PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY

A N D P U B L I C T Y P O G R A P H Y

W R I T T E N A N D D E S I G N E D B Y C A I T L I N W O R K M A N

A N D P U B L I C T Y P O G R A P H Y

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION | 1

HOW MANY INSTANCES ARE YOU EXPOSED TO NEW INFORMATION DAILY?

We live in an era where information is transient and public

typography is caught in the movement of time. Temporal

type is everywhere from displays and digital signs to

newsstands and magazines. Its existence is limited and

its purpose is to relay information quickly and efficiently.

However, often times the professionalism and craftsmanship

is hurt as a result of its fast paced design.

With new and increasing technologies, we are now given the

ability to manipulate how typography interacts with time.

Whether it is through physical design, the information it holds,

or through digital media, the property of time is becoming more

present as a design concern for typographers. As designer’s

we can take this new factor and use it creatively to manipulate

text in ways to increase its communicative properties other

than through its obvious comprehensive use. According to

Kerry Bodine and Mathild Pignol of the Human Computer

Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, “Text whose

appearance changes over time, is emerging as a new form of

expression due to its ability to add emotional content to text.”

Thus, we analyze the ephemeral properties of its aesthetic and

the purposes behind the design.

The Tangible Collapse: failing print design

INTRODUCTION

“SOMETIMES THE QUALITY OF TEMPORAL EXISTENCE MAKES THIS TYPE MORE VALUABLE TO THE VIEWER.

“

01

One can see the ever-changing aesthetic world

disintegrate from the wear and tear of everyday

life. Posters on street corners blow away as if

they were leaves in the fall. For designers, the

materials we use and functionality of our type

govern the length of time our audiences can

be exposed to our messages. For example, a

tombstone from the 17th century can have years of

weathering and still tell of the person who lived

years ago. However, a sign signifying the art fair

downtown can be torn or washed away in the

overnight storm if not designed

with the utmost concern.

On the other hand, the media it is created with

defines type that is meant to be short-lived. Such

instances as chalk messages on the sidewalk

or dry erase messages on white boards are

created with ease and quickness prioritizing over

aesthetic quality and expressiveness.

FOR DESIGNERS, THE MATERIALS WE USE AND FUNCTIONALITY OF OUR TYPE GOVERN THE LENGTH OF TIME OUR AUDIENCES CAN BE EXPOSED TO OUR MESSAGES.

Downtown Lawrence, is host to

several bars and night clubs, which

hang their signs all along the main

drag, Massachusetts street. Lawrence

is known for supporting its local

businesses and most patrons have no

problem displaying the electic culture

of the city on their storefronts.

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Many restaurants along Massachusetts street set out chalk

boards to write weekly specials or sales to draw in customers.

The information is temporary so the boards serve the purpose

of being re-used to cater to changing messages.

INFORMATION DEFINES THE QUALITY AND PURPOSE OF THE TYPOGRAPHY.

the instructor will not pick up the looming eraser

before their pencil leaves their paper. Thus, the

information defines the quality and purpose of

the typography. Another example might be the

daily menu of your favorite café, scrawled on a

blackboard outside to entice hungry patrons.

Sometimes the quality of temporal existence

makes this type more valuable to the viewer.

When taking notes in the classroom, students

don’t stop to ponder the sans serif qualities of

their professor’s hand written lecture notes. No.

They quickly jot own what ever sentence was

scribbled on the board in hopes that

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Still, type itself is defined by its communicative

value. So what of type that remains in existence,

but relays different messages in its alterations?

Moveable type. The words bring you back to the

days of Gutenberg and ink printing. However

today, it can have a variety of meanings.

Messages that shift locations, digital billboards

and marquis, children’s refrigerator magnets, and

daily movie showings on venue displays are all

examples of the

transitory nature of type. Often times, these

locations have constant letterforms that are

changeable on a flat exhibition surface.

The Granada on Massachusetts street uses a movable

type margui to display monthly performances. The large

translucent type is moved above a light board, which

projects light through the letters at night. The display is

an iconic image of downtown Lawrence.

THE TANGIBLE COLLAPSE | 10

MOVEABLE TYPE

SO WHAT OF TYPE THAT REMAINS IN EXISTENCE, BUT RELAYS DIFFERENT MESSAGES IN ITS ALTERATIONS?

“THE DIGITAL WORLD IS CONDUCIVE TO THE CONCEPTS EMPLOYED BY KINETIC TYPOGRAPHY.

“

02

Presently, there is a rapid increase in digital media leading to new and

innovative ideas in rapid communication. Typographic design in these

instances is optimized for quick easy viewing. This amplified activity

directly affects the market for interface designers and human factors

analysts. Everything from email

and text messaging to ichat and

Facebook is being revised with the

idea of readability and ease of use.

EVERYTHING FROM EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGING TO ICHAT AND FACEBOOK IS BEING REVISED WITH THE IDEA OF READABILITY AND EASE OF USE.

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The digital world is conducive to the concepts employed

by kinetic typography. Motion graphics and the animated

experience uses time as a basis for establishing rhythm

and expression within the information being presented.

Motionographers deliver information

through time in a similar manner to

graphic designers who manipulate how and what viewers

read through hierarchy of a composition.

MOTION GRAPHICS AND THE ANIMATED EXPERIENCE USE TIME AS A BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING RHYTHM AND EXPRESSION WITHIN THE INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED.

TYPOGRAPHY IN DIGITAL MEDIA | 21

Of course, the introduction of new media for designers gives cause for new

technical standards and tools of use. Digital designers, and those involved

in web development often use what are called, “web-safe” fonts. These are

typefaces that are used over a wide range of computer systems and used

by designers to increase the likelihood that their content will be displayed

in their chosen font. In order to ensure that all web users had a basic set of

fonts, Microsoft started Core fonts for the Web initiative. The released fonts

include Arial, Georgia, Times New Roman, and Verdana under a software

license agreement, which made them freely distributable. Their high

penetration rate has made them a staple for web designers.

TYPOGRAPHY ON THE WEB

In 2009, Swedish furniture store, IKEA caused global design uproar with their

modifications to the existing type treatment. Switching from a customized version of

Futura, IKEA chose to go with the more functional typeface, Verdana. This backlash was

provoked not only because of how it changed IKEA brand, but because Verdana was

designed as a web-based font to be readable at small sizes on a computer screen and was

not suitable for print production. TYPO

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DIGITAL DESIGNERS, AND THOSE INVOLVED IN WEB DEVELOPMENT OFTEN USE WHAT ARE CALLED, “WEB-SAFE” FONTS.

“DESIGNERS ARE WORKING TO PRODUCE MORE EFFECTIVE TYPOGRAPHY IN MORE EXPRESSIVE WAYS.

“

03

Even though public typography is becoming less static, the platforms on

which they are being created determine the quality of their design. Take

for example, magazines, periodicals, and newspapers. They are produced

annually and the labor and design that goes into them are fairly extensive.

Typography manipulation and placement is tedious and worked to

enhance the reader’s experience. Eventually though, all this information

and print design ends up in the garbage; usually within a week to month.

The entertainment value from these writings is what makes them valuable

ANNUAL TYPOGRAPHY

and thus designed with more care and effort. Production designers

are aware that the typography will be viewed on a wide scale and

need to fulfill the purpose of legibility. In other instances including

e-chatting and text messaging, the type may have a short life.

However, designers are working to produce more effective ways of

using typography in a more expressive way.

Flyers that hang around Lawrence are casually

taped up and don’t last long. They become mock

graffiti as they adorn sides of buildings and other

public areas. These posters were tacked onto the

temporary wall of a construction site.

EVENTUALLY… ALL THIS INFORMATION AND PRINT DESIGN ENDS UP IN THE GARBAGE; USUALLY WITHIN A WEEK TO MONTH. THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE FROM THESE WRITINGS IS WHAT MAKES THEM VALUABLE AND THUS DESIGNED WITH MORE CARE AND EFFORT.

Major cities such as Kansas City, Missouri, have many

different annual newspapers and periodicals available in

newsstands or along street corners. As the publications

change, the landscape of the city changes as well. The

Revolving cycle of new information is continued their prouction.

More importantly, because the information must reach a wide

audience, the typography is designed in a clear structured

fashion that is legible and targets the broadest audience.

K.I.M. COMMUNICATION

COMM

UNICATIVE PLATFORMS | 34

At Carnegie Mellon University, designers are

working on a new instant messenger called KIM

that integrates kinetic typography with instant

messaging. Kinetic Typography as a conveyer

of information, works well due to its ability to

relay emotions, personality, and tone. Currently,

Instant messaging has attempted such through

the use of emoticons and IM shorthand language,

which are based off humanistic gestures and

expressions. This new software uses the same

premise of instant messaging, but incorporates a

composition window that displays the animated

conversation for both viewers.

Back to basics, one must look at the foundation of time-based typography. The

informational poster. Whether it details the date for a concert or the location for

a public event. The poster was and has been the common medium used for the

distribution of information for hundreds of years. Though the typography has

conformed to the techniques of computer output. The poster serves as a way to

display information openly to the public as it pertains to current

events. Their occasion dependent information is what causes them to be so quickly

produced and discarded. Which leads to poorer

design and typographic attention. Though the

simple poster on the bar window still exists,

it has evolved into formats such as displays,

advertisements, and billboards, all of which are

still transitory in nature.

THE INFORMATIONAL POSTER

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UNICATIVE PLATFORMS | 38

THE INFORMATIONAL POSTER

Though temporary type is quickly discarded and sometimes

neglected. There has been an uprising of smarter design

for time based typography and it’s functionality in

communication. Furthermore, history has shown us that type

designs that are short lived are sometimes venerated for their

contributions in history and art. When Henri de Toulouse-

Latrec was designing posters for the Moulin Rouge, he never

imagined them to be hanging in an art gallery one day. He

was designing to attract people to the club. In a similar sense,

the temporary typography of today could also be valued for

its temporal purpose as documentation of history. In any

case, public typography is expanding due to new pathways

of displaying and communicating information.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

CREDITS

CREDITS

1) Baines. “Naming Places and Defining Spaces.” (1960): 96-103. Print.

2) Bodine, Kerry, and Mathilde Pignol. “Kinetic Typography-Based Instant

Messaging.” CHI ‘03 (2003): 914-15. Print.

3) Ford, Shannon, Jodi Forlizzi, and Suguru Ishizaki. “Kinetic Typography:

Issues in Time-Based Presentation of Text.” CHI ‘97 (1997): 269-70. Print.

4) Myers, Chris. “The Value of the Narrative in the Education of the

Typographer.” 126-33. Print.

5) Tosh, Paul. “The Un-Cultured Word: Vernacular Typography and Image.”

(2007): 38-41. Print.

6) Abend, Lisa. “The Font War: IKEA Fans Fume over

Verdana.”(2009), TIME (<http://www.time.com/time/business/

article/0%2C8599%2C1919127%2C00.html>

7) Web Typography <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web-safe_fonts>

This book was designed as a student project for Patrick Dooley’s

Typography 03 class, Fall 2010. Photos were taken using a Nikon D40X

and edited in Adobe Photoshop. Layout was designed using Indesign and

typefaces used include Archer and Univers. Locations of photos include

Lawrence, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.

New technologies are beginning to manipulate how

typography interacts with time. Through physical

design, the information it holds, and through digital

media, the property of time is becoming more present

on a public stage. Designers can use this factor to

creatively expand the communicative value of text.