Material Typography
Winter 2015 · Knowledge Commons DC
Instructor: David Ramos ( hello@imaginaryterrain.com )
Description
Bring typography off of the screen and into the physical world. Learn how doing things the hard way — by working with materials that you can touch — will help you make more memorable and more resonant type. We’ll make type using unconventional materials, grappling with unexpected opportunities and limitations, and we’ll move type back onto the screen.
This class is offered through Knowledge Commons DC, and hosted by the Takoma Park NatureLab. (Course page on KCDC.)
Assignment
This class has one project: make a poster for a book of your choice.
- The poster should contain title and author.
- It may include other information.
- 13×19 in. trim size
- Black and white or color
Schedule
W 25 Feb
Topics
- Introduction
Class notes
- László Moholy-Nagy photograms
- Josef Müller-Brockmann
- Martin Venezky
- Nancy Skolos and Tom Wedell
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Borough of Richmond, City of New York, 1898
- Anne Jordan
- Mitch Goldstein
- Jennifer Heuer
- Mark Nystrom
- Airplot identity by Airside
- Type the Sky by Lisa Rienermann
For next week
Start the poster project. Bring a series of typographic studies. Can show on screen (please email them before class).
W 4 Mar
Topics
- Talk about posters!
- More examples
- Materials exercise
For next week
Bring a poster. Rough but exploratory is better than something polished that you already knew how to do.
Class notes
From class discussion and followup:
- a-ha - Take On Me
- Daniel Gordon
- Book Cover Archive
- Waking Life by Richard Linklater
W 11 Mar
Topics
- Look at posters!
- Exercise: “Yes, anything can become type”