Typography/Jan Tschichold

Jan Tschichold was one of the foremost typographers of the twentieth century. The son of a German signwriter, he played a key role in defining and propagandising modern typographic principles. He pioneered the systematic combination of photography with text for graphic impact. Tschichold was notable throughout his life for formulating general rules and guidance for quality standards based on a profound historical and skill based knowledge of script, lettering, type technology and the arts of book production.

A full list of his achievements would include: His teaching; his collection and dissemination of the best examples of work by his avante-garde peers, his manifesto, The New Typography, his own creative work in posters, books, his body of writings on typography, the Penguin Composition Rules which had a historic impact in raising the quality of book production, post Second World War, his pioneering work for emerging type technologies.

A master of traditional historical design style, while also a proponent of modernist design principles, he left a legacy which still contributes to the teaching of the highest quality of humanist production values and the avant garde exploration of design in communicating social progress.

Many typographers and graphic designers regard him as the greatest typographer of the twentieth century and in key respects a founder and champion of the professional practise of graphic design.

Tschichold, Mclean, Burke, Hollis

TimMartin 09:11, 26 June 2009 (UTC) Tim Martin