History 2013: Summaries Semester 1: Chapter 18

HISTORY 2013: SUMMARIES

Chapter 18: The International Typographic Style:

Intro:

·         1950’s: Swiss design/ The International Typographic Style = design movement emerged from Switzerland and Germany.

·         Objective clarity of design movement won coverts throughout world. Remained major force for over 2 decades. Influence carries on into 21^st century.

·         Visual characteristics of International Style:

·         Unity of design achieved by asymmetrical organization of design elements on mathematically constructed grid.

·         Objective Photography and copy present visual and verbal information in clear and factual manner.

·         Free from exaggerated claims of propaganda and commercial advertising.

·         Use of san-serif typography set in flush left and ragged-right margin configuration.

·         Initiators of movement believed: San-serif typography expressed spirit of more progressive age and mathematical grids = most legible and harmonious means for structuring information.

·         Attitude developed by early pioneers about their profession= more important than visual appearance of work.

·         Trailblazers defined design= socially useful and important activity. Personal expression+eccentric solutions= rejected.

·         More universal and scientific approach to design problem solving embraced.

·          Paradigm: designers define roles not as artists but as objective conduits for spreading important information between components of society.

·         IDEAL= ACHIEVEING CLARITY AND ORDER.

Pioneers of the movement:

·         ERNST KELLER (1891-1968): Work encompassed diverse solutions. Initiated climate of excellence. Quality and discipline found in Swiss graphic design. Rather than espousing specific style, Keller believed solution to design problem should emerge from content. His poster for “Rietburg Museum” demonstrates interest in symbolic imagery + simplified geometric forms, expressive edges + lettering + vibrant contrasting color.

·         THEO BALMER (1902-65). Studied briefly at Dessau Bauhaus under KLEE, GROPIUS + MEYER. Late 1920’s. Applied De Stijl principles to graphic design in original way. Used arithmetic grid of horizontal + vertical alignments.

·         MAX BILL (1908-94).

·         OTL AICHER (1922-91).

·         ANTHONY FROSHAUG (1918-84). English typographer.

·         Ulm institute of design included:

·         Study of semiotics: philosophical theory of signs + symbols, in its curriculum.

·         3 branches of semiotics :

1)    Semantics: study of meaning of signs + symbols.

2)    Syntactic: study of how signs + symbols are connected + ordered into structured whole.

3)    Pragmatics: study of relation of signs + symbols to their uses.

·         MAX HUBER (1919-92)

Functional Graphics for Science:

·         ANTON STANKOWSKI (1906-98): Division, problems in society. German born.

New Swiss san-serif typefaces:

·         1920’s + 1930’s: geometric san-serif styles, mathematically constructed with drafting instruments. Rejected and refined designs inspired by 19^th century Akzidenz Grotesk fonts.

·         1950’s: emerging International typographic style was exemplified by several new san-serif type families designed.

·         ADRIAN FRUTIGER (b. 1928). Completed visually programmed family of 21 san-serif fonts =UNIVERS. Typographic variations: regular, italic + bold in traditional typography was expanded to 7 fold. Numbers replaced conventional nomenclature. Normal/ regular weight with proper black + white relationships for book setting = UNIVERS 55. Family ranges from UNIVERS 39 (light / extra condensed) to UNIVERS 83 (expanded/ extra bold). Fonts to left of UNIVERS 55 = expanded.

Fonts to right of UNIVERS 55= condensed.

Stroke weights of fonts above UNIVERS 55 = lighter.

Stroke weights of fonts below UNIVERS 55 = heavier. All 21 fonts have same x height and ascender + descender lengths. They form a uniform whole + can be used together with complete harmony.

·         EDOUARD HOFFMAN

A master of classical typography:

 

Design in Basel and Zurich:

·         Further development of International Typographic Style occurred in 2 cities, Basel + Zurich. 70 km apart, northern Switzerland.

·         EMIL RUDER (1914-70).

·         ARMIN HOFMANN (b.1920). Taught graphic design at Basel school of design after completing education in Zurich. He sees relationship of contrasting elements as means of invigorating visual design. Contrasts: light to dark, curved lines to straight lines, from to counterform, soft to hard, dynamic to static, with resolution.

·         KARL GERSTNER (b. 1930). Founder GGK Agency.

·         ZURICH DESIGNERS:

·         CARLO. L. VIVARELLI (1919-86). “For the elderly poster” = to spread awareness of elderly + their problems. Used angle of illumination on face for dramatic impact.

·         LOHSE

·         JOSEF MULLER – BROCKMAN (1914-96). His designs in 1950’s = current + vital + communicative message with intensity + clarity. His photographic posters treat images as objective symbol. Scale + camera angle. He also helped create to grow beyond the country’s borders.

·         HANS NEUBURG (1904-83)

·         SIEGFRIED ODERMATT (B. 1926) = rarity.

·         ROSMARIE TISSI (b. 1937).

The International Typographic Style in America:

·         Swiss movement = major impact on post war American design.

·         Influence= late 1940’s + 50’s, first.

·         Became evident = 1960’s + 1970’s.

·         RUDOLPH DE HARAK (b. 1924). Self taught graphic designer embraced potential of European modernism. Evolution = been continuing quest for communicative clarity + visual order = qualities he deems vital to effective graphic design. His works include: album covers, Westminster Records evoke conceptual images of music’s structure and he initiated over 350 book jackets using uniform typographic system + grid.