BBC4 documentary about Edward Johnston & Eric Gill

[keefer]

Very interesting programme about how two of the most famous typefaces came about - Johnston sans for London Underground and Gill sans for the LNER.

Johnston also compiled what was the 'corporate design manual' for LU, setting out not just the font but the dimensions, proportions, colours etc of all official signage inc the famous roundel.

Gill sans was commissioned for the LNER but was later used for British Railways among others, becoming very well-known and widespread - whereas Johnston was tightly controlled and only for LU.

We're so used to these fonts as modellers but I didn't realise how revolutionary Johnston in particular was for the time, in providing a complete 're-branding' for the Underground.

Well presented by someone who knows his stuff, in an approachable fashion but without dumbing it down.

 

iPlayer link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0903ppd/two-types-the-faces-of-britain

 

BBC4 previously did a programme about the Transport/Rail fonts by Jock Kinnear & Margaret Calvert (as part of the Motorways season)

Edited August 1, 2017 by keefer

[wamwig]

Found the programme fascinating although my wife remarked "well its just letters isn't it, thin ones, thick ones and squiggly ones!"

 

Interesting to see how long it has taken the BBC to modify Gill Sans to their new typeface for a digital generation, hate to think how much that has cost!!!

[Enterprisingwestern]

I found the most interesting part of the programme to be the interview with Gill's biographer, once she'd uncovered all his sexual depravity, there was suddenly a clamour for his sculptures to be removed, but not such an issue with his typeface.

Strange thing art?

 

Mike.

[Neil]

Also watched and also thoroughly enjoyed it. Available on BBC iPlayer here; for those overseas who aren't able to access the video there's a reasonable written summation here.

[eastwestdivide]

I found the most interesting part of the programme to be the interview with Gill's biographer, once she'd uncovered all his sexual depravity, there was suddenly a clamour for his sculptures to be removed, but not such an issue with his typeface.

Strange thing art?

 

Mike.

Yes, strange thing. You never hear records by Gary Glitter or Rolf Harris on the radio any more, but they're perhaps a much higher public profile, as they were uncovered while still alive, whereas Gill's depravity was only uncovered later. 

There's plenty of great art created by people who "weren't very nice" in one way or another - is it possible to separate the art from the artist? I've no idea.

 

Separately from all that, I was interested to see people pointing out faults in Gill Sans, e.g. the similarity of the 1, I and l (figure one, capital I and lower case L, here in Verdana), which is a problem in many fonts/typefaces; and its unsuitability at small sizes and on screen

Edited August 1, 2017 by eastwestdivide

[Metr0Land]

One of the things Johnston rarely gets creited with is the fact he recognised the spaces between letters were equally important as the fonts. Many geometric designs were being created in the early 20th century which rather let themselves down when following rule-bound adherence to the 'rules' of that font (ie the letter were fine as an alphabet but when made into sentences created awkward looking words).

 

There's also a good read here:

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2016/new-typeface-underground-johnston-100/

[BernardTPM]

Separately from all that, I was interested to see people pointing out faults in Gill Sans, e.g. the similarity of the 1, I and l (figure one, capital I and lower case L, here in Verdana), which is a problem in many fonts/typefaces; and its unsuitability at small sizes and on screen

I'm not sure I see that as a fault so much as part of its character. Which one it is will nearly always be clear from the context.

 

Interesting programme though.