Bodoni - Nathan Gitter

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Bodoni
an inside look
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Bodoni —An Inside Look
Giambattista
Bodoni
A twenty-eight-year-old Bodoni was asked
to take charge of the Stamperia Reale, the
official press of Ferdinand, Duke of Parma.
Bodoni accepted and became the private
printer to the court. He printed official
documents and publications desired by the
Duke, in addition to projects conceived
and initiated by Bodoni. His initial design
influence was Fournier le Jeune, whose
foundry supplied type and ornaments to the
Stamperia Reale after Bodoni took charge.
The quality of Bodoni’s design and printing,
even though scholarship and proofreading
were sometimes lacking, created a growing
international reputation. In 1790, the Vatican invited Bodoni to Rome to establish a
press for printing the classics there, but the
Duke countered with an offer of expanded
facility and a privilege of printing for other
clients. Bodoni elected to remain in Parma.
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Opposite
Above
The cover page for Giambattista Bodoni’s Typography Manual. The text on this page is of course,
set in the Bodoni typeface. Originally published
in 1818, this book contains hundreds of pages of
example type at different sizes, as well as borders
and patterns for use with the typeface.
A portrait of Giambattista Bodoni (1714–1813),
the original creator of the Bodoni typeface.
A museum to honor his work was established
in Parma, Italy in 1963.
1
O
Bodoni —An Inside Look
Origins
Bodoni was no revolutionary. The modern
roman style, which is attributed to him, did
not, as many would believe, spring forth as
if by magic. While the letters he cut and the
books he printed were more refined and of
exceptionally higher quality than most of
the work originating before or during his
lifetime, it would be difficult to classify any
of Bodoni’s efforts as fundamentally new.
When he was young, the work of John Baskerville served as his ideal; when he opened
his first printing office for the Duke of Parma, Bodoni did so with type from Fournier.
In later years, the work of his great Parisian
competitor, Francois Didot, influenced him
dramatically. Bodoni was always, in some
manner, dependent on the work of other,
bolder contemporaries. Yet despite these influences, he was not a copyist. A comparison
of Bodoni’s type to Didot’s two designs that
on the surface may appear virtually identical
is a perfect example. There are distinct
similarities in their work, and Bodoni surely
studied Didot’s designs very carefully, but
a close examination reveals that Bodoni’s
weight transitions are more gradual and
his serifs still maintain a slight degree of
bracketing. There is even hint of “old style”
in Bodoni’s work. He followed Didot’s lead,
carefully evaluating the designs of his great
competitor, consciously remaining, however, always just slightly behind the radical
modernism of his contemporary. Perhaps
this explains to some degree the longevity
of Bodoni’s type designs. They were radical
enough to be considered new and different
(to establish for Bodoni an important and
influential place in current typographic circles), but not so different that they became
the 18th-century versions of fad designs.
Bodoni
Baskerville
Bodoni 35 pt.
Baskerville 35 pt.
Here are samples of the Bodoni, Baskerville, and
Didot typefaces, each set at 35 point. Although
quite similar in nature, there are significant
differences, such as the rate at which the weight
varies between parts of the letters.
2
Didot
Didot 35 pt.
John Baskerville (1706–1755), the designer
of the Baskerville typeface. This portrait
was painted by James Millar.
Firmin Didot (1764–1836), the creator of the
Didot typeface. This painting is Portrait of
Firmin Didot, made by Anne-Louis Girodet
de Rouecy-Trioson in 1823.
These are Bodoni’s
original sketches
during the design
process of his typeface.
Most of the capital
alphabet is pictured, as
well as the full capital
italic alphabet. Notice
the development of the
letter “R” in the bottom of the image. The
final, digitized, capital
R is pictured below for
your convenience.
R
3
M
Regular
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Book
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Book Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Bold Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Condensed Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Cond. B. Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Ultra Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Ultra Bold Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Black
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
Black Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
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Bodoni
—AnInside
InsideLook
Look
Bodoni
—An
Opposite
Above
These examples of Bodoni type showcase the
variety within the Bodoni typeface family.
Notice in each the contrast between the thicks
and thins of the letterforms. Try comparing
identical letters between each of the typefaces
to notice the small differences between them.
Bodoni is used quite frequently in the media
and pop culture. In most cases it is used as
display type, grabbing the attention of the
reader. Some examples are shown here, which
include the poster for the musical Mamma Mia!
(upper left), album artwork for Lady Gaga’s
The Fame (upper right), the logo for the band
Nirvana (lower left), and the cover of Vogue
magazine (lower right).
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g
g
Bodoni —An Inside Look
Characteristics
Bodoni created typefaces and typography
to impress the eye. His designs were studied
efforts meant to be seen as well as read. Few
people would deny that Bodoni’s typefaces
are beautiful; unfortunately, few would say
they are also easy to read. By current standards, his designs are, in fact, the antithesis
of what an easily readable typeface should
be. Had he known this fact, however, Bodoni
would probably not have been very upset.
His goal was not to create typography to be
appreciated by the masses. His books and
other printing exercises were large regal
efforts meant to be looked upon and appreciated as works of art, rather than as mere
pieces of communication.
Beatrice Warde, an eminent typographic
historian, in a famous essay, likened the
perfect type to a crystal goblet. Her perfect
type is transparent, or invisible, to the reader
and allows the content to be enjoyed without
coloration or distraction. Bodoni’s type is
anything but a “crystal goblet.” Its hairline
serifs, strong thick-and-thin stroke contrast,
and abrupt weight changes cloud the reading
process. Bodoni is no quiet servant to the
communication process; it is a design that
demands attention.
If used carefully, Bodoni type can create
typography that is exceptionally beautiful,
even elegant, but not particularly easy to
read. If used poorly, Bodoni’s quite extreme
weight contrast and vertical stress can cause
a typographic effect called “dazzling,” which
is visually uninviting and exceptionally
disruptive to the reading process.
ear
link
loop
ggggggg
Regular
Book
Book Italic
Bold
Bold Italic
Black
Ultra Bold
Bodoni italic lowercase “g” set at 550 pt.
The extreme variance here between the
heavy and light parts of the letterform
are characteristic of the Bodoni typeface.
6
7
fy
pi
Bodoni
—AnInside
InsideLook
Look
Bodoni
—An
Bodoni
Typeface
serif
cap height
counter
shoulder
tittle
x-height
ascender
terminal
stem
descender
Above
Below
A diagram explaining the main features of
the letterforms in a typeface. How each of
these components is treated defines the typeface. Based on which parts are emphasized
or prioritized changes the strengths and
weaknesses of the typeface.
The symmetric forms of the counters of
the “o” and “d”, in combination with the
thin horizontals and heavy verticals causes
vertical and horizontal stress characteristic
of the Bodoni typeface.
o d
Below
This capital “W” set at 400 pt. is unique in
its connection of the first two serifs, which
emphasizes the geometry of the Bodoni
typeface.
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All Around
Some defining characteristics of
Bodoni typeface include ball terminals (as seen in the “f” above),
the hairline serifs (y), the ovular
counters (p), and the cupped top
serifs (i).
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r
Bodoni —An Inside Look
AA
Comparison
r
Bodoni
Bodoni was one of the most prolific type
designers and considered an arch-romantic.
His hundreds of faces embrace considerable
variety, and more than 25,000 of his punches are in the Bodoni Museum in Parma. The
revivals issued in his name reflect only a tiny
part of this legacy, and many are simply
parodies of his ideas.
The typical features of Bodoni revivals
are abrupt hairline serifs, ball terminal,
vertical axis, small aperture, high contrast,
and exaggerated modulation. ITC Bodoni,
digitized in 1994-95 under the direction
of Sumner Stone, is the closest of all the
revivals to Bodoni’s mature style. (There are
three versions, based on 6, 12, and 72 point
originals.) Other favorites are the Bodoni
cut by Louis Hoell for the Bauer Foundry,
in 1924, and the Berthold Foundry version,
produced in 1930. Both have been issued in
digital form. Small caps and text figures are
essential to all of these designs.
Right
Background
The capital letter “A” set in Bodoni (left), Baskerville (middle), and Didot (right). The contrast
between the thicks and thins of the letterforms,
as well as the differing styling of the serifs are
easily recognizable when they are blown up to
such large sizes.
Below
The capital letter “Q” set in 60 point Bodoni,
Baskerville, and Didot. The tail of the “Q” in
each typeface is treated uniquely. A feature of
Bodoni is that the tail of the “Q” is centered
under the counter of the letter.
Q Q Q
Bodoni
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Baskerville
Didot
These three “r”s show
varying serif treatments: hairline serifs
on the top and bottom,
and bracketed serifs in
the middle. Also note
the different styles of
terminals, and how
they hang in front of
the r, making it easily
distinguishable from
other letters.
r
Baskerville
Below
The lowercase “k” set
in 60 point Bodoni,
Baskerville, and Didot.
The purely straight
lines of the k show
the dramatic effect
the serifs have on the
overall appearance of
the glyph.
Didot
k k k
Bodoni
Baskerville
Didot
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jjj
Ji
Bodoni
Baskerville
These hanging descenders of the lowercase “j”
showcase the varying styles of terminals between
these three typefaces. Bodoni’s is the most balllike, whereas Baskerville’s has a candy-cane
shape. Didot’s resembles a shepherd’s staff.
As you can see from this small portion of
sample text, the slight variations between
the Bodoni, Baskerville, and Didot typefaces can have a large impact on the overall
appearance of the text when it is strung
together with many other letters to form
words and sentences. This makes Bodoni
and Didot, which have much higher
internal contrasts, worse for body text
and more suitable for display type.
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Didot
This paragraph set
first in Bodoni, then
Baskerville, and lastly
Didot shows what
each typeface looks
like in the context of
a paragraph. Didot is
the most straining to
read because of the
internal contrast of
the letterforms.
Bibliography
Images
Haley, Allan. Typographic Milestones. New
York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992. (SC: Z250
A2 H18 1992 4o)
Lawson, Alexander S. Anatomy of a Typeface.
Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990. (SC: Z250 L34
1990)
Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of
Typographic Style. Vancouver: Hartley and
Marks,1997. (A&A: Z246 B745 1996 and Vault)
Jaspert, W. Pincus. The Encyclopedia of Typefaces. Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press; New
York: Distributed in the U.S. by Sterling, 1983.
(SC: Z250 J36 1983)
Cleland, T. M. Giambattista Bodoni of Parma.
Boston: Society of Printers, 1916. (SC: Z232
B66 C5)
Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of
Classic Typefaces, essays by Carolyn Annand
... [et al.]; edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy
McKelvey, New York: RC Publications, 2000.
(A&A: Z250.R45 2000)
Bodoni, Giambattista. Manuale Tipografico,
1788. Facsimile a cura de Giovanni Mardersteig, Verona: Editiones Officinae Bodoni,
1968.
(SC: Z232 B66 1788a 4o)
Bodoni, Giambattista. Preface to the Manuale
Tipografico of 1818, translated by H. V. Marrot, London: Lion & Unicorn Press, 1953.
(SC: Z232 B66 1953)
http://www.linotype.com
http://www.fonts.com
http://luc.devroye.org/GiambattistaBodoni-ManualeTipografica-1818b.jpg
References
Colophon
1 Philip B. Meggs, A History of Graphic
Design (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold,
1992), 124.
2 Alexander S. Lawson, Anatomy of a Typeface
(Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990), 46, 48.
3 Alexander S. Lawson, Anatomy of a Typeface
(Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990), 46, 49, 50.
4 Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style (Point Roberts, WA: Hartley &
Marks, 1992), 217, 218.
Text set in Bodoni Book 9 pt. with 12 pt.
leading. Captions set in Bodoni Book Italic 8
pt. with 9.6 point leading. Accordian bound,
printed on Strathmore 500 Series White paper.
Created in Adobe InDesign CC v9.0 on an
Apple MacBook Pro. Printed on a Xerox WorkCentre 7830. Created, designed, and bound by
Nathan Gitter in April, 2014 at Washington
University in St. Louis for Typography 1.
http://igniteprovidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bodoni-portrait.jpg
http://xerinhx3.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/
gaga.jpeg
http://www.reviewstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mamma-Mia-Broadway-PosterLarge.jpg
http://www.musiclipse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/nirvana-logo-wallpaper.jpg
http://designtraveler.files.wordpress.
com/2010/11/sketches2.jpg?w=1960
http://celebmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/doutzen-kroes-vogue-magazine-turkey-march-2014-issue_1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/John_Baskerville_by_James_Millar.jpg
http://www.deborahfeller.com/news-andviews/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Girodet_M_Firmin_Didot.jpg
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