Looking Closer 3

Going through the relevant essays in Looking Closer 3, key statements were identified that can and will be used for both arguments on the success of ugly design. Analysis is limited due to the essays being written in first person and as opinions. Therefore the aim here is to find similar ideologies in designers on typography, to demonstrate that modernist principles that has remained until now and the dismissal of ugly design. 

The New Typography Lazlo Moholy-Nagy 1923

In this essay Moholy-Nagy establishes New Typography as efficient clarity purged of aesthetic distraction. He makes it clear to the reader of the roles of typography and how one should use it. Straying from these rules is a failure in typography. 

"The emphasis must be on absolute clarity since this distinguishes the character of our own writing from that of ancient pictographic forms."
"Therefore priority: unequivocal clarity in all typographical compositions. Legibility - communication must never be impaired by an priori aesthetics. Letters may never be forced into a preconceived framework, for instance a square."

These two statements on legibility goes against the style of experimental design and can be used for the argument against the success of ugly design. 

What is New Typogrpahy? Walter Dexel

"The goal of the new typography is an objective and impersonal presentation, free of individuality." 
"Our highest aim is legibility, and our best type is the one which everybody can decipher quickly."
"The message has to be clear, objective and very short." 
"Well conceived typography transmits a pleasing effect of balance and harmony apart from its contents, which may not be the aim of art, but shows skill and high-quality workmanship."

Dexel also stresses that design cannot be art and that the public do not care for it. He explains this using an example of "such-and-such cigarette costs fifty cents, art is not the question". 

Philosophy in Modernism In Typography Douglas C. McMurtrie

"Typography has become a medium of communication for the people as a whole and not solely for some select group." This is an important point as it implicitly highlights how typography should aim for total legibility and objectivity. By doing so, it allows for type to communicate to almost everyone unlike ugly design. The subjectivity, implicit reasonings and chaotic style of post modernism lowers legibility and thus lowers the amount of people who can understand the design's purpose. This aligns with McMurtrie's point of how design cannot only appeal to a select audience. 

"Clarity is the essential feature of modern typography."

"Pretty layouts on the one hand, and exceedingly bizarre arrangements on the other, are to be frowned upon as diverting attention from the message itself to the physical form of its typography, which is considered not as an end in itself, but only as a message be read." In this point McMurtrie is identifying how superficial design, or in some instances ugly design, creates its own downfall. The lack of legibility reduces the purpose of typography delivering its message. By eliminating this purpose the point of its design has failed. Therefore superficial design has no purpose if the legibility of typography is sacrificed for subjective means.  

Thinking practically, McMurtrie's point on ornamentation can be a possible design element for a possible ugly poster design. "The only purpose of ornament is to make of the layout an attractive picture, which is not a proper aim, as the sole object should be to get the printed story comprehended by the reader". 

"Finally, in modern typography, we are to depend on ourselves alone for the working out of any typographic problem, and not depend on the solutions or practices of another age. We are to do our creative work in the spirit of the present and to let it be truly expressive of our interpretation of the message we are transmitting to readers through the medium of type." In this point it can be inferred that the rationales behind post modernist design can be supported as they are created in the present time when post modernism was gaining exposure. However there is a fallacy in this argument as post modernism is based on breaking the rules of Modernism therefore it has an influence which does not make it truly modern. 

New Life In Print Jan Tschichold

Typography signifies the usual ordering of given elements on a plane surface.
The sole aim of design is to create harmonious ordering of the practical requirements.
"The method of New Typography is based upon a clear realisation of purpose and the best means of achieving."
The chief demand of New Typography is most ideal adaption to purpose

In this essay Jan Tschichold raises a point in how typography had to reinvent itself to fit the demands of modern business. Typography had to be changed to make itself "more visually attractive and varied in design" whilst achieving a simpler and a "more easily realisble constructive form". Through this point, Tschichold brings up Dadaism which at the time was pioneering the reinvention of how we view and read type. Interestingly, despite Dadaism's chaotic visuals, Tschichold praises the movement stating that "Dadaism is looked upon as sheer idiocy as many who have not taken the trouble to understand its dynamic". In this regard, it can be said that ugly design can be likened to that of Dadaism. Ugly design is often viewed as ugly at first glances however by understanding the rationales through the designers themselves, the style is easier to understand. However the flaw in this argument is that Dadaism did not last and New typography did in much the same way ugly design is regarded as a trend but elements of modernism is still evident in design today.

 Towards a Universal Typeface Herbert Bayer

Bayer explains his requirements for a new alphabet which inspired an possible idea for the practical work. His requirements were that it had to have a geometric foundation of each letter made up of a few basic elements, uniform thickness of all part of the letter and the renunciation of all suggestions of up and down strokes. These requirements can be used when creating a typeface for a poster design. 

Whats New in American Typography Herb Lubalin

 'Ugly' type in American design can be attributed to the shift in design treatment in advertising. A need for experimentation with the new graphic forms in advertising was from increasing competition in product marketing in the US. The advertisers were creating similar designs that reflected the ads of their competitors. It was difficult to stand out therefore a new way of setting type was experimented with. This caused critical opinions from traditional typographers who shunned the "elimination of leading between the lines and removal of letterspacing" to name some examples. This results in a "loss of a certain amount of legibility" but it comes with justification. This experimentation has led to many classifying modern American typography as ugly. 

This point can be used as an area to explore for the practical work and as visual examples to support this claim by Lubalin.


                                                                                                                                                                

What also is to consider is how these designers were taught. In most cases modernist typographers were taught the modernist way of designing which leads to their opinions on the matter. however designers who were designed differently, Keedy etc, were taught in academies that did not stress modernism enough and allowed for experimentation to flourish. therefore how and where they were taught does have an impact on how they view the role of typography should be.