, as wel, including the fact that it was actually Firmin Didot and not François, (as I had stated in a previous version of the poster), who is credited with the creation of the original Didot typeface.

numeral 3.) “Bickham Script Pro” Posters — an Example of 18th c. Copperplate Calligraphy
Bickham Script Pro is based on the engravings of calligrapher George Bickham, and was recreated digitally by Richard Lipton
for Adobe in the 1990’s. It is an elegant, calligraphic script font with many alternate letterform choices, making it
very versatile for many uses.

* Some examples of copperplate calligraphy by George Bickham,
in pages from “The Universal Penman” published in 1741, can be seen here.

Examples of original documents created by master calligrapher, George Bickham, circa 1738-’41, at The City Tavern Club, a historical property located in Georgetown ( Washington, D.C.) Shown below is a letter written to ‘Merchants and Tradesmen’ of Great Britain, penned and signed by George Bickham himself, as can be seen at the bottom lower right of the photo where it says, “Your most obedient and very humble servant,” with the initials, G. Bickham.

The font “Bickham Script Pro” a contemporary computer font, was created by the font desginer, Richard Lipton after the original calligraphy of George Bickham, for Adobe in the 1990’s.

The document pictured above was a tribute to the meaning of ‘Poetry.’ Surrounding the word ‘Poetry’ are flourishes that are similar to the flourishes available in the digital fontset for Bickham Script Pro, but with more elaborate strokes that could only have been created by penstrokes. Notice how the P and the Y are actually connected in one penstroke, with additional embellishments to the sides of the letters, that also form part of each of the letter forms .

At the bottom of the page appears the phrase, “Joseph Champion Scriptsitz.” This script is very similar to the calligraphy of the Bickham Script shown in the letter above. Upon doing some research on the Internet, I learned that Joseph Champion (1709-1765) was another Englishman and master calligrapher who worked with, and actually contributed 47 plates to George Bickham's major calligraphy book, “The Universal Penman.” While this page looks very similar to Bickham Script Pro, it must actually be the script created by Joseph Champion.

‘Champion Script’ has now been reproduced as a digitized font as well, by a Greek font designer named Panos Vassiliou. A history of the font’s development can be read about here on his blog. Other similar examples of George Bickham’s own calligraphy can be seen at the link provided below (above my Bickham Script poster images) in pages from his famous publication, “The Universal Penman.”

Kabel Poster 2009
(click to view PDF):

To me, graphic design is a visual means of interpreting the world around you in an abstract or artistic way, using electronic or other two-dimensional media (i.e. print), combining things like colors, shapes, illustrations and typography to create something new and different that is unique, yet commonly recognizable, allowing the viewer to see something familiar in a new way. It is also a form of art and visual communication that we cannot do without. Graphic design is everywhere, but takes many forms and styles. While not exactly true art like painting its purpose is to communicate a feeling or a message to an audience in a clever, fun or engaging way. It embodies creating new things as well as recreating things that have already been made, i.e. tracing over a flag with Illustrator.

There are two types of graphic design that dominate the media world today: print design and onscreen design whether for the Internet and for things like TV and movies. Print design is different from web design in distinct ways. Web design is supposed to emulate printwork, but is constructed differently due to the limitations and non-permanent nature of the Internet, which is based on computer code and display onscreen. Print design by contrast, is a physical meda that can be posted on a wall as a poster, passed out as a flyer, a brochure, or printed as a book. Print and web design also use different color systems. They both have one thing in common though, which is the visual communication of ideas and information using similar elements such as typography, illustrations, photos, or “graphics.” Good graphic design is easily recognizable, but creating it is challenging and involves learning to see things in a totally new and innovative way, and to be able to use the programs effectively enough to accomplish this.