Jan Tschichold and Typography

Jan Tschichold

Tschichold developed early interest in calligraphy, he studied at the Leipzig academy, he attended the first Bauhaus exhibition and was deeply impressed, and he assimilated the new design concepts of the Bauhaus and the Russian constructivist into his works. He designed a twenty-four page insert by the name of “Elementare typographie” which explained asymmetrical typography to designers. It was printed in red and black and featured in avant-garde.  A lot of German printing at this point still used medieval texture and symmetrical layouts.

His book, “Die neue Typographie” advocated new ideas, he wanted to create asymmetrical typogrpggrahy to express the spirit, life and visual sensibility of the day. His objective was to create a working design with linear means. He declared that typographic work is to be the delivery of a message in the shortest and most efficient manner. Tschichold’s brochure for the book illustrates this radical new typography, which had rejected decoration in favour of rational designs which were to communication function.

Tschichold favoured headlines flush to the left margin, with uneven line lengths.  He believed of energetic asymmetrical design of contrasting elements expressed the new of the machine. Types should be elementary in form without adornment i.e. sans-serif, type should range (light, medium, bold, extra-bold and italic) and with different proportions i.e. (condensed, normal, expanded,) this was declared to be the modern type. Designs were based on the underlining of horizontal and vertical structure. Spatial intervals were important design elements, with the white space given a new role to be a structural component. Bars, boxes and rules were often used to structure balance.  Tschichold showed how the modern-art movement could account for graphic design by combining his practical understanding of typography and its traditions with the new experiments. The main character of the new typography was clarity, not elegance; its objective was to create form from the functions of text.  

Tschichold’s approach set a standard for the new approach to books, job printing, advertising and posters.

Reference: 

Meggs P. B. and Purvis A. W. 1998. 5th Edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons , Inc.

 Historygraphicdesign The Bauhaus and the New Typography, Jan Tschichold [online] available at: http://www.historygraphicdesign.com/index.php/the-modernist-era/the-bauhaus-and-the-new-typography/277-jan-tschichold [accessed 25th Novembmer 2013]