The island of San Serriffe - a t ypographic April Fool's day hoax

1977: The British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement devoted to San Serriffe, a small republic said to consist of several semi-colon-shaped islands located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately described the geography and culture of this obscure nation. Its two main islands were named Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse. Its capital was Bodoni, and its leader was General Pica. The Guardian's phones rang all day as readers sought more information about the idyllic holiday spot. Only a few noticed that everything about the island was named after printer's terminology. The success of this hoax is widely credited with launching the enthusiasm for April Foolery that gripped the British tabloids in subsequent decades.

The Elements of Typographic Style

I have had The Elements of Typographic Style for years and believe that if the reader never came across Robert Bringhurst's work, should more than consider adding the publication to the bookshelf.

Why? Firstly, after lamenting 'in an age where typographic design is sometimes misconstrued as a a form of private self-expression', the great Hermann Zapf wished this work to become the "Typographers’ Bible"; a book to assist the designer produce functional work that can be 'admired, appraised and dissected before it's consumed'.

I believe that The Elements of Typographic Style operates as a form of typographic encyclopaedia, outlining essential knowledge when dealing with type forms. From acute to yogh, it is more than a glossary of terms, the reader gets a deeper contextual understanding of letter forms - their origin and what they mean. While keeping in mind a historical and practical perspective, Bringhurst addresses the principles of appropriately choosing and combining type and layout with balance and grace. He states that typography is 'idealised handwriting' and 'should honour the content and invite the reader into the text'.

The fact that Bringhurst is a poet, designer and historian is so evident, when I open the book at any page, I'm drawn to his writings crafted with practical, artistic and philosophical insight.

In short, the book offers the reader a strong foundational knowledge in typography. It makes clear that typography is a crucial link in the chain of communication. Type is an utilitarian form with a rich history that needs to be studied, as it opens the designer to deeper understanding of their evolving field. After reading, the book made me think of the Chinese proverb - 'consider the past and you shall know the future', and in turn rephrase as 'consider the past and you can design for the future'. I hope Zapf would agree with this credo.

Check it out today!

(How do you package a 'typographic bible'? Think that is a posting for another day. However to briefly comment, the book's size and proportions - it is great to hold and easy to store away on the shelf, or in a bag if moving about. The paper's colour, texture and weight reminds one of old style publications. A hard backed cloth, instead of the card would have worked better as this material is easily damaged. Inside, as expected, the layout and choice of typeface makes the content easy to read. Wide margins carry addition text - from chapter numbers, headings, definitions etc.)

Hands-on political printing

Some iconic typography from Gus Van Sant's MILK (2008)

Single coloured, mixed uppercase type, printed on different backgrounds.

Low cost and effective - the honesty of the hands-on typography supports and carries through the earnestness of the direct message.