Type is what language looks like.
Historical definitions of typography:
- The art and technique of painting with movable type
- The composition of printed material from movable type
- The arrangement and appearance of printed matter
These definitions are no longer accurate as they are based on the dated version of typography which was based on movable type that could be arranged for the machines to manually print the matter. A definition which applies to the modern idea of typography is 'the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form'.
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| Symbols for objects |
Language has been used since the beginning of time to communicate, but it was thought that in 7000BC, the first physical representation of language was found. The physical language was a range of symbols all representing different objects. The symbols were used to describe existing things and not emotions or experiences.
We do not know the spoken language from before this time, but as "the written word endures... the spoken word disappears" (Neil Postman), we have been able to manipulate these symbols over time and create the alphabet we know today.
Typography had to transform so that trade could take place between countries in order to communicate. This needed symbols that would be understood by a wide variety of cultures.
William Foster 1870, introduced the Education Act which made it compulsory for people to learn how to read and not only the upperclass/religious people. The printing of text needed to be mass produced so that it could be read by large amounts of people, so hand lettering of newspapers and books become less common.
Walter Grophius 1919 opened the Bauhaus, an institute for the drawing together of the arts and crafts for mass production. Typography was born as a discipline and making ways to make it unique was the main focus. The visual composition of Bauhaus posters started to be mastered. I found this part of the lecture interesting, as I think they communicate very visually well.
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