Product Description
Since its initial publication in Berlin in 1928, Jan Tschichold’s The New Typography has been recognized as the definitive treatise on book and graphic design in the machine age. First published in English in 1995, with an excellent introduction by Robin Kinross, this new edition includes a foreword by Rich Hendel, who considers current thinking about Tschichold’s life and work…. More >>
Tags: berlin, definitive treatise, graphic design, hendel, initial publication, jan tschichold, new edition, robin kinross, treatise on, Typography
Este libro introduce en el estudio de las nuevas tipografias que surgen a principio de siglo en Alemania. Si bien el traductor reconoce que el autor esta equivocado en algunas de sus apreciaciones (tengan en cuenta que se escribio a principios de siglo) no deja de ser una forma de comprender los cambios mentales que surgen de las tipografias, y como estas interactuan con la sociedad.
Rating: 5 / 5
A great book about new styles in typography design..really helpful to broaden your point of view if you are interested in creation of an unexpected effect with simple fonts
Rating: 5 / 5
When Tschichold wrote this text, the German foundation of typography was in upheaval, and Tschichold was clearly the first against the wall when the revolution came. As he was writing, the predominant typefaces in Germany were of the Fraktur type, which did not incorporate the advancements of transitional or modern typefaces. It is quite clear that Tschichold sought to completely do away with the old types and bring in the new sans serifs as a way of countering them.
The first half of the book is filled with bombastic rhetoric, which gets tiring very fast. Still, there is plenty of good advice and there are excellent examples to follow. The second half is more technical, but perhaps too technical, as most of the standards that Tschichold discusses are either now well accepted or superseded and thus any appeal to use them is now moot in either case. The second half again provides good advice, despite the mooted standards discussion, and it is certainly something that any designer, of any printed matter should be acquainted with.
Finally, the historical significance of this text makes it essential reading for designers. The various introductions and forewords give the reader a good idea of these circumstances, but at 60 pages (when Tschichold’s introduction is taken into account), it occupies far too much of the text.
All in all, I may have overrated this book at four stars, but it definitely deserves more than 3.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is a nice handbook for creating stark minimal layouts but the dogmatic, unwavering theory of ‘objective’ design is best taken with a grain of salt. Reading this reminds me of when I took painting with Modernist painter Guido Molinari and everyone around me ended painting squares out of fear of retribution. But even with his strict approach, I don’t think he would have quoted a text that says “The more primitive a people, the more extravagantly they use ornamentation … To insist on decoration is to put yourself on the same level as an Indian.” While this book has some great tips on reducing clutter and improving readability, reading the ‘ideals of Modern Man’ stuff is like sitting through a fire and brimstone sermon. Nice diagrams.
Rating: 3 / 5
I’ll confess I was expecting something more contemporary when bought this book. If you’re not carefull the title will fool you. “New” in this case means early 20th century. Tschichold, as I came to learn, is one of the great names in typeface design. This book is reissued as his classic rant/manifesto on graphic design and type.
Tschichold makes strong statements on what constitutes good typography, even going so far as to make philosophic natural law arguments in favor of san serif type. Serif fonts, particularly black letter styles, are the enemy. You have to take a historical leap in order to understand Tschichold’s sour view of black letter. To us, black letter is a period typeface appearing outside pubs of the “Ye Olde Ale House” variety (or alternately to tattoo your back with gang symbols). But to Tschichold, black letter type was the Times New Roman of the day, plastered over every document and sign around. He argues correctly (in self-righteous, quasi-Marxist tones) about the unintelligibility of black letter type. He champions san serif styles, such as Futura.
Strictly speaking, Tschichold’s arguments aren’t of much practical use to contemporary designers now that the scourge of black letter has fallen aside and Helvetica/Arial rules the world, but I enjoyed the reproductions of Tschichold’s own Weimar Republic era work. It reminds me of the possibility of using a strictly typographic solution to a design problem. I think if you were ever a fan of Emigre’s type and design philosophy, you’ll find things to like about this book.
Rating: 4 / 5