From Gutenberg to Opentype - Introduction

So I found a few books on Amazon that just had to be mine, and this is the first one I have opened so far. From Gutenberg to Opentype by Robin Dodd, which is "an illustrated history of type from the earliest letterforms to the latest digital fonts." 

Very fancy. 

Here we go.

The introduction of this beautiful book covers what most intros do: the content of the book and how we got to needing such a book in the first place. Dodd begins the intro with a statement about how the printed book is now endangered by the personal computer, but yet both "are products of the creative imagination. The advent of the printing press mass possible the spreading of knowledge, debate, thoughts and ideas, and this provided the learning that eventually inspired the computer" (6).

What I liked about this quote is that it sums up how I've always felt about computers, because when you sit and think about it, the quote is completely true. Without the printing press, computers would have never been here. Without those fantastic metal letters, we wouldn't have fonts today, and I, my fellow readers, would have no reason to write what could be my APP. I am far too geeked out about this book, so I'll stop there and continue.

The fantastic metal letters we have all come to know that belong to be printing press were the basis of Johannes Gutenberg's breakthrough, which are sometimes referred to as "soldiers of lead that have conquered the world." Dodd begins to talk about how the world of personal computers changed the printing world, just like many other industries. Designers have at their fingertips hundreds of typefaces that were previously only the property of the printer. Anyone today can pick from a collection of fonts, "choosing one at random with no knowledge of its origin" (6). These thousands of fonts are a collection that has been building over 500 years of printing, some, which Dodd points out, have been in existence since before reading was ever a everyday practice. He points out that each font has a story, they all fulfilled a specific role in their time, and these roles are still fulfilled today. 

The beginning of each font's story starts with a punchcutter at his bench, who was able to transform a "commonplace letterform into a character with a unique personality." In the beginning, typefaces were cast from a mold that was fitted into a matrix. This was so that when the molten metal was then poured into the mold, the reversed, indented form of the matrix created the type's shape. Dodd goes over every step of how these molds were used, but it's far too much for me to write here, and then it would take the fun out of all of you reading it too. :)

Johannes Gutenberg's most original invention was adjustable molds, which could fit into different sizes of character widths. This invention allowed the process to be done quickly. This was the process used for the next 400 years until the American inventor Linn Boyd Benton invented another way to cut matrices, with he introduced the punchcutting machine. From here, punchcutting remained until the draftsman-designer, which is what is still used today.

Dodd then discusses typefaces and the fact that every one imposes a visual tone, that each one affects the message in ways that are not always apparent to those reading them. He states that in spite of all the changes in technology, the classic typeforms are still highly regarded by designers today. "Like great music and great literature, they still fulfill a practical need and provide aesthetic satisfaction after generations of use" (9).

The illustrated part of this introduction shows great drawings of the original punchcutting process and those working on them. The pictures are a great companion to the reading.

Dodd, Robin. 2006. From Gutenberg to Opentype: An Illustrated History of Type From the Earliest Letterforms to the Latest Digital Fonts. Vancouver: The Ilex Press Limited.