TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

Brief
A poster is a printed announcement or advertisement that is exhibited publicly. Posters may include both textual and graphic information, and are meant to be eye-catching while communicating a specific message. In poster design, textual information is usually arranged according to a set of typographic rules, which display information in a simple and organized matter. These rules include the choice of a typeface, the hierarchy of design elements, the application of a grid system, and the degree of legibility. Although there are a large number of available typefaces, most designers limit themselves to use only a few common typefaces such as Helvetica, Futura, Gill Sans, Univers, Franklyn Gothic among sans-serifs and Caslon, Bodoni, Garamond, Baskerville, Bembo among serifs. The hierarchy of elements in poster design refers to the various techniques used to emphasize textual or graphic information in the order of importance. Grid systems are set of geometric rules for arranging information on a page. They were created by typographers to simplify their designs and deliver information efficiently. Legibility refers to font selection, kerning, leading and spacing on a page. All these rules help the design process but, in my opinion, they also limit creative freedom and can produce generic design solutions. Typographic Chaos is a project that aims to manipulate text as a typographic image in order to convey an idea through poster design. I intend to break the typography rules described above in order to examine the relationship between textbased information and the graphic component of a poster. The first stage of this project will be constructing sculpture-like objects that take the form of lettering by using different materials, such as metal, wood, and paper. My final product will be a set of printed posters created by photographing these tri-dimensional installations.
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Typographic Chaos emphasizes the importance of experimentation, and finding new approaches beyond various typographic systems, to solve design problems. It pushes the limits of communication by examining how an audience perceives and reacts to the subject matter. It utilizes three-dimensional space in order to achieve more variations of design. As a result, Typographic Chaos will not only promote creativity but will also help to form a better visual communication with an audience. In order to understand how to break the rules, one must first know the rules and effective ways to use them. Therefore, the research for this project includes looking back at different designers such as Jan Tschichold, Armin Hofmann, Josef Muller-Brockmann, Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, and David Carson. In addition, this research includes a comparison and analysis of various styles and approaches by these designers and their solutions to problems of creativity and communication. For example, Jan Tschichold, who started as a minimalist designer, favored a few select typefaces for all of his works. He was one of the first designers to address grid systems and create a set of typographic rules in order to quickly and easily convey information. Studying Tschichold and his contemporaries helped me to understand why such strict typographic rules were created and whether it is possible to break them and still create meaningful designs. Alternatively, the works of David Carson are very expressive and challenge standard typographic rules in order to produce more creative and unique designs. When designing, Carson sacrifices legibility, hierarchy, and grid systems to allow more freedom for the visual composition. David Carson, Paula Scher, and Stefan Sagmeister inspired me to experiment with typography and to look for solutions beyond the accepted rules.
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1 Encyclopdia Britannica Online, s.v. Poster, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/472127/poster (accessed September 27, 2011). 2 Ruari McLean, Typography, In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ subscriber/article/grove/art/T086759 (accessed September 28, 2011). 3 David Carson: Type Designer, TED, http://www.ted.com/speakers/david_carson.html (accessed September 28, 2011).

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Bibliography
Carter, Rob. Typographic Design: Form and Communication. Hoboken: Wiley, 2002. David Carson: Type Designer. In TED. http://www.ted.com/speakers/david_carson.html (accessed Sep tember 28, 2011). Elam, Kimberly. Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type (Design Briefs). Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004. Elam, Kimberly. Typographic Systems of Design. Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press, 2007. Fl@33. The 3D Type Book. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2011. Hollis, Richard. Swiss Graphic Design: The Origins and Growth of an International Style 1920-1965. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2011. McLean, Ruari. Typography. In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/ art/T086759 (accessed September 28, 2011). Poster. Encyclopdia Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/472127/poster (accessed September 27, 2011). Samara, Timothy. Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop. Minneapolis: Rockport Publishers, 2005.

Vladimir Golosiy

Researched Works made according to strict typographic rules: based on grid systems, have a hierarchy of information and design elements, use
similar typefaces, poses a certain degree of legibility.

Armin Hofmann

Jan Tschichold

Theo Ballmer

Max Bill

Josef Mueller Brockman

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

Researched Works made with a minimal use of typographic rules: dont rely on grid systems, hierarchy becomes less important, typeface choices
are greatly vary, legibility diminishes.

Paula Scher

David Carson

Oded Ezer

Neville Brody

Stefan Sagmeister

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

Concepts Sketches

Main focus: Grid

Main focus: Legibility

Main focus: Grid & Legibility

Main focus: Grid, Legibility & Hierarchy

Main focus: Grid

Main focus: Legibility

Main focus: Typeface Choice

Main focus: Grid, Legibility & Hierarchy

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Revised Sketches

Materials: Paper & Ink

Materials: Paper

Materials: Paper

Materials: Metal Wire

Materials: Paper

Materials: Push Pins

Materials: Ink, Fabric & Cardboard

Materials: Clay

Vladimir Golosiy

William Shakespeare Public Theatre

Materials: Fabric, Ink, Cardboard Description: The words William Shakespeare Public Theatre are cardboard cut outs in the form of a staircase. The red fabric includes handwritten names of different characters from Shakespeares plays. Concept: This poster focuses on custom typeface selection, the absence of a defined grid and challenges legibility. Fabric covers half of the cardboard to hide actual words. The combination of words on the fabric and hidden text underneath, complete the meaning of the poster without explicitly revealing it.

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

99% Ink
Materials: India ink, Paper Description: The three dimensional letters are made out of white paper stock. They are covered in India ink, which was gradually poured on them from above creating drips and splashes for the composition. Concept: This poster experiments with letterform and positive & negative spaces. Ink is spilled on top of white letters positioned against a white background, thus defining the letterform. Positive and negative spaces interact with each other and alter the viewers perception of the subject matter.

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

A Simple Solution
Materials: Colored Cardboard Description: This poster is made of two layers of cardboard, one with a red background and the other with a yellow-blue foreground. The top layer has cutout letterforms, where each letter is made by cutting out a part of it and folding it to complete a recognizable shape of a letter. Following the same method, the blue triangles are cut and folded to make a square. Concept: The main focus here is grid and legibility. The arrangement of letters along with the mix of colors channels the viewers eye from a shape to text and present a meaningful and interesting composition even without the need for a grid or defined legibility guidelines.

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

Freedom
Materials: Metal Wires Description: The word Freedom is made out of different types of metal wire and arranged to create an aesthetic composition. The light source is positioned so that each wire casts a shadow onto a white background, thus multiplying the effect of randomness and disorganization. Concept: All typographic rules are broken in this example: hierarchy of elements, font selection, grid alignment, and legibility. Even without all those elements, the poster conveys a clear message through a visually pleasing composition.

TYPOGRAPHIC CHAOS

Vladimir Golosiy

Milton Glaser Quote

Materials: Cardboard, Push-Pins Description: 1836 colored push-pins are arranged across the cardboard. The quote Computers are to design as microwaves are to cooking by Milton Glaser, is emphasized with different color pins, while the background has similar color pins. Concept: Although the pins are arranged according to a grid the legibility in this poster is extremely challenging. The color difference is just enough to separate the background and the text. The poster offers different visual experiences depending on the viewers position away from it.

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Vladimir Golosiy

Choose Your Side

Materials: Clay, Thread, Paper, Fabric, Metal Description: The cutout words are suspended by colored threads like figures in the hands of a puppeteer. Words relating to Democrats have blue threads, Republicans have red threads. The clay words Choose Your Side positioned on the black table below, are calling the viewer to action. Concept: This poster experiments with typography without using a grid. The words are arranged randomly without applying any layout calculations. They exist and interact in harmony with non-typographic objects to create a unique combination.

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