I was researching for hand drawn typography. The first artist I could think about is Joseph Churchward.
Joseph Churchward is a Samoan-born graphic designer whose fonts are used the world over. You’ve probably encountered his work through opticians’ eye charts, which his hand-lettering skills helped to create. Through pencil sketches, print negatives, photographs, and newspaper clippings, this new, eye-opening exhibition in the Ilott Room, Level 4 brings the intricacies of Churchward’s art into public view for the first time.
Churchward recalls drawing letters in the sand as a child growing up in Samoa, where he was born in 1933. He is from the ‘aiga (family) Sā Anae and the villages of Faleasiu and Tufulele.
In 1946, when he was 13, Churchward left Samoa to attend Miramar South School in Wellington, New Zealand. Two years later he gained an Art Distinction Award in Lettering from Wellington Technical College and, shortly after, began work as a commercial artist.
In 1969, he founded Churchward International Typefaces, which became New Zealand’s largest typesetting firm. A leading German company, Berthold Fototypes, accepted some of his fonts for international distribution, and they were soon in use throughout the world.
To date, Churchward has handcrafted over 570 original typefaces – the most by any individual. His fonts feature on billboards, record sleeves, newspapers, and in digital media. One is used for the title of Te Papa’s exhibition Tangata o le Moana: The story of Pacific people in New Zealand. Churchward’s skill in hand-lettering was also used to help create the mastheads for The Evening Post and The Dominion Postnewspapers.
Churchward’s typefaces are now digitally distributed and rub shoulders with the world’s favourites. Now aged 75, he still continues to create new fonts. A biography of his extraordinary life and work is due for release later in 2008.
I really into hand drawn typography.I think hand drawn typography keeping real with creative skills. The ones you do by hand . The computer however doing the software is today,is not able to get the texture a handmade piece of artwork has. I think using hand drawn typography for a project is beautiful and make it stand out in the crowd. All the hand drawn typography can be a great piece of Art.
sources:
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/WhatsOn/exhibitions/Pages/LetterManJosephChurchward.aspx
I agree with your very last statement!
ReplyDeleteHand-drawn typography also adds a personal and meaningful touch to the work which makes it so much more beautiful and unique. I like how Joseph Churchward's typefaces are inspired using polynesian patterns, and also after certain people in his life. So it's almost like each font he creates has an inspirational backstory from moments in his life.