El Modernism, a movement that influenced multiple currents during the XNUMXth century, we have already seen some here, such as the Bauhaus or the Future, but all of these belong to a larger stream that encompasses multiple aspects of art and culture.
Typography has a long history dating back to writing. Typography has evolved and has become diversified throughout the centuries due to the needs, tastes and trends of each time and place. Today, there are a large number of typefaces that can be classified based on a variety of criteria, such as their form or function. On this occasion we will take a look at the father of the typefaces of the XNUMXth century, lto modernist typography.
What is the modernist movement
The modernist movement was an artistic and cultural current that developed in Europe and the United States between late nineteenth century y mid XNUMXth century. Modernism was based on the idea that art should reflect the social, economic and technological changes of the time and that it should break with established traditions and norms.
Several fields (architecture, painting, sculpture, literature, music, and graphic design) were influenced by modernism. Some of the fundamental tenets of modernism included:
- experiment with materials and new ways.
- Simplification and streamlining of the elements.
- functionality and usefulness about appearance.
- The manifestation of singularity and creativity.
- The influence of the avant-garde artistic as cubism, futurism, expressionism and surrealism.
How did modernist typography come to be?
modernist typography came up as an answer to the social and cultural changes that occurred during the XNUMXth century. Type designers sought to create a visual language that was in keeping with the zeitgeist, capable of communicating complex ideas, and adaptable to new media such as cinema, radio or billboards.
The artistic vanguards, which broke with traditional forms and sought new forms of expression, were the inspiration for modernist typography. In addition, he was inspired by mathematical and scientific theories that studied the laws of composition and the characteristics of geometric shapes. Therefore, simple, regular, and symmetrical shapes such as the circle, the square or the triangle were adopted by modernist typography.
Modernist typography was also based on the principle that form should follow function, that is, that design should serve the content instead of the other way around. Therefore, modernist typography eliminated unnecessary or ornamental elements that could distract or confuse the reader. To improve readability and clarity, also sought to maintain a balance between text and white space.
In addition, the modernist typography was adapted to the technological innovations in printing and graphic reproduction. Modern typography took advantage of new techniques such as phototypesetting, offset printing, and digital printing, which made it possible to create more precise, varied, and economic type. Modernist typography too examined the possibilities of the new supports such as paper, plastic or the screen, which offered new forms of interaction and communication.
Characteristics of modernist typography
Modernist typography is distinguished from other styles by a series of characteristics. Some of these attributes are:
- sans serif types or without finials must be used. The small strokes that end the poles or arms of the letters are known as finials. To create a cleaner, more uniform look, sans serif typefaces remove these serifs.
- Using Constructed or Geometric Types. Geometric types are based on simple shapes such as circles, squares, or triangles. Constructed typefaces are made up of modules or basic units combined to create letters.
- Using Monochrome or Monochrome Types. Monochrome type uses a single color, usually black or white, for all text. To create harmony or contrast, sparsely colored types use a small range of primary or complementary colors.
- Using variable or modular types. Modular typefaces have interchangeable elements that allow the creation of multiple variants of the same letter. Depending on the context or medium, variable types accommodate different sizes, weights, or widths.
- Use of dynamic or asymmetric types. Asymmetric types produce an effect of movement or tension, breaking with the symmetry and regularity of traditional forms. Depending on time/space, dynamic types change shape or position.
Examples of modernist typography
The Bauhaus, a school of art and design established in Germany in 1919, had a significant impact on the rise of modernism. Using geometric types, monochrome and modular in the Bauhaus typography symbolizes order, rationality and universality.
The font family Futura It was created by Paul Renner in 1927 and is inspired by geometric shapes and simplicity. La Futura is one of the most used typefaces of the XNUMXth century for editorial, corporate and advertising design.
The font family Helvetica was created in 1957 by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann and is based on the principles of clarity, neutrality and functionality. Helvetica is one of the best-known and most adaptable typefaces in the world, and can be found in a wide range of mediums and supports.
Adrian Frutiger created the Univers typeface family in 1957 and is noted for its numerical classification system. The Univers has 21 variants that are distinguished by their weight, width and position, allowing a wide range of combinations and hierarchies to be created.
The trace of modernism
Graphic design depends on typography, which allows us to communicate our messages visually and effectively. Typography gives us a wide range of options to express our purpose, personality, and style. Typography allows us to create content that is comprehensible, attractive and impressive.
We recommend that you continue reading our articles on typography and its various facets, which are linked above. In addition, you can consult our catalog of other typefaces. Now is the time to start exploring! the world of typography!