Lecture
I thought Colohon Foundry was really interesting talking about the typeface for the Welsh government. It was interesting how they started by looking at Medieval typefaces and used this as inspiration to create a modern, beautiful type. I will use that as inspiration when looking at typefaces in the future because I think it is a solid process that respects the past as well as moving forward.
I really enjoyed the talk from Lance Wyman about the Mexico 68 Olympic design. The part I found the most interesting is how the identity was used by students to protest the very government that funded the development of the identity in the first place. Politics and design is a combination that fascinates me and the way they turned it around and used it against them was really inspiring. I loved how Lance Wyman said that that was the part that sticks with him.
Workshop Challenge
This week we want you to use your visual research into letterforms from Week 1 to create a new and unique piece of illustrative typography. Do not forget to document your visual developments, and be experimental with form and legibility to create something entirely new.
Use the DNA of your initial visual research from Week 1 to create a new and unique piece of typography that spells out the name of your town or city.
Your new title lettering should reflect the identity of your town or city.
Consider the interplay between provenance and historical story, in contrast to more strategic alignment to a design’s positioning.
The subliminal power of city fonts
This Guardian article explores the relationship between cities and their fonts. [1] In the article, Bramely describes the way a typeface can help to change the attitude of the people within the city which in turn inspires them to act differently and change the city itself. This links back to my research on Berlin from week 1, can design and more specifically typography, be used to change the way a city is seen or is it more successful when it represents what that city is actually like?
For example, my current place is Wandsworth. From the exterior it is seen as an area currently being gentrified, home to young professionals and young families with extortionate rent and overpriced coffee. However, what if I wanted to change the way Wandsworth is seen and therefore change the way Wandsworth is? Could I use a typeface to make it into a hipster paradise or dive into the history and again make it a safe place for refugees? I want to experiment with this this week, I don't only want to represent the current Wandsworth but I also want to comment on what I think Wandsworth has the potential to be.
WANDSWORTH WRITTEN IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO PROVOKE DIFFERENT FEELINGS
History of Wandsworth
When looking into Wandsworth the part I found the most interesting was he fact it has been a hub for immigrants and refugees since early 16th Century. Personally one of my favourite things about Wandsworth is the multicultural feel and the fact that it is a melting pot of culture. To me this is where modern day Wandsworth really began - with people bringing their skills and expertise from Holland for better economic opportunities in the early 16th century. This is a tradition which has continued through the centuries and it proudly stands today as a safe haven for people from all different backgrounds and from all over the world.
The Dutch Connection
Wandsworth became home to many Dutch refugees and immigrants in the 1570s. Of these more than half had arrived in the city as religious refugees, who had fled to avoid persecution in the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg). The rest had come for economic opportunities and brought useful skills to the city. These included master weavers, brewers, craftsmen, glassblowers, tile-makers engravers, instrument makers, portrait makers and sculptors etc. who brought valuable expertise to the growing population of the city.
Towards the end of the 17th century there came a second influx of Dutch settlers to the city, when King William and Queen Mary brought with them a large number of bankers, artists, merchants, noblemen, courtiers, architects and garden designers from Holland. The number of Dutch immigrants increased even more later when London proved to be safe haven during the time of the Batavian Revolution at the end of the eighteenth century, and during World War II when Hitler invaded the Low Countries. [4]
Alot of the Dutch immigrants and refugees in Wandsworth in the 16th C were metal workers. I went into the Wandsworth Library to look through the archives and ended up talking to a local history enthusiast who told me the Dutch came over and set up metal workshops all over Wandsworth which is why to this day it has a lot of metal work shops. This is an interesting place to start with the typeface and the start of immigration I believe is the start of Wandsworth as we know it today.
Bara Typeface
Bara is inspired by the carved, incised metal types of the Dutch Golden Age. It is not a historical revival, but a loose interpretation of a typeface found in The steadfast tin soldier by Joh. It dates to early 16th Century Holland, shortly before the first immigrants came to Wandsworth to start a new life. I think this will be an interesting start for my illustrative typeface as this is where I believe modern Wandsworth began.
Narrow and elegant, it defines a new all-purpose text family while preserving some particularities of the original metal type. At text sizes, Bara gives text a pleasant, slightly darker texture; at larger sizes, it draws attention to its warm, unorthodox details, such as the abruptly ended strokes of ‘e’ or the ‘c’. [5]
World War II
I also found out that during World War II Wandsworth was heavily bombed, with a lot of the buildings being destroyed, especially in Battersea. The idea of Wandsworth being being deconstructed and rebuilt I think is very interesting. If Wandsworth hadn't been home to so many immigrants and refugees would it be anything like the place it is today? Has the melting pot of culture had more of a chance to embed itself in the community because it was integral to the rebuilding of Wandsworth?
This image [3] shows the number of bombs dropped during the Second World War in the borough of Wandsworth. It was a little harrowing realising one dropped almost directly on top of where I live now. I also found BBC archives which have collated people's first hand experiences during the war and they are quite touching. I managed to find the Wandsworth specific archives and found this story:
A group of housewives were chatting together in the shade, sheltering from the fierce sun beneath the railway bridge crossing Battersea High Street that very hot day in May 1940. We three twelve year old boys were approaching the bridge having come out of school an hour or so before. We had been enjoying the hustle of the shops and stalls of the High Street and were now making our ways home. We heard the noise of an approaching train.
This was the West London Extension line linking the south of England with the midlands and north, here crossing the Thames from Battersea to Chelsea. Normally there was little traffic and Battersea Station was closed for the duration, but for the last couple of days trains had been coming through regularly, but always from the south. People along the route stopped, watched them go by and waved if a soldier happened to lean from a carriage window. Yesterday a soldier threw some coins as we children waved. We scrambled for them in the gutter and I picked up the first foreign coin I had ever seen, a brass and shining 1 Franc piece. My pal found a coin with a hole drilled through it. He thought it had been shot, but at school our master said it was a way the French changed the value of coins.
There must have been a signal since the driver applied the brakes and in a flurry of dust and steam the train squealed to a halt. The engine now well over the bridge began panting and puffing as it paused in the sunshine reflecting the exertion of pulling a large number of carriages. The housewives came out from under the bridge and with us lads and a few more passers by together we looked up at the stationary train. The carriage windows were down obviously the passengers needed the cooler air, and to our surprise a soldier appeared. A head of unkempt hair, a grimey face and a scruffy army tunic. Eyes blinking from the sunshine he looked down on our silent group.
The youngest of the housewives called up to him, "Are you all right?" The soldier looked at us, at the houses and shops as if in a dream. He struggled to reply, then said, "I'm gasping for a fag."
"Cigarette? Yes I've got one." The young lady opened her handbag and extracted a packet. She lifted her arm as if to throw the packet up to the soldier but realised that it would be futile, the bridge perhaps 30-feet up, a lightweight packet could'nt be thrown that far. Thinking quickly she called, "I'll bring these up to you," and she walked over to the side of the bridge and tried to climb the steep embankment. A daunting task. She looked at us boys. "You lads, come over here and help me up." It was a command.We moved quickly but then I paused since nailed to the wall of the embankment was a notice.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED
"Don't just stand there. Come on." She was very determined and I obeyed. But others had also moved over to the ypung lady. They were offering packets of cigarettes. "Take these." A packet of Players thrust into her bag. "And these." Woodbines, Craven A, Park Drive, a dozen packets for the soldiers.
So we heaved, pulled and tugged and to the cheers and encouragement of many soldiers now leaning from windows we got up onto the track. That lady didn't stop, she moved onto the bridge with us lads in close pursuit, to where our first soldier was leaning from the carriage window. Taking a packet from her bag she reached up, he opened the carriage door and greatfully took the cigarettes. The remaining packets were distributed in a flash. A sergeant had jumped down onto the trackside and told us in no uncertain terms to go back down. He emphasised that it was dangerous and we began to edge away. However the lady stood her ground and we heard her ask if there were any Air Force men on the train. "My husband was over there, I've not heard from him...." "RAF," the sergeant snarled, "they flew home days ago."
Suddenly she looked helpless, miserable. I felt somebody tugging my sleeve. My pal was pointing down the line of carriages. Through the dust I could see he was pointing to a blue clad figure leaning from a carriage window. "Look missus, RAF!" Together we ran. Through the murk of the dust and steam, up off the track, on to the wooden platform of Battersea Station, past several carriages, and then.... this was blue but not RAF blue, it was the blue of the French Army uniform. The lady moved over on to a platform seat and I think she began to weep. I decided it was time to go home.
A chain of people now climbed the embankment from street level, passing the contents of shopping bags, cigarettes, drinks, food, for the benefit of the waiting troops. A policeman seemed to be supervising the distribution and as I passed he winked and said, "Well done, lad."
Mum asked me where I had been when I got home. I told her. She put on her hat. Checked her bag for cigarettes. "Where are you going mum?" I asked. "Down the High Street." [2]
I love this story because it really shows the community spirit in Wandsworth. Although it's a borough in London you get the feel that is is more of a small town, this is one of the things I love about living here.
Themes
I think the next step is to figure out the themes I would like to concentrate on when designing my illustrative typeface. From my research I have decided the themes are:
Rebuilding, resilience and safety.
I think the reason I have been so interested in Wandsworth during World War II is because of the juxtaposition between the safety of the borough, whether that is immigrants, refugees or people from here, and the lack of safety during the war. It provides a definite middle point to the borough.
Before - immigration begins and it is set up as a cultural hub for people from all over the world.
Middle - lack of safety, bombs dropping and devastation
After - rebuilding the borough after the war, having the mix of cultures actually work towards building something truly representative of the current community.
I need to come up with a way to represent both the resilience of Wandsworth and the beauty of the mix of cultures. Here goes...
Design
I really like the idea of basing this illustrative type design around the building, deconstruction and rebuilding of Wandsworth, with the Second World War being the deconstruction. I think it is a really interesting timeline that also tracks the immigration to the area over the years. I also think it reflects the community and resilience that is integral to Wandsworth, showing that no matter what happens in the Borough we can come back better.
I really like the direction this is going however I don't think the old style serif typeface works well for Wandsworth now so there needs to be some transformation from old to new as it is now a vibrant up and coming borough.. The deconstructed middle part of the word could be the perfect place for this transition. I also think there needs to be more divide between the three parts.
I really like the stacked shape of this design, it gives a very clear division between the three periods of history I am referencing. I think it's time to move to the mac to see how this can be developed further.
I like this as an initial draft - although I think the D in particular makes it quite hard to read. I still don't think the typeface is exactly what I need, it's a bit too simple and the RTH doesn't look as modern as I would like.
I have used a serif font for WAN but I have re imagined it by taking away all but the hints of the serifs. This is meant as a nod to the building of Wandsworth, it has began to turn into the place we know now but it is not completed yet. I really like the deconstructed second line (DSWO), I think it really works with showing the destruction of Wandsworth with the bombing of the Second World War. I also think the RTH looks far more abstract and modern which is exactly what I am going for.
I could possibly add some construction lines to the piece, showing it is still not at its full potential.
I don't actually think the construction lines add anything to this design, instead I like the subtle hint at the building of Wandsworth.
Brian Barnes
I like this design however I think the current Wandsworth isn't represented as strongly as it should be. I want to experiment with this and see how I could do this. My initial thought was of Brian Barnes. He is an artist from Wandsworth (Battersea specifically) who designed murals all over the city, based on the community of London. He focused on the working class and what they would want to see as well as the contributions they have made to society. His art has a realistic view but includes oddly placed items like the swimmers right next to the bus driver meeting, showing the different elements of the place.
I think this would be great to include because not only is Brian a product of Wandsworth and spent his career commenting on life in the borough, but it also reflects the everyday people who make it the place it is and who helped build it back up from the rubble. The bright colours also add an element of modernity to it and reference the vibrancy of Wandsworth today.
The image I have chosen from Brian Barnes is called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It shows the real residents of Wandsworth going about their daily lives and represents the working class people who build up the community. I think this is the perfect image to use because it represents not only the people who built Wandsworth in the past but also those who are continuing to build it today.
Final Piece
Summary
My final piece represents the movement of Wandsworth through time. From the first Dutch immigrants to arrive in Wandsworth, beginning the multicultural melting pot, through the destruction of the Second World War, levelling the borough, to the modern, vibrant, multicultural place it is to this day. The design represents it being cut from metal (as a nod to the first immigrants in Wandsworth - the Dutch Metalworkers) with local artist Brian Barnes' depiction of the borough used inside the type. Barnes focussed on the working class people and the contribution they make to the city which I thought was the perfect message for my piece about Wandsworth.
I am really pleased with my final outcome, the research I did really helped me come up with something that is not only unique but also shows the journey of Wandsworth. I think the main lesson I have learned from this is the important of the initial research but also not to get stuck down a well of constant research. I think this week I spent too much time reading about Wandsworth rather than applying this to the design stage meaning I overran on time. I think balance is very important and it is an important lesson to learn.
Overall though I am really happy with the piece. I think the inclusion of the local artist Brian Barnes helped me to refine it and add the extra layer to the illustrative typography. I learned this week that Wandsworth is actually far more interesting than I thought and there is a hive of culture all around me that I take for granted. This workshop challenge has opened my eyes to things I have never noticed and really made me think about how type can tell a story in just one word.
References
[1] Bramley, E . (2015). The subliminal power of city fonts. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jan/13/subliminal-power-city-fonts-typeface-design. Last accessed 1/2/22.
[2] Childs, L R. (2005). A Cigarette for a Soldier. Available: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/53/a4194353.shtml. Last accessed 4/2/22.
[3] Bomb Sight. (2005). Bombs dropped in the borough of: Wandsworth. Available: http://bombsight.org/explore/greater-london/wandsworth/. Last accessed 4/2/22.
[4] Anastasiya. (2016). London’s historic Dutch connection. Available: https://www.themontcalmlondoncity.co.uk/blog/londons-historic-dutch-connection-the-dutch-church/. Last accessed 4/2/22.
[5] Typotheque. (2018). Bara. Available: https://www.typotheque.com/fonts/bara/about. Last accessed 4/2/22.
[6] 1000 Londoners, (2015), The man behind South London's murals, Uploaded 20 Aug 2015, Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASpA3Mb1Hrg. Last accessed 5/2/22
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