The Meanings of Type

The Meanings of Type shows just how much type is influenced by what is going on at the time. I think it's good to know the history of a typeface and why it was designed. Now that I know why certain typefaces were designed I can make better type choice decisions.

I thought it was very interesting to learn about the typeface chosen for Jurassic Park. I think it's unique that the Neuland typeface was revived for this movie because the dinosaurs were "revived"as well!

I had never known the typeface used in comic books was called splash panel. It is used for exaggeration, which makes sense for a comic book.

The Avant Garde magazine logo typeface looks very modern. In the article it said the typeface was abused, and I think it should have just been used for the logo.

We have come a long way since pictographs!

EV

http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature.php?id=98&fid=485

eye magazine: the meanings of type

The article from eye magazine entitled The Meaning of Type talked about various forms of typography and the meanings of them during different periods in history. I thought it was very interesting especially to see the variance of type that was described and the ideologies that come from the various typefaces. I thought I would try to find images to compare a couple of the typefaces mentioned along with the period of time in which they were used and how/if they are used today.

Meta is a legible sans-serif typeface. In 1984, it was created for the German Post Office. But now its used for much more than that including billboards, logos, signage and web pages. I found a site that mentioned that meta was in the top 21 typefaces used for professional web designers! Its interesting how it was created for post office use at first and has flourished to many more things.

Peignot is another typeface that is mentioned in the article. It is also a sans serif typeface like Meta. But it uses “upper case letters in its lower case form.” This typeface was used in the 70's for the titles to the Mary Tyler Moore Show as well as other things. Before this, in 1937, the typeface was launched as the ‘official’ typeface of the World Exhibition in Paris, selected by Paul Valery as inscriptions for the two towers of the Palace de Chaillot. Peignot has a quirkiness to it that makes it less legible than the Meta typeface. I don't think I could see Peignot being on billboards for instance. But I do like the typeface with its curved edges and small caps. Its a lot more "playful" than the meta typeface which makes it more interesting to me.

I think knowing the history of a typeface could help in making a decision to use or not to use the type depending on what you are using it for.

DH

http://www.eyemagazine.com

http://www.instantshift.com/2008/10/05/21-most-used-fonts-by-professional-designers/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peignot

The Dust Bowl

One historical event that seems to get lost in the shadow of the Great Depression is the Dust Bowl. While the whole country was enduring financial crises, the farmers and residents of the plains in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas were suffering an additional catastrophe. Drought gave way to massive dust storms that caused many problems and even loss of life.

The plains typically go through periods of drought, but early in the century, it was not an issue. The conditions of the area at that time fooled many. "The first major influx of farmers into the Southern Plains came at the turn of the century. Lured by a land lush with shrubs, grasses, and soil so rich it looked like chocolate, the farmers didn’t realize that what they were witnessing was but a brief respite in an endless cycle of rain and drought. Unaware, they enjoyed great harvests and raced to turn every inch of the Southern Plains into profit," (Surviving the Dust Bowl, American Experience).

In 1931, a drought began that would not end for eight years. The farmland had been abused so heavily that the dry conditions and high winds began blowing the topsoil away. It was because of extreme overplowing that the dust storms were able to be formed. The government had passed legislation encouraging farmers to use the land without stopping to think about the consequences of overuse. Eventually, Congress passed the Soil Conservation Act stating that farmers would be paid not to grow crops in order to maintain topsoil and nutrients--a method we are familiar with today as crop rotation.

The dust storms began causing the deaths of animals and making people sick. There was even an illness that people called dust pneumonia. The dust would get literally everywhere and nothing could be done about it. People got lost in the storms, and all sunlight would be blocked out. Many people migrated to other places to escape the miserable conditions. Finally, in 1939, it began raining again. This, along with the Soil Conservation Act helped end the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and farmers began to recover.

JH

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/dustbowl/introduction

http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_02.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_Conservation_and_Domestic_Allotment_Act_of_1936

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/organic/2006/crop.html

1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

When this movie was first introduced it was called "Disney's Folly" because critics in 1937 didn't think anyone would want to sit for 90 minutes to watch an animated cartoon. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Snow White. According to wikipedia, it was the first feature film that was produced in America, the first produced in full color, the first produced by Walt Disney, and the first to be considered a Walt Disney Animated Classic.  

Answers.com states that the film took three years, 1.5 million dollars, and the talents of 570 artists to make. It ended up making 8.5 million dollars in gross rentals during the depression era - that's pretty amazing. Apparently, the first thought was to make Snow White appear as a more "Betty Boop" type of character, but then the artists decided to make the human figures more realistic and play more with the imagery of the dwarfs. This was supposed to work to grab the attention of both adults and children, much like the animated films today.

Wikipedia states that Snow White was one of only two animated movies to rank in the American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest American films of all time in 1997 (the other was Fantasia), ranking number 49. In the 2007 list it was ranked number 34. In 2008, AFI named it the greatest animated film of all time. 

Today, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has grossed approximately $66,596,803 (wikipedia). I never knew the power that this movie had, I watched it as a kid, but I was still shocked to see that just last year AFI named it the greatest animated film of all time. All in all, I still enjoy watching the movie even past my childhood years, and maybe that proves its lasting quality.   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film)

http://www.answers.com/topic/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs

LH

Isotypes

Isotypes were developed by Otto Neurath. He developed them during WWI to create a universal visual language. Isotypes are all around us. They are used for labeling men's and women's bathrooms. They are also used for road signs, on cell phones, computers, at airports, at the olympics, and the list goes on and on.

The Olympic pictographs were first introduced at the 1948 London Olympic Games. Then they became an important part of design at the 1964 Tokyo Games.

They are used as the official marks for broadcasting, advertising and marketing the games.

There were 35 pictographs for the 2008 Beijing Olympics representing the sports. The designs were named "the Beauty of the Seal." They were based on the strokes used for the seals used in inscriptions on bones and bronze vessels in ancient China.

The Athens 2004 pictograms were inspired by elements of ancient Greek civilization. The expression of the pictogram derives from the black-figure vases.

I had never really thought about the different variations of pictograms/pictographs created for the Olympics. It was very interesting to learn about the design ideas behind the various sets of pictograms. If it wasn't for Otto Neurath we might not have all of the universal symbols we do today. The world would probably be a much more confusing place!

EV

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2006-08/07/content_658582.htm

http://olympic-museum.de/pictograms/Picto2004.htm

Winnie the Pooh

During the time of WWI, troops were being sent from Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) and were traveling east to Europe. One of the stops during the train ride in 1914 was in White River, Ontario. It was there that lieutenant Harry Colebourn bought a black American bear cub from a trapper for twenty dollars. Colebourn named the bear "Winnipeg" ("Winnie" for short) after the name of his hometown. The bear was a huge hit with the troops along their journey. But once the troops were told they were going to be headed to France for duty, the bear could no longer join them. Colebourn who had now become Captain, presented the bear to the London Zoological Gardens. Winnie became a very popular attraction until he passed away in 1934.

"The bear was also very popular by Christopher Robin, son of author A.A. Milne. It was his favorite at the zoo, and he often spent time inside the cage with it. The bear was Christopher Robin's inspiration for calling his own teddy bear Winnie.... Winnie the Pooh (this teddy bear started out with the name of Edward Bear). The name of Pooh originally belonged to a swan, as can be seen in a poem from Milne's When We Were Very Young." Milne was so inspired by his sons liking to Winnie that he started to write books about Christopher and the bear along with other characters (Tigger, Roo, Piglet...) that were stuffed animals of his. An illustrator by the name of Ernest Shepard decided to spend time on Milne's country estate and draw for Milne's stories. In 1926, the Winnie the Pooh books were printed.

They became so popular that Winnie the Pooh was also made into an animated film that was seen by viewers in 1977.

DH

http://www.winniethepoohbear.net/history.php

http://www.essortment.com/all/historywinniet_rmeu.htm

Flappers

Flappers were the "new breed" of young women in the 1920's. They wore short skirts, cut their hair into a bob, listened to new age jazz music, wore excessive makeup, drank, smoked, drove automobiles, sniffed cocaine, had "petting" parties, and were often called "loose". 

Flappers were drinking during the Prohibition which made them rebels, some of them would carry around hip-flasks full of whiskey. They loved doing dances like the Charleston, the Black Bottom, and the Shimmy which were considered "wild" by older generations.

Flappers had slang terms that they often used. A 'snugglepup' was a man who frequented petting parties and a 'handcuff' was an engagement or wedding ring. We still use some of their phrases today such as, "big cheese" (an important person) and "baloney" (nonsense).

Flappers' appearance was largely influenced by the emergence of jazz music. They had short hair, flat chests (called "garconne", it was instigated by Coco Chanel, women would wrap their chests with strips of cloth to make their chests appear smaller). They removed the corset from fashion and raised their skirt hemline. Their makeup consisted of dark eyes, dark lips, and blushed cheeks. Pale skin was considered the most attractive during this time, but after Coco Chanel came back from a vacation after spending too much time in the sun, tan skin started to become popular. 

A flapper's hair was generally short in length with the 'bob' being the most popular and 'finger waving' being the way to style it. Their jewelry consisted of art deco pieces, especially beaked necklaces. Pins, rings, brooches, and horn-rimmed glasses were popular as well. Their dresses were straight and loose. In 1927, they rose the hemline up to just below the knee which allowed flashes of their knees to be seen when they walked or danced. These knee glances were supposed to be an accidental "Venus-surprised-at-the-bath sort of way. Overall, flappers were characterized by stark truthfulness, fast living, and sexual behavior. They clinged to youth as if it were going to leave an any moment.

LH

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/a/flappers.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapper

http://english11ib.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/flapper.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/flapper_culture/

Romanov Execution

The Czar of Russia, Nicolas II, took power in 1894 but did not gain popularity with the Russian people. He denied peasants better pay and working conditions. World War I resulted in food and fuel shortages which made the public hate him even more. In addition, because Alexandra, the Czarina, was half-German, the public despised her because of the misery the Germans were imposing on Russia in World War I. These and other issues made Nicolas fall out of favor.

In the February revolution of 1917, Nicolas was forced to give up his throne, and a temporary government was put in place. Nicolas, his wife and five children, their doctor and few servants were immediately put under house arrest and taken to a residence where some of the children had been born called Tsarskoye Selo outside of St. Petersburg. The family later fled to Tobolsk in Siberia with the hopes of escaping to England because King George V was a cousin, but he refused fearing an uprising. In October 1917, the Bolsheviks, who had only gained a widespread following within the past few months, overthrew the temporary government and took the royals as prisoners. At this time, they were moved to another town in Siberia called Yekaterinburg into the home of a merchant named Ipatiev.

The Ipatiev House is where the family, the doctor and three servants were shot and killed inthe early morning hours of July 17, 1918. They were awakened from sleep by the Bolshevik guards, and asked to dress and go down the basement for safety because there were disturbances in Yekaterinburg. This, of course, was not true but the family had no idea.

It is thought that the order to have the family executed came straight from Lenin. This has been looked on as a tragic, unnecessarily brutal event. On July 17, 1998, the families remains were finally buried with honor, and Russia's president Boris Yeltsin was quoted as saying "We must tell the truth--the massacre has become one of the most shameful pages of our history."

One thing to mention is that the remains of Anastasia, the Czar's youngest daughter, and Alexei, the youngest child and male heir to the throne, have never been found. Many people have alleged that they are one of the two, such as Anna Anderson who claimed to be Anastasia about a year after the Romanovs disappeared. She had many similarities to Anastasia, and even fooled people who had known her personally. She could not speak Russian, but that was thought to be some sort of psychological block. Her claim was found to be false when DNA testing became available in the 90s.

http://www.richeast.org/htwm/ROMAN/ROMANOV.HTM

http://www.lawbuzz.com/tyranny/anastasia/anastasia_ch1.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/nicholas.htm

JH

The Berlin Wall

The Berlin wall was built on August 16, 1961 splitting Germany in two. The West side was run by the Allies under Democratic rule. The East side was a run by the Central Powers and was under Communist rule. My grandparents were in East Germany before the wall went up. They were planning to get married, but decided to be married sooner when they found out the wall was being built. The married and left the East to live in West Germany.

The purpose of the wall was to stop people from fleeing from the East side to the West. The wall was built in 24 hours. This version was not made of concrete, but made of 96 miles of barbed wire. However, too many people were able to climb over the fence. So, in 1962 a second fence was built. Then in 1975 the concrete wall was built. It consisted of 45,000 sections of reinforced concrete. For the duration of time the wall was up, 5,000 people reached the other side, and 100 people were shot dead trying to escape. Communism began to weaken in the 70s and 80s. It was only a matter of time until the wall was torn down.


While the wall was up many artists saw it as "the world's largest canvas which had to be painted." It soon had a great deal of graffiti on it. Many political slogans, words, and images were painted on the wall.



On November 9, 1989 the Berlin wall was demolished. People celebrated the collapse of the wall. This was the start of the reunification of Germany. I hope that there will never be a wall to divide a country again. It caused more harm than good.

http://www.dailysoft.com/berlinwall/art/index.htm
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1867.html
http://www.berlin-life.com/berlin/wall
http://www.galerie-noir.de/ArchivesEnglish/walleng.html

EV

Russian Constructivism

Russian Constructivism was a movement that started in Russia at the end of WWI.

They wanted to start a new of art and leave behind what had already been done. Constructivist art was mostly geometric, abstracted, used collage, was experimental, and often used the color red (indicative of communism). "Many Constructivist worked on the design of posters for everything form film to political propaganda." Alexander Rodchenko and El Lissitzky were just two of the many artists that were associated with the Russian Constructivism movement.

As I browsed the Internet, I came across a couple images that were done this year in 2009. It seems fairly clear that Constructivist had much influence on these two designs. The first is the cover of the May 2009 issue of Russian Vogue.

The use of red and the use/placement of the typography are very similar to what you would have seen in the posters of the Constructivist. The second image is are the spring 2009 Saks Fifth Avenue bags, which also use red and seem to

make a statement.

The geometric shapes and use font also give these bags a Constructivist look.

DH

http://www.bryanboy.com

http://thisattheseandthose.com

http://www.arthistoryarchive.com