Type Form & Function

EXPERIMENTATION

“Type can be a tool, a toy, and a teacher; it can provide a means of livelihood, a hobby for relaxation, an intellectual stimulant—and a spiritual satisfaction. I believe an avid interest in Type necessarily includes a zest for everyday life.”

—Bradbury Thompson 1956

Much like the earliest type-casters, type compositors, and printers—who experimented with inks, paper, and lead—today’s designers spend countless hours in their studios searching out and creating new forms. Sometimes, these investigations help the client solve a problem. At other times, the designer pushes and pulls typography following their own directives to explore shape, texture, meaning, or plain old function. Even if your whole day is spent on client work, ...