Comments for design, art and culture: musings on the visual society

Comment on Designers: Jail-break Your Freebies and Let the Community Use Them by Q

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:21:45 +0000

Yes! so true….. where’s the altruism these days? why people can’t just make something good and be happy to share it without needing the validation of being credited, is beyond me….

Comment on @theconnor Ponders “What is the True Self” After a Tweet Ends Job Prospects by An ill-advised tweet could cost you your job

An ill-advised tweet could cost you your job — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:14:55 +0000

[...] web.” While the candidate quickly made their account private, it was already too late — it had gone viral. Not only did this individual lose the offer, but they were widely ridiculed [...]

Comment on Does Myspace.com Keep a Designer on Staff? by Substance 01

Substance 01 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:34:36 +0000

Can you provide more information on similar issues, or do you have some resources you can share where i can read more about such interesting myspace stuff?

Comment on Pre-15th Century Typography: Hand Lettered Bible by Liam Quin

Liam Quin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:41:08 +0000

I’d actually say that there are 2 columns on each page, and that they are aligned as per Tsicholde’s essay (reprinted in English in “The Form of the Book”) – draw a diagonal line from the bottom left of the double-page spread to the top right, and see how it meets the top-right corner of the text on the recto (right-hand) page. Similarly a diagonal on the left page only meets the bottom-left corner.

The wide margins are to give the page balance and beauty as a physical object, and to make the book more expensive (since hundreds of sheep had to die to make it).

Liam

Comment on 18th Century Typography & Illustration: Diver’s Proverbs by Nathan Bailey by Perla Berenice Jiménez Méndez

Perla Berenice Jiménez Méndez — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:26:57 +0000

HELLO

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION, CURRENTLY I’M STUDYING A TYPOGRAPHY MASTER, IN MEXICO, AND I’M INVESTIGATING ABOUT THE 18TH CENTURY, THIS INFORMATIONS IS GOLD FOR ME!!!

THAK YOU AGAIN!!!

Comment on 16th Century Typography: The Geneva Bible, London, 1581 by Liam Quin

Liam Quin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:09:03 +0000

You’ve hit on one of the things that fascinates me about these older books – there are a lot of practical solutions to design problems there, as well sa a lot of sheer physical beauty. Which is why I posted the paeg images of course

Liam

Comment on @theconnor Ponders “What is the True Self” After a Tweet Ends Job Prospects by April Nivens

April Nivens — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:54:53 +0000

Just like you told me when I worked for the Devil and her Advocate, anything you write publicly on a networking site is fair game. While its not what you want to hear, its quite true. Even if you make your postings private, all it takes is someone who is willing to log into their account at your expense. Very well written babes!

Comment on Danny Gibson of DJG Design: Finding Design Innocence in the Modern World by DJG

DJG — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:16:41 +0000

i just saw this lovely article. thank you so much for your kind words and coverage! i really appreciate it! -djg

Comment on 18th Century Typography & Illustration: Diver’s Proverbs by Nathan Bailey by Jesse N.

Jesse N. — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:46:51 +0000

Thanks for the insight Christopher, and you may well be right. It’s true that the type and composition is more “fanciful” than most of what we see coming from the 1700s. I think we’ve established that the printing here was done in 1917, which is why the title page says it was printed by Yale University Press, MDCCCCXVII, which would translate to 1917.

However, based on the style, I think it is too quick to say that it wasn’t a reprinting of the original, or at least a copy or imitation of the original. As I said, it is more “fanciful,” but if we look at some of the more playful printing of the 18th century, we can see many similarities. For an example, I’ve attached a page from “A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, Intended for the Instruction and Amusement of Little Master Tommy,” Published by Isaiah Thomas, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1787.

As you can see, there is much similarity in the structure of the page, the slight uneven quality of the types’ baselines and x-heights (resulting from the letterpress used), the body typeface, the anachronistic short s, and the drop caps. As you see, it almost looks like it could’ve been printed by the same publisher. In the Diver’s Proverbs, I do believe that the use of the black letter was probably a 20th century excess (along with the title page), but the general structure of the body spreads seem to pay much homage to the original.

Regardless, due to the fact that it was printed in 1917, and seems to carry some 20th century styles, it would only make sense for me to retitle this to indicate that it is early 20th century typography referencing 18th century style. Though it would be a shame for me to change it if it were a duplicate of the original, which it very well could be.

Comment on 18th Century Typography & Illustration: Diver’s Proverbs by Nathan Bailey by Christopher Fahey

Christopher Fahey — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:35:23 +0000

It seems almost impossible to imagine that this typography is from the 1700s at all. It has all the hallmarks of turn-of-the-century art nouveau graphic design, and looks very little like the printing of, say, Benjamin Franklin who was quite active in 1721. I’m not an expert, but I’ve been spending a lot of time lately browsing through printing from the 1700s, and this work is far too slick and modern looking to be even inspired by 1700s design — with the exception, as you note, of the anachronistic extended lowercase s.

Still, a lovely find.