Classic modern design never goes out of style: it is merely retired or subtly adapted to its given place and time. Having surveyed handwritten, new vintage, and new ornamental tendencies in type and lettering, graphic-design guru Steven Heller now turns his encyclopedic gaze on Modernism. New Modernist Type reveals how a graphic language of simplicity and economy has impacted contemporary design. Hundreds of examples by international designers are grouped into three thematic chapters: Old Modern (when the machine age influenced graphic design), Playful Modern (wit, humor, and transformation), and Meta Modern (typography as icon and symbol). An historical introduction places today’s tendencies in context, and the reference section features a list of designers’ websites.
Reviews
The illustrations pack a visual wallop, but it's not just eye candy: Budding enthusiasts looking to learn more about typography will discover useful historical information, and professionals will profit from a healthy dose of design inspiration.
— Dwell
Fun, clever, and inspiring.
— Choice
Contributors
Steven Heller
Author
Steven Heller is co-chair of the MFA Design: Designer as Author program at the School of Visual Arts, New York. His many previous books include
Typographic Universe, New Modernist Type, and Scripts.
Gail Anderson
Author
Gail Anderson is creative director of design at SpotCo, New York, and a former senior art director of Rolling Stone magazine.
