Run Away Typography: Less is More

 

Back when Gutenberg first built the printing press, there was pretty much just a single lettering style; better known as a "font". Based off of a basic German scribe type, Textura was pretty much the go to lettering. Eventually, as printing caught on, a few more fonts were introduced. Essentially, they covered a couple of different languages and usages. But that was, to say, pretty much that. That is, until around 1760.

Somewhere... or is that "some when"?... around the mid 18th century a shift began in England. Mechanization of tasks started making things; started making things in a lot more abundance than even a whole room full of skilled labor could. And once James Watts' perfected steam engine was introduced around 1780? Well, that was it.

And as the shift in living turned more toward textile and factory jobs, and away from things like farming, there was, also, a huge shift in the way Graphic Design would advertise goods, services, attractions, and print words to any given page. Letters, and the words they formed, were becoming not just informative, but also ornamental. The were taking on character, and other attributes.

Soon words went from this...

TO THIS! (Along with other advances
in printing, of course.)

Many look back to William Caslon as "the grandfather of  the typographic revolution". And, as follows from apprentice to apprentice, advancements in casting techniques continued to yield more and more designs; intent on being the next big font.

Around 1800, typography really exploded. Styles included Egyptian, Iconic, Antique and Clarendon; each posting serifs, or not, flourishes, and wide ranges of variation in thick and thin lines and curves. Some letters had inlaid designs in them, while others had intricate boarders. And, of course, some were just pure bold types faces of precise, unvaried fashions.

And when color finally made its way into the mix? Well, then it was on!

Of course, things did slow down a little bit during the Victorian period; which saw a resurgence, for a time, into the realm of more hand made, and artsy craftsy sort of things. But, by the early 1900's, things were back in swing; even across the pond into America. Morris Benton, head of typeface development for the American Type Founders Company got busy reviving the old styles; creating new competitors to Bodoni and Garamond. Meanwhile, Thomas Cleland, Benton's long time collaborator, found inspiration in the lettering ot the Renaissance. By the time the 1960's were rolling in, fonts were spewing forth like hippie love children and social protest.

Fast forward to today and it's nearly impossible to get a handle on the sheer number of fonts available. And not just to professional printers, either. processing programs like Word and Open Office come armed with a hundred different fonts, easily. And anyone, with a quick internet search, can increase their font count a hundred fold in an afternoon. With the advent of modern computer based publishing, the sky's the limit with words.

When fonts go bad:
choose your kerning wisely.

But is this really such a good thing?

Most of the pros I've talked to, including my own instructors, pretty much agree; if you can't get it done with one or two fonts, then you can't get it done.

 

That's not to say I don't enjoy all the choices. It's great to make a cover for a Halloween CD in a haunted house style - something reminiscent of a forgotten Gothic banner, or a big, bold sale sign. But, honestly, there's no way to count all the different fonts, theses days.

 And when they all end up together in one single design? 

Happy birthday, Kevin;
your typorgraphy sucks!