Friday 28 October 2011

Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman

Hendrik Nicolaaas Werkman, or also known as N.H. Werkman was born on the 29th April 1882, is known for being a Dutch artist, typographer and printer. He is another great example in the creative use of typography in the 1920s - 1930s, his style was different to that of Piet Zwart and Paul Schuitema although he took on the board the basic principles and foundations of their ideas. The same is applied to groups such as De Stijl, and the Constructivist style etc. He was like Zwart very much in the meaning that he gathered influence from many sources but never became religiously involved with their style and beliefs.

In 1896 he visited his first Van Gogh exhibition which profoundly influenced him, in which he decided to pursue an artistic lifestyle. Four years later, he managed to get employment at the publisher-printer in Sappemeer Borgesiuslaan TJ. Little did he know, this would be the beginning of lifetime of a creative endeavours. He did however work as a journalist from 1903 to 1907 at The New Groningsche. 

He started a printing and publishing house in Groningen, which reached the status of most successful around the period towards the end of World War One in 1917 in which time he had around twenty employees. By 1923 however he had a finical crisis with the company and it was forced into liquidation, this didn’t dishearten him however as he then started a small workshop in the third and fourth floor of a warehouse. It is said that he actually preferred this more ‘free’ way of working and in this scenario he created some of best works. 

He not only had hid own printing studio but he was also a part of De Ploeg (The Plough), which were a group of Dutch artists and designers. He made prints, invitations and catalogues for them whilst he was there. Though in 1923 to 1926, he decided to create his own avant-garde magazine called ‘The Next Call’ which featured the works of the up-and-coming styles such as the experimental use of typography such as collaging. He was extraordinarily overjoyed with his magazine and thus he sent it off to many avant-garde publishers around the globe, it boosted his confidence greatly. The magazine gave him the freedom to try new techniques such as using printing blocks, stamping and stencilling, to achieve individual designs which he is now most famous for.



The Next Call 1923-1926


He designed all of the covers for his magazine during the three years that he was publishing it. He used the techniques that he had learned and experimented with them to create various unique designs. One of his most famous methods was creating images with stamping letters. This is one of his designs for his magazine ‘The Next Call’ unfortunately however I don’t know the dates for the design but it is somewhere in the region of 1923-1926. I think that this design is really magnificent, I love the simple set up of the design, perfectly shaped into the grid to make a really nice harmonious design. The numbers take up the majority of the page, around 4/5th’s and is set in this decorative serif typeface, one that wouldn’t be used in block text due to the amount of decorative proportions. It fits the page so well and the variations between thick and thin make for interesting characters, and don’t bore. The contrast between this and the sans serif typeface on the right hand-side is wonderful. The sans serif being colour in red to give it some life and the black the and compliment each other in a way that they can sit comfortably next to each other. The type has a lot of letter-spacing and kerning pulling it together to create this clean, compact and modern style. Both the styles of type complement each other wonderfully without detracting to much from each other. The block in the bottom right really completes the peace, it acts almost as a huge full stop finishing the design. It fit neatly into the grid-like style of the page and strengthens the relationship between the numbers and the title. I like the style of these early works, instead of having perfectly clean designs its nice to see the almost ruggedness of the page, the authenticity of it. I think it gives off a great effect and can harmonise with the design. The block for example has that trait, it is sometimes refreshing to see it this way.


The Next Call 1923-1926

Most of the designs that I am going to be looking at are his covers for his magazine. Partly because it is quite difficult in finding many of his other works, that are suitable to be used anyway, but the other reason is because I think these are some great examples of his work and of typography. This design is quite a simple and minimalistic one at that, but it doesn’t lessen the quality and appeal of the work. As an example, you can see where he has printed the rectangles using blocks and shapes, and then inputted the type afterwards. Piet Zwart was quite an influence on Werkman, and so were others like El Lissitzky, in the way that he used a flat and geometric approach to his works, very architectural in the way it was processed. The way that this is set out is very similar, with using the flat, geometric lines to construct the page. It navigates us around the page, but also completes the design. As I suppose we could easily navigate from block to block reading the type, but this way it makes it more of a flowing transition rather then glitchy movements, besides it makes a nice contrast between rustic and modern, speaking for the printed shapes. The typography is rather humble, being set in lowercase with a soft sans serif font. Unlike having a simple, straight edged sans serif he chose to use one which has a quaint personality and a soft edge fitting in with the harmless and friendly coloured blocks. With it being black it means it is easily legible and matches the colour coordination of the lines which subliminally might make it easier for us to jump straight to the text. It feels quite like a Theo Van Doesburg design with the free-form compositions using shapes and geometric painting. One thing i like about the typography is the way it is set; the type it sat normally, then sideways and upside-down. It is all entertaining and alluring, and with the words being mostly set centred in the blocks, the ‘call’, being set to the left of the C (or right depending on which way you look at it), appears quirky and possibly mischievous deterring from the rest of its group. Overall I think this is a great piece of his and it shows where has used the styles that influenced him and moulded it to suite himself.


The Next Call 1926

The designs for 'The Next Call’ magazines all display his style rather quite well, his experimentation with new ideas and influences are shown which all developed into a really diverse typographical format. His intentions seem like he was taking the fundamental beliefs from each major typographer/groups at the time almost to form some sort of ‘super-typographer’! But on a more serious note it is what he more or less did and his style was fairly unique because of it. This cover was made in 1926, this is the only one that sure of the date, and possibly the last issue as it has a large red number 9 on the front, which was the last issue he made. The free-form composition is still there, keeping a refreshing and playful cover without being too silly and absurd and again using the method by using shapes and letting the type move fluently without constraint. From first glance this is probably the only one that seems to be that it has no order or structure but has been placed optically for what looks the best. This is one of my favourites from the series of covers he made. As the blue shapes stand uniformed in the centre whilst the ‘9’ sits bold and justified right next to it. Creating that lovely blend of colouring, the relationship between the two colours evokes a nice exciting atmosphere which then the type doesn’t really have to be too extravagant. It curls around the design, in a simple but eloquent manner whilst set in a sophisticated but simple typeface. The juxtaposition within the design works sympathetically the refined black type doesn’t prove too much to bear, where the ‘9’ has that elegance to it with its smooth serifs and lovely counters which is emphasised by being set in red, drawing attention. All the elements have a personality that compliments the next. It is really just another good example of Werkman, showing another variation of the same techniques and style that has been conveyed in the previous designs. You can see his transformation from the first where it was purely a typographical solution but then it changed into making more of an image with the things he’d learned. Bringing all the elements together to make something different from what had been seen before. Photograms and photography were becoming the way forward at this point with Piet Zwart and Paul Schuitema, while Werkman was taking a different route all together.


Composition with Letters J and O 1928


During 1928 he produced this piece of typography called ‘Composition with Letters J and O’. Here has started to create imagery with type by printing it on top itself numerous times at different angles to create the piece. It is an expanded and more experimental version of what he had previously done and you can see how his influences builded on him to create something which is very intriguing and unique. The use of the geometric shapes free-flowing in the design is very much a Theo van Doesburg style whereas the flat design and typographical experimentation could come from his Constructivist or Piet Zwart interest. It is a wonderful design, it is powerful, captivating and has an abstract impression. I find that taking two letterforms and playing around with them to create such a charming piece of art is extraordinary. The curves of the ‘J’ at the top really are enthralling and appear so delicate and tranquil they almost look like two high rise buildings or a pair of ladders, yet it doesn’t just look like the two ‘J’s that he took and rotated, instead they have been transformed into something more. The ‘0’s are act as pods that are joined onto the end of the ‘J’s or of geometric shapes scattered around with a futuristic sort of inkling. It adds some more spice to the design, emphasising that typography doesn’t have to plain blocks of text, or even doesn’t have to be legible or readable like Schuitema’s and Zwarts; it can do much more then create advertisements, logos, brochures, it can be an evocative piece of art. I can’t really describe it much more, he has just taken standard type, rearranged them and manipulated their use into something different. It is the result of the artistic use of the printing technique that he had developed over the previous years with ‘The Next Call’.



Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman

Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, an innovator in typographic design, was one the major protagonists in taking typography to the unknown, to places where people would have never thought about going; breaking the norm. His typographical art was something to inspire many generations to come and you could say the likes of David Carson was one of those inspired. On March 13 1945, he was captured by the German Gestapo. He was later shot by a firing squad on April 10 1945, three days before his town of Groningen was emancipated. 



Memorial for the ten shot on April 10 1945


Wednesday 19 October 2011

Paul Schuitema

Paul Schuitema, born February 27 1897, was an ingenious forerunner of graphic design, typography, furniture design and also photography. He also experimented with film making and also industrial design much like Piet Zwart. To say he was one of the pioneering fronts of typography, especially in advertising which is quite a lot like American typography in our time, he was taking a backseat in terms of recognition and ‘fame’ if you will. Similar to the American typography of our era, it is sort-of snubbed from a European standing point as unlike ‘European Typography’ (not to say there is a sole style for a continent), American typographers sometimes tend to create type solely for advertising purposes, however not always.

Originally Schuitema was trained to be a painter, studying at the 'Academie door Beeldende Kunsten’ in Rotterdam. It wasn’t until the early 1920s when he moved his interests and thoughts into graphic design, following a similar thought trail to Piet Zwart by applying the basic principles of Constructivism and De Stijl without becoming dogmatised by it. The first world war played a strong catalyst in this shift of thinking because of the political affects it had on him: 


"The war of 1914-1918 had demonstrated that fine words and slogans were nonsense, romanticism had ended in bloodshed, heroism and patriotism were only for profit...”


In which he wrote in a catalogue for the Kunstgewerbe Museum of Zurich exhibition of 1967. He also wrote another small passage further explaining the realisation that WWI had on graphic design, advertising, typography, and  design on a general note.

"Everything had turned out to be dirty, mendacious and full of false pathos. The function of art was to reassume the lost position. Graphic art had to be extremely functional; printwork had selling as its goal, it had to be clear and purposeful. In fact, it meant a marriage between typography and photography.” 


Schuitema was beginning to think more radically, and became very influenced by this new way of thinking, working, and new horizon that he had found. Modernism became something he started to take onboard removing flourishes, decorative objects and most of all serifs from his arsenal of type. Although, we must not forget to put ourselves in the mind of the time when looking at early transformations in design and art, as it was new and avant-garde then, whereas it looks slightly dated in the eyes of today. Schuitema, Zwart and Gerard Kiljan were all known for their experimental use in photography, as well as typography, and soon became the leading Dutch teachers in the field. They were colleagues and worked together on many occasions, which makes more sense to see that they are up in the field of ‘innovators’ in todays eyes. 
However, Kiljen isn’t as highly regarded as an innovator when compared to Schuitema and Zwart. 


Schuitema gained most of his recognition when he was employed for the NV Maatschappij Van Berkel Patent scale company in Rotterdam. Mainly for his original early works such as the publicity material and also some stationary ones too, usually having a basic style of using thick, black sans serifs and bold colours such as red and black. However he began, similar to Zwart, to move into photomontage around 1926 which is when it started to come into ‘fashion’, broadening the horizons, in which he became classed as one the best around. Although, towards the end of WWII he started to find himself in film-making along with people such as Jan Bouman and Lou Lichtveld preparing the post-war style of art, design, fashion, film etc. Which at the end of war he and three of his partners formed the Dutch Cooperative for Film Production. He mainly stuck to print and continued making advertisements and such until the 1960s.


Paul Schuitema was one the major contributors to modern typography and has been a great influence over the 20th Century, and even possibly the 21st Century for design, typography, photography and more. He died October 25, 1973 aged 76. 




Brochure for N.V. Voorheen van Staal & Co. 1924




This is one of his most earlier works before he began experimenting with photography, as most of his most famous works include these. This is a brochure design for N.V. Voorheen van Staal that he designed in 1924. It has a dated appearance to it, it is bound to have one but compared to his work a few years later which could be churned out near enough exact by designers today, this looks much more long ago for me. It almost has this Art Deco feel to it, by incorporating things such as what appears to be speed lines behind the type, the continuous use of lines and also I find the colour palette slightly resemblant of it. However, the  simple design of the owl, being made from so few lines making it smooth and almost futuristic giving the sense of modernism and forward movement. The typography sat along this underline has a slightly ornate feeling to it, the ’S’ especially as it starts early which makes it appear although it could be tilting backwards, it is playful in a sophisticated way. The 'N’s and ‘M’s have a really sharp edge to them which is totally opposite from a serif. Instead of keeping the smooth swoosh, being elegant and gracious, it is sharp, cold and abrupt. Which evokes the complete opposite from what a serif would, however it sets itself apart from more ‘normal’ refined sans serifs, giving itself that edge for an embellished typeface. Opposed to having a more simple sans serif without the honed edges of the ‘M’s and ’N’s, and even the ‘A’s, but then that might detract from the intention of the brochure. As the design has this ornate feel to it by having the quill and ink present and then with the owl, which is practically a vector, as well as the textured light brown background which adds the feeling of age to the whole scheme. The inverted type on the ‘C’ and ‘E’ however contributes to a modern feel, making the type more lively and interactive. He could have moved the backing image across slightly if this wasn’t the case, the inverted colours are there to produce or enhance the forward thinking type and design but whilst keeping in compatibility with the tone and personality with the design. It is a nice design from my eyes, however dated it may seem now it would’ve worked with the times of the era, and the juxtaposition from old to new in terms of progression; conveying one thing with the type (amongst other elements such as the owl), but the complete opposite as well to create a balanced and harmonious design.




Flyer for P. van Berkel 1928




This is a flyer that Schuitema designed for the Van Berkel company. Which is for whom he created some of his most prestigious works, especially promotional materials such as this flyer. This one is later than the previous, by four years. What is visible straight away is that he has transitioned into using photography into his designs, much like his colleague Zwart who progressed into the same techniques. It is a big contrast sat under the previous design from 1924, it is only a small difference however the change in the design is drastic. Whether that is to do with the brief or not this feels much more, now and current. The photograph takes up the majority of the space, as it is advertising the product, and is only supported by little type at all. Be that as it may, I am not totally sure on what the product is, it would most possibly be a weighing scale from what it says? Though that is irrelevant for me anyway. The shape and layout of the machines creates this stimulating pattern which is much more alluring and entertaining then having them lined up in a military fashion. Where that might have come across slightly stiff, evoking the wrong things such as a daunting notion and things alike. The distinction between the red and white is also capped to a halt by the line of machines making for an easier more fluent handover, alongside the photography being duotone it means the white is more easily absorbed. By having the typography far in the left corner, away from the main active imagery might mean that it is lost and forgotten although I don’t think that it is the case here. The red colour attracts the eyes straight away but tends to attract to the contrast of the photography first, so you are seeing the image but it soon transitions into the type on the left as it is more legible then the other and not to forget it is a bold, black sans serif. The type itself in bound into the box shape to mimic the size and shape of the flyer, and also possible connoting the compact, efficiency of the scales. There is a slight amount of letter-spacing to make life easier when reading it as when having a column which is as tight as this is can prove to be a challenge to overcome if the letter-spacing and leading is off par. The black emphasises this by making the nice contrast so it proves easily readable, you’re getting the information with as little frills as possible meaning it is more efficient and straightforward to read. Anyhow, the type running at an angle through the centre proves much more exciting. It is printed in red, so it again is making the contrast from the black metal of the machine and the white table, whilst keeping the colour styling as simple as possible. Again with no frills in that sense. The way it has been set is also interesting, making a forward motion, bringing energy and movement into play. It may be connoting that the product is ‘weigh’ ahead of its time and is something for the future. It is set in thicker, bolder font as it is stating the USP (Unique Selling Point) of the product: it has 3,000,000 weighing operations. It is the most important part of type I would think, it is the reason for buying it so it is conveying the capabilities of the product i.e. it is the long term solution, the product of tomorrow, today. All those sort of things. The design at first struck me as quite interesting and drawing, the use of colour and image especially, which I would think is a good sign; it is and excellent example of his work, and of the usage of typography at the time in Holland.






Label for P. van Berkel 1928




Here is another example of Schuitema's work, again for the Van Berkel company, during 1928. It was during this time when he started to gain much more recognition in the design community, when he started to progress drastically in the use of typography. It was all whilst he was working for the Van Berkel company where his journey really started to lift off, and his design work lasted until the 1960s.


This piece is a design for a label, for the Van Berkel company, which he created in 1928. He designed this in the same year however took a different approach then the previous, taking a stronger typographical route. The majority of the image is dominated by the chunky sans serif font, aided by the use of repetition which evokes almost a reinforced feeling. The selection of typography used is quite energetic in the way that it has many different weights and angles involved, as well as the two colours depicting the type breaks it up slightly. The word ‘OLIE’ is repeated three times on the label, that may be the products name, or a name of some sort, although for people who like me do not know I think it gives a nice feeling of support and reassurance but it isn’t too daunting and full-frontal. The orange tone adds a playful feel, rather then having a strong vibrant red which could have been perceived that way. It has no serious feel really, it is enrapturing but in a more friendly way. It has an affect on us that I think gives us a new frame of mind, an open one, taking in new thoughts etc. What I really like about this piece is the typography towards the bottom. The word ‘GEEN’ sits really comfortably and interestingly pushed out to the right. It is of a smaller point size the the ‘OLIE’ above and has some letter-spacing added to lighten up the tension built up as the type stacks on top of each other, and it makes a smart and clean looking design. The top of the ’N’ is lined perfectly with the type and sets across the side of the page, the use of using full caps and and a lighter weight mixed with the black colouring makes for a gratifying and fluent appearance. I love how the type just feeds together between the ‘GEEN’ the vertical type and also the type that sits just at the bottom. It slots neatly underneath everything covering the width of the block of type above it. The drastic amount of letter-spacing makes it easy to comprehend and just neutralises the heavy weights above it and with it being coloured orange it doesn’t clash with the large black text above it. As if it was black it would have most likely been ‘eaten-up’ by the text. The composition of the label is fairly simple really but that’s not to say it isn’t good. The logo sits at an angle which is replicated throughout the design by the ‘VBP’ it is a playful characteristic but the design may look nicer if the second one wasn’t present. However it has a pattern in terms of the colour coordination which does tie up the loose ends here. I do especially like what appears to be the product information at the top of the label. It create that nice sense of space and freedom how the next column starts at the bottom baseline, rather than at the top as the logo slots right into place there. It mimics the whole ‘set left’ design whilst also staying in relation with the ‘GEEN’ part that pops out to the right by having the logo and type cut as close to the edge as possible. I think this is a lovely label although I’m not sure what it says or means, the logo may need updating but that aside but the typography is timeless, the perfectly round ‘O’ just has that feel of refreshment and modernistic. 




Flyer for P. van Berkel 1928-1929




This design is another pure typographical piece that he designed for the Van Berkel company early in his career. It is another flyer, designed between 1928 and 1929. This design has a more serious functionality from first impression, unlike the previous label design which has a lot of vibrant, playful antics. Having said that I do like this design, it's simple, effective and it is expanding on what he has done in his previous designs such as the use of repetition.


 The use of repetition in this design I find to be exciting and something different from what is usually seen around this era. It starts with word, or whatever it may be in dutch, and then has a series of repeated sentences or words, again in dutch. The repetition is in a smaller and lighter font which gives it a nice aesthetic feel as well as it showing a clear hierarchy on the sheet.The playful typography exists throughout as well; the opposite corner acquires the same principles although the heavy type on top is differentiated slightly. It uses a larger font size on the top, with slight letter-spacing, and the word underneath meets the border constraints of the first word. A simple box structure, which then leads for the remaining repetition to occur. It is a really modern take in the typography. The use of the arrows is quite interesting, as arrows are quite often used at indicators to where paragraphs start and end. Inward pointing arrows usually mean the start, whereas outwards means the end. This makes a really interesting concept here, as the design could potentially work two ways, the large arrow could be indicating the starting point whereas the other meaning the end, making an unconventional way of reading things, almost from top to bottom. However, it may also be something as simple as showing a cycle, like a life cycle or usage cycle of a product, company, regime etc. which would also make perfect sense depending on what the flyer was used for, or it could just be pointing to the type. Whichever one I find the incorporation of the arrows to be a good one, as it adds some imagery per say to the design. As the arrows span most of the page most of the focal attraction is based here which then directs us around the page into new areas. They also make for a nice stand for the typography. The type sat on the arrows are set in the same typeface as the rest of the type so it keeps this overall serious and sophisticated apparel but it creates some variety. Especially the bottom arrow because it has a change in size, with have the 'IS' in a larger point size and the 'GOEDKOOP' in a smaller one just builds-on the diversity of the design and fits in with the same uniform of having a variety of type sizes and weights. My favourite part of the design however is the bottom area, which from trying to translate is the companies details, address etc. I like the constant use of the hierarchy throughout in the form of having a slightly lower point size and using a more saturated, calm colour of grey as well as incorporating the use of letters pacing on certain lines. All adding the simplicity and beautiful design. This work in particular reminds me of Piet Zwarts' 'Plank Rod Something here' work, with the use of a simple duotone design based purely on the typographical setting. Playing with sizes, shapes and experimenting with new methods such as repetition here. This is one of my favourite pieces by him, I just wish I could understand the language to see if my perception from a foreign point of view is as intended or not.






Paul Schuitema


Paul Schuitema was a great pioneer in the field of typography, and mastered other areas such as photography and filmmaking. His designs were fresh and innovative for the time and still is very influential designers of today. He was one of the ‘founders’ of modern typography, setting the building blocks for a typographical revolution, inspiring the likes of Wim Crouwel, and Paul Rand. He died on October 25, 1973.


Piet Zwart

The Dutch industrial designer, photographer and typographer Piet Zwart, a pioneer in modern typography, was born on the 28 May 1885.

He started his journey attending the School of Applied Arts in Amsterdam during 1902 to 1907 where he studied closely related topics such as drawing, painting and architecture etc.

Zwart gained himself a growing interest in furniture, fabric and interior design. Particularly throughout the duration of the World War One (WWI), although his interests lied in a more decorative field, but this didn’t last. Once WWI was declared as over, there was a powerful uprising of new artistic and avant-garde ideas and movements.

Modernism had started to break through the barriers of what was the popular culture and the norm at the time. Dada being a strong example of this, questioning the status quo and peoples beliefs, pushing the boundaries of what is and what could/should be accepted in society and culture.

Piet Zwart soon left his previous partnership with furniture, fabric and interior design behind. He followed the thoughts of ‘avant-garde’, with its modernist thinking and started his graphic design career in 1919 for Jan Wils; he sought out his first real career move by becoming a draughtsmen for the architect Jan Wils, who was a member of the De Stijl movement. Through Wils he met Vilmos Huszar who was a great influence on him. He began to work with the famous Dutch architect H.P Berlage around two years later, in which he stayed dedicated to his job for several years.

Zwart is commonly known for his Graphic Design and Typographical work, however he was originally trained to be an architect, although I do suppose the two are strongly connected in terms of the beliefs and styles associated. His first piece of design was for his former employer Jan Wils. He created a stationary design in the form of a typographical approach. 


Jan Wils Stationary | Source


This piece strongly denotes that of the De Stijl style which was occurring at around the same period. The group was formed by Theo Van Doesberg, he was the main leader and forerunner of the group. A close friend and member of the group was Vilmos Huszar. He and Zwart became close and often exchanged thoughts and ideas; Zwart was very influenced, and intrigued by De Stijl with their out-of-the-box and radical thinking, as well as Dada, and Russian Constructivism for that matter. However he was never a ‘group-man’ and much preferred to work with his own thoughts rather then be dogmatised by the ideas and principles of others which is why he never ‘joined’ the style of the De Stijl, but only took on their board their mentality.

I do like this letterhead, it is really simple and uses a lot of space which I think adds a nice sense of ease and a relaxed approach when looking at it. The use of the thick lines not only creates a nice visible structure that the type can be aligned and set too, but it also creates the nice bridge between the style of the logo as well. The logo is the square of rectangles just sitting nicely under the name and left of the contact details. The whole mindset uses this chunky, thick approach which could come across as overwhelming and possibly seem too crowded and confined. But the division of the sections makes use of the white-space which I think counterbalances these thoughts, it breaks up the bold appearance and gives it a fresh, modern and diverse look and feel. The use of the bold, black sans serif also emphasises the forward thinking/modern look and use of the minimalist design, compared to the previous ten or fifteen years. It creates a harmony within the design and fits perfectly with the character’s straight and sharp edges. The use of a serif would have just contradicted the design as a whole, using a 'dated' more ‘decorative’ type sat amongst something new and modern, with solid angles and shapes.

In 1923, aged 36, Zwart did his first typographical work for a company called Vickers House. His most famous part of the collection was his “Zagen, boren, viljen” advertisement poster, although he did create more and also made a logo.


IOCO Logo (Rubber Flooring)

This is a IOCO Rubber Flooring logo that he created for Vickers House. It follows the same style as the letterhead for Jan Wils. Using very square constraints, thick blocks and lines. But all very much using space and managing not to feel crowded or squashed together. I like how he incorporated the ‘O’s into the design; the counter for the ‘C’ proves a spacious home for the ‘O’ to live in, however it isn’t hanging in space but sat neatly into the area. With the counter being open at one end, it provides ‘extra’ space for the ‘O’ to be accessible to, therefore it gives a greater sense of freedom yet still keeping the ordered, grid-like-structure intact. The other ‘O’ follows in the same set up, however it has a lot more freedom. The logo as a whole is easy to understand and read, as well as interesting yet so simple. 


IOCO Rubbervloeren Advertisement

He also made an IOCO Rubbervloeren Advertisement. I quite like this advert, it is simple and uses the creative edge of the logo. He almost physically deconstructs his logo, and then rearranges them to create the word ‘IOCO’ in a line of text rather then in a shape. The angle in which the ‘OCO’ creates, then sets the angle for the remainder of the type used, which in this case is only the ‘rubbervloeren’. It makes for a nice clean, yet modern design which compliments the strong almost square typography, but the ‘O’s bring down the seriousness a little bit and make it slightly more friendly. It makes it so that it doesn’t take itself seriously, to and extent. 


Vickers House Advertisement


This is probably his most well known of the few. It is the “Zagen, boren en vijlen” (saws, drills and files) advertisement poster for Vickers House. It is a clever poster that he designed incorporating the use of wit and visual puns. The large 'N' serves as the last letter for the three words zagen, boren and viljen. Then as you explore the design some more you see the use of another 'N' which then starts to transform into the H. It starts on the Nu, then the second stage where it appears the same however reads different, with a ‘H'. The final part is where the transition terminates and creates the 'H' to read Haag. The H is the starting letters for Het and Haag. This design is where Zwart really began to exceed typographically using structures. I like this piece because of that, it shows the transitioning point throughout his works. The composition is very simple here too, he has almost two balanced sides to the advert, on with image on the left and type on the right both in a condensed manner which seems to be a stylistic approach. The gap of enormous space in the middle almost would look unnatural but the way the “Zagen, Boren, Vijlen” bridges the gap and adds the solid structural connections really brings it together as a whole.

During 1923, Berlage introduced him to the manager of Nerderlandsche Kabelfabriek, who infact was one of his close relatives. In the duration of the next ten years he made no less then 275 advertisements and brochures. This is when he started to begin to experiment with sizes of type and letters, different shapes such as circles and rectangles, visual puns and wit and many more to strengthen the message that had to be communicated.


Vierkant Plat Rond 1926


This piece is the Vierkant Plat Rond, an advertisement poster for NKF was designed in 1926. It was one of his groundbreaking typographical pieces, it is a prime example of how he started to experiment with different factors and aspects. Such as different sizes of type and various angles. I really like this idea, it has a bauhaus feel to it with the strong angles in the design, however not as controlling. Also possibly an early swiss feel to it, again with the angles and simple typography. I think this piece is very forward thinking for its time, the modern sans serif typeface with a black on white colour palette looks really modernist and also minimalist in terms of keeping things simple, straightforward and straight to the point. I like how he manipulated certain characters in the poster so that they act almost as the centre of a crossroad where two words connect; the 'R' and 'A' of the 'Vierkant' have another personality almost, they are used in an other word. He manipulated the letters so that they're easily legible and more easily noticeable that they belong to other words as well, such as by rotating them and altering the size making almost a hierarchy. 



Sein via Scheveningen Radio 1929


In 1923 Zwart met Paul Schuitema for the first time, he and Schuitema later became the two most iconic Dutch typographers of that era. Schuitema however, introduced Zwart to a new technique called ‘Photogram’, he used the technique for some time but later became bored and stale to its effect so he decided to move on to the current trend at the time which was using image and type together.

Photogram is a technique that requires no camera, but creates a photo. In order to do it you need to place the desired objects onto a sheet of photo-sensitive paper such as photographic paper, then it requires you to expose to light, preferably a strong light source. The sheet will then turn black but leave the areas where the  object(s) are sat untouched, depending on their transparency the paper can create various tones.

The ‘Sein via Scheveningen Radio’ uses the photogram technique, however this is one of his later works using the technique. I’m not entirely sure where I stand on this piece really, I find the typography exciting and interesting but I don’t think the image contributes and compliments the typography. I don’t know what the image is showing, it looks to be a jumble of things that seem radio-like? The typography appears although it is orbiting the circle image or like it is drawn to it, holding it up. The angles of the type also aren’t symmetrical which I find gives it a sense of energy and brings it to life a little bit, rather then having them symmetrical which would have possibly made it more ‘manufactured’ and lifeless. Almost like the cold steel framing that is visible on the photogram, in that sense it gives a strong juxtaposition and contrast from one another. With the whole image being more or less black and white the red typography grabs the attention without any hesitation from other aspects/factors. It is selling itself in a way, differentiating itself from the remainder of the image but in such a way that keeps a nice harmony, almost modestly within the design. I’m not too much of a fan with this piece as I don’t understand the photogram, however that could just be my ignorance, also I find that the typography and the image don’t sit harmoniously unlike his previous works with pure typography. However, it is not all bad, the theory is there and also if I possibly understood the photogram I may have a different opinion.


NKF Catalogue Pages 58-59
1927-1928


Zwart not only experimented with photogram, but also using actual photography in his works. To create a nicer harmony between image and type, mixing the 3-Dimensional with the 2-Dimensional. An example of this is a page-spread design from the NKF catalogue, 1927-1928, featuring pages 58 and 59.

The most striking thing about this spread is the use of image, type and white space; the way the images sit within the page creates a rhythm in which the type confides to, but in a minimalist way so that the page is focused mainly on the images. The use of the white space creates a sense of ease and relaxation, however not seeming to ‘designed’ in a sense that it no longer does its job as a catalogue but more of an exhibition on design. I love the simplicity of the type, it sits in partnership with the image whilst not intruding on its space, but just far enough away to state its importance. This is helped by the choice of using uppercase characters so it is more assertive and also fits neatly within the design. Whereas I think a choice of lowercase type would have looked incomplete in terms of the angular alignment, with having descenders and ascenders it would have broke the structure I think. It’s bold, authoritative appearance would have been lost and possibly only regained by changing the weight which would then again detract from the image. The incorporation of the red also draws the eyes to what I believe is the product, some accessory to machinery; from having the page set in black and white the red really attracts the reader bringing them straight at the product rather them navigating throughout the page manually. Not to mention it brings some life to the page as well, which is always bonus so the readers don’t become bored easily and flick past the page. I think this is a great example of his work, although it doesn’t seem overly creative with typography, it uses the page wonderfully and the harmony within type, image and white space works perfectly without seeming too ‘designed’.


Trio-Reclameboek Cover 1931


Trio-Reclameboek Inside-Page 1931




These two are examples of Zwarts more creative typographical approach once he had begun to experiment more with shapes, sizes, typefaces etc. They are the front cover and inside-page to the ‘Trio-Reclameboek’ he designed during 1931.

I rather like the simplicity of the front cover, with it using the metal type that was used the printing presses. It gives a nice contrast between the printed type on the cover, and in the book in general, and the process that was done to create it. The choice of different sizes and weights creates the harmonious feel the front, making it appear fun, but almost heavy at the same time as if it is warning you before you open the book. Saying it is what it is, and nothing more. With it having a blue hue detracts from this seriousness emotion, making it sit in the background, taking a back seat to what is really happening; it appears friendly and welcoming to the reader. This makes it so that the type sitting diagonally across the page, is verging on being the main focal point. The lighter weight being in the white, more welcoming and free area which then leads into the bolder type which is creating a large contrast with it being sat on the dark blue colour. It is like it gives the hierarchy an ulterior motive, other then to make it more legible and readable. Not to mention it being in uppercase which brings itself to the limelight of the cover, connoting that it is still important and not subtext. The angle of the type feeds the eyes to the image in the background so that then you see the photograph that had previously been taking a backseat. It makes it feel more natural and fluent. A much better way then to have the typography sitting horizontal on the page, it makes for a more interesting but yet an easier design this way.


The inside-page has a totally different effect, it appears much more fun and intriguing using tonnes of different typefaces, colours, sizes and angles. It is a mass of pure typographical evolvement, creating an interesting and energetic piece. I like how the the line of different faces, sizes and styles all mix into the transition of the page, linking both sides. The symmetry of the design with the large letters in either corner also creates a fulfilled design making it and easy and exciting journey when navigating throughout the design. The title in the centre of the design is easily legible too, which might seem as a surprise but because of the layout and structure of the type surrounding it, it becomes easily readable. It uses a large weight also, but doesn’t follow the suit of using different size characters which makes it a uniformed sentence making it stand separate from the remainder of the page. It is set in lowercase type which detracts from the mass of energy that the piece evokes, thus making it blend in but in such a way that again it is easily picked out. Rather then it being in uppercase which would have overwhelmed the viewer I believe, as the design is quite in-your-face anyway. The repetition of characters on the top left also bridges the two halves of the page, so it creates a nice amicable circle that our eyes follow. Otherwise the design might have been seen as anchored down by the dense type at the bottom half of the design. Overall I really like this design, it’s exciting and fun as well as being easy to read. If this was produced in this time, maybe with a few tweaks to bring it to the 21st Century, I don’t think anybody would realise it was from 1931. How much better does it get?


Piet Zwart 1885 - 1977

Piet Zwart was a pioneer in modern typography, adventuring into new territories and pushing boundaries. The work I have shown are only some of his works that he produced, he has done many others that are at the same standard and even higher. Starting from his early works to his later ones you can see the progression that he made, the confidence that he gained in trying more experimental designs.

His work come to a halt in 1942 when he was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war for the duration of WWII (World War Two). Upon being released, he began to move his interests into industrial design, where his ideas mainly stayed for the remainder of his life.

For his creativity, diversity and influence on graphic design he was awarded the ‘Designer of the Century’ in 2000, by the Dutch design community. Although he didn’t live to see this as he passed away in 1977, at the age of 92.