Monday, March 2, 2009

The New Typography - Discourse 1

Topics:
• Modern Type Takes Form So Modern Consumers Absorb It Quickly
• Form Grows Out Of Function
• Clarity Is The Essence Of The New Typography
• Logical Organization Is Necessary
• Striving For Order Can & Must Be Expressed In Asymmetrical Form
• Large Differences In Weight Are Better Than Small
• Roman Type – International Type Face Of The Future
• Good Type Has No Other Purpose But To Be Of Utmost Clarity
• Pseudo Constructivism
• Many Mistakes Made


Ornamental type is described as the 'old typography'. It was a type based on aesthetics and beauty. Here is an example of just such type, full or ornamentation and expression. Where, in contrast, modern type is based on clarity and simplicity in form.

Here we see an example of how modern type is thought of today. The most successful is thought to be that which is almost invisible to the eye because of it's simplicity. A concept exaggerated in this piece, and where bad type is thought to be intrusive and loud.

This is an example of Roman Type. A simple type with clarity and structure, created through a grid system of geometric lines and shapes. It is what the author feels is "good typography".

I believe this is an example of what is referred to as Pseudo Constructivism. Mistakes found in type where the information is lost due to poor design. The type is difficult to read and the flow is poorly crafted.

2 comments:

  1. good article to read- I'm just not sure about your thinking in the images - would you not crit them based on a close reading of the article-
    seems like the logical approach

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  2. I thought that was what I was doing. I chose pictures that I thought were good examples of what was discussed in the article and wrote about how they relate.

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