Essay Referral

Jan Tschichold was a modernist typographer as well as a teacher and writer during the twentieth century. Jan Tschichold developed a new way to solve the daily difficulties in design. He did this by making it easier for printers, typesetters and designers to understand. Most of his new designs he created took place at the Bauhaus School and became contemporary designs. He created his book ‘Die Neue Typographie’ by incorporating “the new design concept of the Bauhaus and the Russian constructivists. (Fig 16-25)

”Die Neue Typographie”

His interest in traditional graphical concepts, calligraphy and different methods of creative design quickly lead him to practice ‘the new typographic style’. One of his designs was called “Elementaire Typographie”. The aim of his issue was to create a new approach in typography away from “Medieval textura and symmetrical layout”. Tschicholds designs aimed at sending a message towards his audience without the use of decorative conventions, grids or layouts, instead he used “flush to the left margin, with uneven lengths”. The new typography consisted of different range types such as the in the font sans serif. This wide variety of typography gave designers the ability to create modern images. Tschichold believed in the simplicity of design and wanted this new typography to be clear rather than beautiful. He aimed to create his designs by the use of text. Books, job printing and advertisements began to use this new typographic style. Jan Tschichold’s innovation allowed typography to create expression and visual communication by its clear and simple means. He also revived ‘classical typography’ and by doing so brought life to book design. His new typography innovation left a memorable impact on graphic design. 

“Elementaire Typographie” – Jan Tschichold

Another graphic designer who has a great influence in the world of graphic design is Paul Rand.

Rand began his studies in New York at Pratt Institute. He became famous after he designed his corporate logo designs including IBM, UPS, NEXT and Enron. He used his knowledge and what he learnt through modernism and mastered it in modern design. His work on corporate logos, style and creativity changed rules of graphic design. His design are kept simple and the message is easily conveyed. The main characteristic of his works was corporate design & brand identity. To Rand a logo was of more importance than a painting as it is seen and noticed by many people everywhere. Just like Jan Tschichold, Rand’s works also consisted of clarity and simplicity making use of little text, only using sans serif font and letting the minimal text be the visual. He drew attention from his audience with his use of collages, photography and original typefaces. Unlike Jan Tschichold who makes use of black and white as mentioned above, Rands book designs consist of colour aswell as shapes and images. Paul Rands logos and trademarks are still in use and seen everywhere today such as ABC, Westing House, NEXT, IBM, UPS and many more.

Paul Rand Corporate Logos

References

Paul Rand - iconofgraphics.com. 2014. Paul Rand - iconofgraphics.com. [ONLINE] Available at: <http://www.iconofgraphics.com/Paul-Rand/.>.

Jan Tschichold & The New Typography – inkling.com – Megg’s History of Graphic Design. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.inkling.com/read/history-of-graphic-design-philip-meggs-5th/chapter-16/jan-tschichold-and-the-new. > [Accessed 10th March 2014]