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charliedesigns · 3 years

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Typographic Design

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Three Prominent Typographic Designers & Their Influence on Contemporary Typographic Design

Type is all around us, from menus to shop fronts, whether its on our phones or websites - we are constantly digesting the written word; but what is typography?

Typography is the art of arranging letters and text in a way that makes the copy legible, clear, and visually appealing to the reader. Typography involves font style, appearance, and structure, which aims to elicit certain emotions and convey specific messages. In short, typography is what brings the text to life.(Hannah, 2020)

To understand more about this, I have researched three prominent typographers, looking at their influence on contemporary typographic design.

Paula Scher

“Words have meaning and typography has feeling. When you put them together it’s a spectacular combination.” (Paula Scher)

Images via Google Images

Paula Scher is a New York based illustrator, painter, graphic designer, and art educator - she is one of the most influential designers of all time. Reviving design styles and historical typefaces, she is renowned for her eclectic approach to typography.

In her early career she secured a role at Random House, designing the insides of children’s books. From there she moved to the promotional department at CBS Records where she designed ads. Two years later, she left to join Atlantic Records as an Art Director and it was in this role that she designed her first cover for an album. She subsequently returned to CBS records where she went on to design over 150 album covers annually.

Paula Scher album covers - images via Google Images

After working for decades designing record covers and magazines, Scher became a principal at the heavy-hitting design agency Pentagram in 1991. Since then she has remade the identities of brands ranging from Microsoft to the Museum of Modern Art, all the while maintaining an abiding interest in environmental design, and a mural-scale painting practice that is all her own. (Bigman, 2016)

It was Paula Scher's ground-breaking identity and graphic campaign for New York's Public Theatre that set a new bar for typography in the 90′s and noughties.

Shakespeare in the Park 2016 (https://www.typeroom.eu/)

Shakespeare in the Park 2019 (https://www.typeroom.eu/)

"Using unorthodox spacing, mixing font colours and weights, and employing uncommon and often historic typefaces, Scher's text-heavy poster presents a large amount of information in a dynamic and expressive way" (War, lust, type! How Paula Scher's typographic affair with The Public Theater redefined our culture - TypeRoom, 2019)

Having lectured and exhibited all over the world, and received hundreds of prestigious design awards for her work over the years, Paula Scher still works at Pentagram today.

Other notable work includes:

Images via Google Images

Craig Ward

“Legibility is overrated.” (Craig Ward)

Images via http://wordsarepictures.co.uk/

Craig Ward is a British-born designer and art director currently living & working in New York City, he is based at his studio in North Brooklyn named Words are Pictures.

Ward initially pursued a career in writing and journalism and it was during a summer work placement that he met a designer who was working at the printers where the newspaper was put together. Fascinated by watching him work, he decided to defer his university application by a year and take a foundation course in Design - the rest they say, is history!

In 2015 Ward was named one of the most important designers of all time and he has enjoyed a successful career with stints as Head of Design at Grey (NY) and agencies in London including CHI & Partners and MCBD. He is best known for his pioneering typographic works and counts Calvin Klein, Adobe, Google, Nike, The New York Times and Mulberry amongst his growing list of clients.

Passionate about pushing type to its limits, Craig Ward straddles the boundary between illustration and typography in his work, exploring the notion of word as image. (Sagar, 2009)

Custom typeface and titles for The Washington Post’s short video series, What’s Next? (http://wordsarepictures.co.uk)

The Washington Post's first ever illustrated cover — a provocative piece for a special issue on race and racial slurs in the U.S. (http://wordsarepictures.co.uk)

In 2018, he became only the second designer in history when he created a custom typeface for the England World Cup kit in Russia – one that received much acclaim from the design community and beyond.

Images via http://wordsarepictures.co.uk/

Ward’s work has been profiled by top publications and documented in countless books, journals and exhibitions - he continues to be a leading pioneer in typographic design.

David Carson

“Graphic design will save the world right after rock and roll does”. (David Carson)

David Carson is a prominent contemporary graphic designer and art director. His work as founding art director of the iconic magazine Ray Gun and unconventional and experimental graphic style revolutionised the graphic design scene in America during 1990s. He is claimed to be the godfather of ‘grunge typography’ which he employed perpetually in his magazine issues. (David Carson | Biography, Designs and Facts, 2020)

Image via https://www.hulamediagroup.com/books/nu-collage001.html

Image via https://thelogocreative.medium.com/designer-interview-with-david-carson-ea46fc338654

Originally graduating from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Carson embarked on his passion for graphic designing a little later in his life. With no formal training he sees this as a massive benefit when it comes to approaching a brief - “Since I knew nothing about girds, formulas, schools of thought, etc. I just did what felt right. I try to reinforce visually what's written, spoken or sung. I want the work to connect with people on an emotional level, which is where I feel it’s most effective and lasting”. (David Carson via Butler, 2014)

Carson’s continual reinvention of the relationship between design and type, has changed the course of graphic design and crystalized the look and attitude of an entire generation, making him a powerful catalyst for design change. Running several workshops for graphic design students worldwide has provided Carson with a cult following of inspired young designers. (David Carson Influences | Modern Graphic Design, 2018)

WORD COUNT: 990

References

Intro & Paula Sher Section:

Bigman, A., 2016. Get to know Paula Scher, titan of postmodern design - 99designs. [online] 99designs. Available at: <https://99designs.co.uk/blog/famous-design/paula-scher-titan-of-postmodern-design/> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Hannah, J., 2020. What Is Typography, And Why Is It Important? A Beginner’s Guide. [online] Careerfoundry.com. Available at: <https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ui-design/beginners-guide-to-typography/> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Pentagram. n.d. Paula Scher. [online] Available at: <https://www.pentagram.com/about/paula-scher> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

The Type Directors Club. 2015. Paula Scher - The Type Directors Club. [online] Available at: <https://www.tdc.org/profiles/paula-scher/> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Famous Graphic Designers. n.d. Paula Scher | Biography, Designs and Facts. [online] Available at: <https://www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/paula-scher> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Scher, P., 2019. Paula Scher Biography – Paula Scher on artnet. [online] Artnet.com. Available at: <http://www.artnet.com/artists/paula-scher/biography> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Typeroom.eu. 2019. War, lust, type! How Paula Scher's typographic affair with The Public Theater redefined our culture - TypeRoom. [online] Available at: <https://www.typeroom.eu/war-lust-type-paula-scher-the-public-theater-pentagram> [Accessed 26 March 2021].

Craig Ward Section:

Cowan, K., n.d. Craig Ward on never dropping the ball, embracing fear and seeking a kinder design community. [online] Creative Boom. Available at: <https://www.creativeboom.com/features/craig-ward/> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

CRAIG WARD. 2021. CRAIG WARD. [online] Available at: <http://wordsarepictures.co.uk/> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

The Type Directors Club. 2016. Craig Ward - The Type Directors Club. [online] Available at: <https://www.tdc.org/profiles/craig-ward/> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

The Logo Creative | International Logo Design & Branding Studio. 2021. Designer Interview With Craig Ward - Designer Interview. [online] Available at: <https://www.thelogocreative.co.uk/designer-interview-with-craig-ward/> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

McNicol, S., 2015. Craig Ward and Experimental Typography. [online] H.GREEN-COURSE HUB. Available at: <https://www.green-coursehub.com/research-blog/craig-ward-and-experimental-typography> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

Sagar, J., 2009. Craig Ward | Creative Bloq. [online] Creativebloq.com. Available at: <https://www.creativebloq.com/computer-arts/craig-ward-6099057> [Accessed 21 April 2021].

David Carson Section:

Butler, A., 2014. interview with graphic designer david carson. [online] designboom | architecture & design magazine. Available at: <https://www.designboom.com/design/interview-with-graphic-designer-david-carson-09-22-2013/> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

UKEssays.com. 2018. David Carson Influences | Modern Graphic Design. [online] Available at: <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/cultural-studies/post-modernist-design-influences-on-david-carson-cultural-studies-essay.php> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

Famous Graphic Designers. 2020. David Carson | Biography, Designs and Facts. [online] Available at: <https://www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/david-carson> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

Medium. 2019. Designer Interview With David Carson. [online] Available at: <https://thelogocreative.medium.com/designer-interview-with-david-carson-ea46fc338654> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

#GMS_HNCGD1 #TYPOGRAPHICDESIGN #PAULASCHER #CRAIGWARD #DAVIDCARSON #GRAPHICDESIGN

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