g e o m e t r i c t y p e

g e o m e t r i c t y p e

obse
o b s e s s i

geome

essio
o n
saint Louis, missouri Pinnacle Press Inc.

tric type

Copyright 2013 by Lindsay Ruck All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN

Number 0-9719857-0-0

Pinnacle Press Inc. 5900 Berthold Ave. St. Louis, Missouri 63110 Book design by Lindsay Ruck Printed in the United States of America

To the Bibliophobics

14 24 32

CONTENTS
c i r c u l a r R e c t a n g u l a r T r i a n g u l a r

geometr
O b s e s s
Theres no doubt that most of designs roots lie in geometry. Whether it be in graphic, interior, package, or fashion design, geometric forms and shapes all play an enormous roll. Using circles, squares, and triangles to create good design is nothing foreign to a student or professional. When one is new to design, perhaps their first starting place is the grid. Theres nothing more basic, geometric and mathematical, then grid use when it comes to design. It serves as a guide for both design elements and typography in a composition. When it comes to typography, the use and repetition of geometry is ever relevant. Some of the most popular typefaces were based on various shapes, allowing for a more structured look. Both set and handmade geometric type rely heavily on lines, shapes, and angles. This idea of turning basic forms into complex letters strikes a chord in me, which is why Im obsessed with geometric type. Primarily, creating set, geometric type involves a great deal of measuring and the utilization of lines and shapes to create appropriate heights and widths. Typefaces that are geometric include Futura, ITC Avant Garde, and Century Gothic. They are easily recognizable and have great readability and legibility as sans-serif typefaces which make them universal. Its easy for the eyes to recognize simplistic forms like perfect circles and squares which makes both typefaces and letterforms that utilize these shapes easily identifiable. In my designs, when using set type, I usually start with a sansserif typeface like Futura because of its legibility and clean, modern look. Set geometric type is a great place to start when it comes to typography.

ric Type
e d w i t h
In other terms of typography, there is handmade type. Usually, what first comes to mind are script and calligraphic typefaces and letterforms that have a hand-writing quality. However, one can also create geometric typography by hand. I find this to be both the most interesting and effective form of handmade type. Not only does it allow for customization but it allows for the designer to derive from shapes and angles in our everyday world. With the computer and design programs, a designer can first start on paper and then slowly create vector art from their original ideas. Type is not just formed from it, it can evolve into patterning and illustration. The idea of hand making something so angular and perfect is quite exciting and allows for a great range of design. Utilizing such primitive and basic forms to create complex type thats both digital and hand made makes the world the designers oyster. I obsess over geometric type because of that notion.

circular
t y p e

K.J. Chun

AIGA 365
2008USA

Before My Memory Goes

Canada

Right: Marian Bantjes

O B S E S S I O N

17

Bianca Chang

PS

Australia

Dennis Payongayong

Change

USA

Ed Nacional USA

Hello Friend

O B S E S S I O N

19

Richard Perez USA

Keep On Exploring

Right: Pedro Ramirez Vasquez, Eduardo Terrazas & Lance Wyman

Mexico 68
Mexico

O B S E S S I O N

21

rectangular
t y p e

Philippe Apeloig

Apeloig Affiches: Typo/Type

2005France

David Pidgeon 2004Australia

Anna Finlayson

O B S E S S I O N

25

Plakate Fabigan

Unknown

1950Austria

Frost Design

Grand

Australia

Paula Scher 1979

The Best of Jazz

O B S E S S I O N

27

STIM Visual Communication

Making and Breaking the Grid

USA

Wim Crouwel

Visuele Communicatie Nederland

1969The Netherlands

Leonardo Sonnoli

Werkman
Italy

O B S E S S I O N

29

triangular
t y p e

Nina Gregier

Alphabet
Poland

Grady McFerrin

DPR Mass

USA

O B S E S S I O N

33

Justin Fuller USA

Black Angels

Philippe Apeloig

X-tra Train

2007France

Charles Williams UK

This Is Made Up

O B S E S S I O N

35

sources
Gregory, Emily. Little Book of Lettering. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle, 2012. Print. Heller, Steven, and Vronique Vienne. 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design. London: Laurence King, 2012. Print. Purvis, Alston W., Jong Cees. De, and Coultre Martijn F. Le. The Poster: 1000 Posters from Toulouse-Lautrec to Sagmeister. New York: Abrams, 2010. Print. Samara, Timothy. Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual. Beverly, MA: Rockport, 2007. Print.

This book was created by Lindsay Ruck under the supervision of Jennifer McKnight as an assignment in Advanced Problems in Graphic Design I in the Fall semester of the year 2013 at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Spreads were composed in Adobe InDesign CC. Adobe Illustrator CC was used for some typographic work and patterning. The typefaces used were Century Gothic and Bebas Neue with various weights and sizes. The book is printed on 11x17 32lb bright white laser paper.