Trying to come up with a new “Non-Photography Friday” is hard. Considering that I’ve covered painting, sculpture, design, and the moving image, you might guess that it’s a bit of a task to find something new. Well, in my pursuit of originality I thought today we could talk about type design. Now before you leave to go and read something else I want you to trust me on this, typography can be interesting and **important (scroll down to read some advice for self-publishers).

In fact, like most of you I was never really interested in how text was designed or displayed. The notion of analyzing, let alone enjoying, typography as an art form seemed as desirable as staring at a blank wall. It wasn’t really until a design student friend of mine introduced me to Herb Lubalin’s work that I truly began to appreciate type. To understand what I’m referring to and to contextually place the impact he had on type, an easy way to describe his legacy would be - what Picasso was to art, Lubalin was to typography.

Lubalin pushed type to the limit in a time where the very practice of typeface design was already being radicalized. Where other designers were fully catering toward their clients, Lubalin was abstracting text, often obliterating its legibility with swashes and ornaments. He also revolutionized logo design by creatively playing with the meaning words and their conceptual relation to letters.






Perhaps more than any other graphic designer Lubalin created work that, although very much a product of its time, was unconventionally timeless, constantly looking toward a future not yet realized. A great example of this is his most famous typeface design, ITC Avant Garde (which I’ve also used for the We Can’t Paint Network; cringe designers, cringe!). Originally conceived for the now defunct magazine of the same name, Avant Garde stands alongside Helvetica, Times, and Futura as a major source of inspiration for design and something wholly original.





Being the creative powerhouse that he was, Lubalin also frequently created what are called “alternatives” or “alternates” to accompany many of his type designs. These not only solved the squaring-off problem with so much typeface spacing, but they provided an interesting solution to the conventional way we read and experience type.






Here are a few more examples of Lubalin’s work:







When I think of the next generation “Lubalins” it’s hard to pinpoint any particular group or person. Perhaps this is due to our over-familiarity with type, or the fact that Lubalin was around at time where type design, and design itself, was so very raw. Whatever the case may be these other two examples of great type design can certainly be placed in such good company.

**Actually before I get into the other examples I want to touch on something I found to be interesting about self-publishing. If you’ve had a look at the entries into the recent Blurb Book Contest you’ll notice the constant horrible use of type. Some entries, specifically speaking the winner, seem to be poorly designed.

Now if there is anything photographers should know, it is that good design should not be absent from a self-published book. In my opinion so many of the books lost not because of bad work, but because the photographer who put together the layout, pacing, fonts, etc, had no idea what he/she was doing.

Design is crucial to how a book will be received and the work should compliment it; and vice versa. So before you eagerly plunk your photos into a book, consider if that bold sans-serif font is really appropriate within the context of the work. Perhaps a thinner serif font would match the tone of the photographs? Ask yourself if you really need to cram every page, front and back, with work?

One of the most recent examples of great design with great photography breeds a great book, is last year’s release of Matthew Monteith’s Czech Eden. The cheesy east European floral pattern on the flaps of the dust jacket, the type selection, the placement of the essay, and even the size of the actual book all make sense. Truly something to think about. Anyway, moving on…**

Non – Format Design Studio (custom typography and design)

ITC Grouch (used by various designers)


Design by Emmet Byrne

Design by Emmet Byrne

Design by Cornel Windlin for Vitra

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