Talking Type Resource
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London transport museum Talking type Teachers notes What makes a font stand out? What makes a font stand out? How do fronts tell us things about the words we are reading? Discover the story behind Transport for London’s iconic Johnston Font. Explore how fonts are created, designed and chosen. Follow our design brief to create a front of your own. You will use this as the title for a poem you will write, inspired by our Poems on the Underground program. This activity can help your learners: • Learn about the iconic Johnston Font. • Explore methods for designing font • Discover new design terminology • Explore the Poems on the Underground • Communicate meaning through design I Johnston font Francis Pick, the Chief Executive at London Transport commissioned Edward Johnston to create a brand new font in 1913. Johnston created the Johnston’s Standard Block Lettering for the Underground which has guided Londoners and visitors for over 100 years. Johnston also designed the famous London Underground ‘bullseye’ symbol, which today we know as the Roundel. Pick was one of the first people to really think about ‘branding’. He wanted a bold and modern font not just to be the face of the Underground, but of London. He did not want the signage to be confused with advertising. He wanted a font that would make it easy to find stations and navigate through them, to help avoid accidents and communicate easily with people so that they had a pleasant experience using the network. Johnstone font is sometimes Edward Johnston, typographer, 1902 called the first ‘people’s typeface’ Johnstone font is described as ‘the most revolutionary and inspirational of twentieth- century letterforms.’ What is it about this font ABCDEFGHI that makes that true? JKLMNOPQ The Johnston front, or typeface, is a sans serif font, meaning it has no extra parts or flourishes added. Rsruvwx However it has a few noticeable features that have a playful element that designers love. YZI?&{) The letter ‘o’ is almost a perfect circle l234567890 The lower case ‘l’ as a little flick, like a boot The dot on top on the ‘i’ and ‘j’ is a diamond, ABCDEFGHIJ rather than a circle sruvwxvzKLMNOPQR l234567890 &?l(), London transport e museum ~ .*I~ ,,,. {> / .. Poems on the Underground Poems featured in Tube carriages have been Poems on the Underground highlights a big hit with the public. The project was classical, contemporary and international launched in 1986, following an idea from the work, by both famous and relatively American writer Judith Chernaik, to bring unknown poets. It has been a great success poetry to a wider audience. and has inspired similar schemes in cities around the world, from New York to The programme helps to make journeys Shanghai. It’s proved to be a great way more stimulating and inspiring by of introducing the public to poetry, with showcasing a range of poetry in Tube train passengers often wanting to read more. carriages across London. The poems are selected by Judith Chernaik and poets You can explore these here George Szirtes and Imtiaz Dharker. poemsontheunderground.org/ c.,all alHiator long-moUth. o 'I A' I galO lOR c,11.ll. allig~t,or sa..,-moutli 'Ii 10 cross River call J'l.lligflto1' pll:.sh_y-!Jlc;n1tli call alligat,r;,r .sd.ss"":rs-wo1tth. eall a_lligatal" ra.aglt'.OJ•Jt10U.dl Cell allisatol" bl,1m.pj'•l:r1l.Jl1 ca.11 allis;a.tor all delll Nd'l> ..roir,cl but beaer wail . (ill 'J~ cross J."lvsel"- • .,... atps,:I r-1,~,;ir,i ~ llllmm- • c1-, •J..,..-,11 I _...., Design brief Your challenge Write a poem for Poem’s on the Underground that tells story about a journey you’ve taken. You’ll need to create your own unique font for the poem title that is inspired by the words. Posters audience People travelling to work or school on the tube. Poem’s purpose: To inspire people as they travel on the tube. London transport to e museum yment I Activities Activity 1: poem Write a poem which says something about your life. The poem can be in any style you like but must be at least 5 lines. Your poem could be about a place, or a journey. You might like to write about something you do everyday, or about a really special memory. You could write about a friend, a family member, or even a dream! Activity 2: font design Materials: • Tracing paper (and/or carbon paper) • Cut paper • Card • Scissors • Glue • Neoprene (if not you can experiment with cardboard or even another fabric) • Rollers • Water washable block printing ink or paint • Paper to print or draw final work onto We want you to create your own font. You will use this font to create the title for the poem you have written. Is it a poem about the sea – can you make the letters in the title look like waves? Is it a poem about a zoo – can you make the letters look like animals? Think about what your font will tell people about your poem? London transport e museum Our talking type livestream introduces some basic elements of typography and techniques based on traditional printing and Letterpress. You’ll be able to create your own printing blocks For this process: 1. Cut your letters out of card, neoprene or fabric 2. Roll with ink or use a paintbrush to cover your letterpress in paint 3. Stamp out your title on your paper If you are using the letterpress technique remember your letters will all need to be backwards. Font’s purpose: To compliment your poem so that readers understand the tone and feeling of the poem. Explore the collection to see some examples from our collection about how other artists have used font to communicate their ideas. Share your poems and fonts with us at #iheartltm London transport to e museum yment I Explore the collection loit.-Nbb.fr.llli!*k.Jlltiltif.t.lM' ~iX,6 &Plll;f~H'IF-;.rM~W~~$1bP1,JXAJ.•'"""*'1.i;l,i;,l,l'lilli~'SaiU1 miMIJ!JlliWtiidtfJl'w!Mftpatcrl l'IIIVl!tt.-W.;'tiltMII....,.,,.,.. ~ platform Pllifo,J,1,,.r.,N >hott. 1.~ hl'Uf'litNl'i~ •nt,c,at;rn:i,wr.d[~.«tt~tl'pr. art MAYOR Transport ,of .LONDON for London e·------- ,·- Ron’s eel and shellfish, by Bob and Roberta Smith, 2006 Every journey saved the traveller 30p, unknown, 2003 London transport to e museum yment ~ .*I~ 9 ,,,. {> / .. 11"1:-ark litd1n~r QI\ 10 W' V!'tltlMiJt~ "!*i, ~~ platform Co!~ tho i ...'11 'lil:n,;; c,6l )lo!, Vp,-S.,-, C "8r..oiwlc.r- a1rt MAYOR OF LONDON Transport for London e Oh! to be weightless again, by Mark Titchner, 2003 London to transport e museum yment London after dark, by Andy Spencer, 2015 London transport to e museum yment ~ .*I~ ,,,. {> / .. 0i!lil1"'1- ru... v __ Mi<'INfik.-~. 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