This is a great reference for those of us who are forever looking to simplify and communicate instantly.
In the interest of simplification, Gerd Arntz (1900-1988), commissioned by Otto Neurath, developed the Isotype visual dictionary. The idea was that images can bridge differences of language, are easy to grasp and, when done well, also nice to look at.The International System Of Typographic Picture Education was developed by the Viennese social scientist and philosopher Otto Neurath (1882-1945) as a method for visual statistics.
Gerd Arntz was the designer tasked with making
Isotypes, pictograms and visual signs. Eventually, Arntz designed around 4000 such signs, which symbolized keydata from industry, demographics, politics and economy.
The legibility of Isotype is determined by the simplicity of its symbols. These should be instantly recognizable,without any distracting detail. What counts is the general idea – for common use the precise details are of less importance. Or in Neurath’swords: ‘It is better to remember simplified images, than to forget exact figures.’
Above is a 1930’s linoleum-cut and print proof of an Isotype symbol by Gerd Arntz from the Arntz archive, now at the Municipal Museum, The Hague. The original linos show the precision of the craft work in the expressive traces of the gouge. Photo: Max Bruinsma
Gerd Arntz draws the Isotype symbol for 'unemployed'.
Do yourself a favor and bookmark this as an insightful and handy reference tool complete with some really nice detailed history along with the 4000+ isotypes over at the
Gerd Arntz Web Archive.
That's Right,
HMK
The Hamilton Manufacturing Co. traces its roots back to the very first wood types made in the United States. Darius Wells produced the first American wood type in 1828; his business was reorganized into Wells & Webb, then acquired by William Page, later passing back to the Wells family, and finally sold to Hamilton sometime before 1880. The product of this consolidation was a type specimen book issued in 1900, Hamilton’s Catalogue No. 14, which offers a good survey of American display typography of the nineteenth century.
From the 40,000 year old cave and rock paintings of Lascaux, France, to the emerging design genre of desktop wallpapers, if you're at all curious about how we got from there to here, you'll enjoy this comprehensive yet brief springboard to understanding The History Of Visual Communication.
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