Journals

Steven Heller, 100 Classic Graphic Design Journals.

Laurence King Publishing, 2014

TypoGraphic is the journal of the International Society of Typographic designers (ISTD) distributed free to its members. The society was formed in 1928, initially as the Typographer’s Guild, and the journal was first published in 1971. Back then, the journal had no plans to reach a wider audience than the membership, its content reflecting the practical concerns of jobbing typographers. Many of the contributors did not consider themselves to be professional writers, but rather, designers and educators who felt inclined (or allowed themselves to be persuaded by the editor) to share their thoughts with fellow ISTD members.

When David Jury, a design historian, author and designer, assumed the editorship in 1996 TypoGraphic was in a slump. Jury revitalised the journal by bringing creative practice to the fore. He commissioned writing from graphic designers, curators, linguists, historian, psychologists – as well as typographers – to provide a broader , more inclusive view of typography’s changing social and commercial role. He also commissioned a different designer for each issue whose working methodology and outlook reflected the theme of that particular issue.

Over the decade that jury was editor TypoGraphic examined themes such as Noise; Vernacular; Craft; Visual Grammar; Persuasion; while designers/design groups included A2 Graphics/SW/HK (designer Henrik Kubel): Atelier; Atelier Works (designer Ian Chilvers) Attik; Phil Baines; Nick Bell; Paul Belford; Cartlidge Levene; North (designer Mason Wells); Reinhard Gassner; Structur; Hans Dieter Reichert; The Designers Republic (designer Nick Bax), Sans & Baum (designer Lucienne Roberts); Kuba Sowinski & Skeniarz; and Gilmar Wendt.

During Jury’s editorial reign (16 issues between 1996 and 2006 – plus two further issues designed by David Quay and Freda Sack dedicated to ISTD bi-annual Awards) the number of pages of each issue steadily grew from 16 to 64 as designers, given a free reign in return for no fee (Jury would describe TypoGraphic to each designer as their own calling card) found ever more inventive ways of making printing budgets go further, often calling in favours owned to them by paper manufacturers, printers and print finishers. The close collaboration between designer and printer became increasingly important as unorthodox means of production were sought to compensate for budget restrictions.

That Jury enabled designers to take such a demonstrative role rather than ​‘quietly, simply and self-effacingly’ convey text in a transparent Modern way was the cause of considerable angst at ISTD council meetings. The relationship between Jury and the council came to an abrupt halt when the then council chairman, Jonathan Doney, without consultation, arranged a reduction in the printing bill of TypoGraphic 65 as compensation for a serious binding error rather than enforcing a reprint. The designers, David Jury and Paul Belford, decided to have 200 copies printed by a printer of their choosing (Simmons Print, Chelmsford overseen by Nigel Bulken-Bell) to the original specification. It was this version of TypoGraphic 65 that won many international awards. It also caused Jury to resign. (The award-winning copy – as well as the copy rejected by Jury and Belford – is archived at the St Bride Print Library. London.

TypoGraphic continues to be published, if erratically, and recently passed its 70th issue. It still follows the approach established by Jury.