Type & Paper
A handbook of contemporary type on contemporary paper
Booklet
The E.B. Eddy Company
Carl Dair, 1946
Design for Printing – E. B. Eddy Paper Company, Carl Dair, 1947
Using the four basic elements of design; the square, circle, triangle and line, Carl Dair created a deceptively simple cover for Design for Printing. To reinforce the simplicity of the design Dair used the geometric typeface Futura, designed by Paul Renner. Futura was released by the German foundry, Bauer in 1927 and is the first commercially successful typeface whose design is based on those four basic elements. Futura was copied by many foundries. The version of Futura that Dair uses here is 20th Century, it was produced by Lanston Monotype in 1937. Linotype’s version, Spartan, was released in 1939.
A typical double page spread from Design for Printing. Dair explains each of the eight basic principles of design beginning on the left with a summary of the key features of each topic, followed on the right by examples showing how they can be applied. All the examples are illustrated with hand rendered rough layouts.
Notes
Design for Printing is the second booklet in a series by Carl Dair for The E. B. Eddy Company exploring various aspects of typography and paper. In eight short chapters Dair provides a comprehensive summary of the basic principles of design, as applied to typography, with examples of their practical application shown in miniature rough layouts.
In 1947 there were few design studios in Canada. The larger printers had in-house studios employing designers, lettering artists and illustrators. Smaller printers might have someone on staff who could take care of ‘layouts’. It was quite common for printers not to charge for design because it was simply considered part of the cost of printing job. Dair, and others, were trying to elevate the role of design in printing and commercial art. These booklets were also aimed at students enrolled in the newly developed commercial art courses in colleges. As with Type & Paper, Design for Printing proved so popular that it soon warranted a second printing.
Artifact Text
from the index, Design for Printing
1. Unity of composition.
2. Balance
3. The tools of emphasis
4. Harmony with subject
5. Contrast of weight
6. Contrast of form
7. Contrast of colour
8. Contrast of direction
Items in this Series
Design for Printing
A guide to typographic design
Booklet
The E.B. Eddy Company
Carl Dair, 1947
Type Talks
A handbook of typography
Booklet
The E.B. Eddy Company
Carl Dair, 1948
Spacing
Booklet
The E.B. Eddy Company
Carl Dair, 1954
The Art of the Printer
Booklet
The E.B. Eddy Company
Carl Dair, 1956
Title: Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor
Media format description
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Artifact Data
Article Data
Category
Date
1947
Title
Design for Printing
A guide to typographic design
Description
Two-colour booklet, 18 pp (including inside covers)
5.75 × 8.75 inches
Client
The E.B. Eddy CompanyCredits
Agency:
Studio:
Creative_Director:
Art_Director:
Design: Carl Dair, Eveleigh-Dair Studio
Typography:
Hand_Lettering:
Calligraphy:
Illustration:
Art:
Author: Carl Dair
Writing:
Printing:
Biography:
Region
Quebec
Language
English
Holding
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Copyright Status
Artifact copyright
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Notes copyright
which allows for non-commercial use with attribute.
We will be posting more like this. If you have work or insights that you would be willing to share with the CTA we would like to hear from you. Please contact us to contribute.