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

Type & Paper – E. B. Eddy Paper Company, Carl Dair, 1946

Two-colour, 16 pp. saddle stitched booklet