Over the course of several centuries, the printed book has evolved into a medium which can facilitate deep and attentive reading in a highly productive manner. This ability results to a large... Show moreOver the course of several centuries, the printed book has evolved into a medium which can facilitate deep and attentive reading in a highly productive manner. This ability results to a large extent from specific material properties of paper-based books. As few of these properties can be replicated effectively on digital devices, the transition to screen-based texts invariably leads to different forms of reading. While the immateriality of digital books may affect our capacity to concentrate on texts and to remember their contents, the plasticity and the computability of digital words simultaneously engender innovative ways of engaging with books. Show less
Books in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century played an important role in the dissemination of liberal and nationalist ideologies, thus instigating social change in the Arab world. The... Show moreBooks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century played an important role in the dissemination of liberal and nationalist ideologies, thus instigating social change in the Arab world. The focus of this study are printed Arabic books where the ideas of modernity in both form and content were advocated. Secular and literary publications, written in the Arabic language, printed and produced in the Arab world—namely in Cairo and Beirut—are selected as case studies. This research examines their formal aspects and investigates how their visual design has promoted ideals of modernity, thus painting a picture of a contemporary Arab design language that blends Islamic and western design conventions. It proves that the visual aspect of books creates a lasting bond with its readership and becomes a significant part of their perceived (or imagined) cultural identity. The study also proves that visual design, by imposing the stamp on the book-object, does flavor the reading of books. This research also confirms that cultural exchange has contributed to a modern Arab publishing and book design culture; and that the ensuing (typo)graphic design conventions still resonate in contemporary Arabic book design and constitute a foundation for designing future Arabic books. Show less
This PhD-research is conducted to test the hypothesis that Gutenberg and consorts developed a standardised and even unitised system for the production of textura type, and that this system was... Show moreThis PhD-research is conducted to test the hypothesis that Gutenberg and consorts developed a standardised and even unitised system for the production of textura type, and that this system was extrapolated for the production of roman type in Renaissance Italy. For roman type, Humanistic handwriting was moulded into a prefixed standardised system already developed for the production of gothic type. This was possible because there is an intrinsic morphological relationship between the structures of the written textura quadrata and the Humanistic minuscule. Renaissance typographic patterning was in part determined by prerequisites for the production of type. The typographic conventions are not purely the result of optical preferences predating the invention of movable type but are also the result of the standardisation of characters in the Renaissance type production. By mapping the underlying harmonic and rhythmic aspects, we gain more insight into what exactly the creative process in type design comprises, and what its constraints are. Furthermore, it makes the parameterisation of digital type-design processes possible. Show less
“Computers have rendered us all gods of type, a privilege we could never have anticipated in the age of the typewriter.” Simon Garfield states this in his book Just My Type: A Book About Fonts. The... Show more“Computers have rendered us all gods of type, a privilege we could never have anticipated in the age of the typewriter.” Simon Garfield states this in his book Just My Type: A Book About Fonts. The fact that one can scroll through the pull-down typeface menu on any word processor and choose any style, made us much more familiar with typefaces and this led to us having favourite ones and ridiculing others. Helvetica for instance, is generally perceived as a typeface loved by hipsters and lazy designers. It even has its own documentary. Comic sans, another well known typeface, is an often ridiculed because of its informal character. It is said that it should never be used unless you write for children under age 10 and some people want banned all together. Typefaces, in other words, evoke some strong feelings. Garfields book is aimed at a general audience and not specifically at an academic audience and was well received, showing that there is an interest in typography among the general public. There has been some scientific research on how different typefaces shape our experience of reading too and it has become a commonplace in the design and communications field that different typefaces have different connotations and therefore have some kind of power. In this essay the proclaimed power of typefaces is explored by using the example of a recently developed typeface, Dyslexie. This is a typeface that should help people with a reading disorder read faster and with less errors. First, the main features of a typeface will be given. After that, a closer look will be taken at the Dyslexie typeface. Its main features will be discussed and research about the Dyslexie typeface will be examined to, in the end, make clear what the power of Dyslexie is. Show less
Throughout history, the design and layout of the writing support, as well as the appearance of written characters have almost always been limited by various factors. For example, the scarcity and,... Show moreThroughout history, the design and layout of the writing support, as well as the appearance of written characters have almost always been limited by various factors. For example, the scarcity and, consequently, the huge costs of parchment (and later paper for the first couple of centuries after its invention) made it economically nonsensical to use exclusively very large writing or typography. Production methods of the writing tools and the technological abilities at the disposal of the producers further limited the appearance of writing. The tool for writing on clay tablets, the triangular stylus, made it difficult to draw curves or round drawings in clay which resulted in wedge-like impressions in cuneiform writing. These limitations eventually led to standardization, just as the idea of using movable type for printing with Gutenberg’s press did. The appearance of writing was soon charged with semantic meaning that could for instance demarcate Latin from the vernacular or the prestigious text from the mass-market product. Nowadays, however, many e-reading devices or internet browsers enable the reader to choose a font. In my paper, I will summarize some of the historical developments, especially in the transitional phases of the book, and argue that with the almost unlimited abilities that the digital age has to offer, the representation of typography on e-reading devices might lose its authority because of the omnipresence of options for the reader. It remains to be seen whether this will be a vital loss for readers, writers and publishers or whether the authority of typography has been overstated and is no longer needed. In my paper, I will summarize some of the historical developments, especially in the transitional phases of the book, and argue that with the almost unlimited abilities that the digital age has to offer, the representation of typography on e-reading devices might lose its authority because of the omnipresence of options for the reader. It remains to be seen whether this will be a vital loss for readers, writers and publishers or whether the authority of typography has been overstated and is no longer needed. Show less
