The history of typography, printing, and reading are all linked; what else can you find out about this history that you find interesting?
A quick online search of the ‘history of typography’ reveals a wealth of information primarily documenting the timeline from its earliest developments through to the present day. This short animation is fun.
This TedX is also a playful look at how we see typography
I was struck by the statement that ‘typography, printing and reading are linked’; for me this has political connotations. It is closely linked to education and goes back to the debates about providing the masses with the ability; a political act that was seen as controversial. Much of my secondary research has therefore focused on typography in relation to politics and protest.
When I first started GD1 I watched lots of graphic design documentaries, it was a new field for me and I knew that this immersive approach works for me. One of the videos I watched was Wim Crouwel Talking About Swiss Style.
While it was not specifically about typography in relation to protest what I was struck by was the fact that typefaces I may take for granted were not universally available, he describes how difficult it was to get the Grotesque typefaces in the Netherlands when he started working. This is an extraordinary concept in an era when I can pretty much download any typeface I want (as long as I can pay for them). I think this is important in terms of the cultural history of typography. I was intrigued and previously unaware that typefaces were so closely associated with particular countries of origin.
