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Anthony Cahalan is head of graphic design at the University of Tasmania's School of Art at Hobart. He is president of AGDA Tasmania and on the AGDA National Council. He has a BA (Visual Communication) from Sydney College of the Arts (1983), a Master of Design from University of Technology, Sydney (1994) and has broad-ranging experience in graphic design, marketing, public relations and design education, in Australia and overseas. Here Anthony outlines the focus of what seems to be the first Australian PhD in typography, which he began in 1997 at Curtin University of Technology in Perth.

Topic

The proliferation of typefaces: a study of the historical origins, distinctive qualities, specific intentions, cultural connotations, contemporary uses and changing personalities of typefaces, set against the current explosion of typeface designs.

Background

It is now passé to state that computers have revolutionised the practice of graphic design and, more specifically, typography. A very obvious reverberation, however, is the fact that typeface design is exploding - from an estimated 1500 typefaces in the early 1980s to some 50-60,000 in 1996 (Richardson, 1996). This figure is both spectacular and breathtaking when we consider that design educators advised students in the pre-computer early 1980s that a palette of half a dozen 'timeless' typefaces were perhaps all any designer would ever need.

As we approach a new century, some designers are creating entire typefaces, while each day other graphic designers choose from these tens of thousands of existing fonts, including historical revivals and recent designs. The Modernist graphic design concept of timeless typefaces is seemingly an anachronism within such a rapidly changing environment. The individual designer who creates a typeface may imbue it with specific intentions. Yet once that font enters the marketplace it becomes the common property of anyone with access to its forms and also becomes a chronometer of graphic design history. We groan when we see the same typefaces being used again and again, yet we are now in a position to reasonably well date pieces of visual communication by the typefaces selected and utilised by graphic designers.

Against this current backdrop, therefore, it is timely to address the issues of the meanings of typefaces. The democraticisation of typography by the personal computer has presented both professional and amateur designers with a minefield of use, abuse and inappropriate use of typefaces. Many (especially young) designers jump on the bandwagon of new fonts and immediately date their work, limit its individuality and, perhaps, alienate their audience, by their typeface choice.

This PhD research will compare and contrast the personalities of typefaces. It seeks to identify the reasons certain typefaces become ubiquitous in a short space of time, while others never see the light of day. It seeks to ascertain whether designers' typeface choice and usage is based on their recognition of the imbued qualities, connotations and personalities of the typefaces with which they work, whether it is based on their response to sophisticated marketing, or simply based on their adoption of pervading trends and fashions.

Has typography become so intrinsically entwined in contemporary western culture that typefaces go in and out of fashion in the company of music, colours and home furnishings? In such a climate, how difficult is it for designers to change the personality of a typeface - break its stereotype - and relaunch and imbue it with new intentions and meanings? And, in pragmatic terms, how can educators now possibly define what to attempt to cover in the teaching of typography to graphic design students?

Methodology

The research will primarily be qualitative, involving a process of investigation, analysis, synthesis and interpretation of data about this phenomenon. Firstly, this will involve analytical and comparative studies of information on the broader issues of the history, development and classification of typefaces gathered from a literature review of monographs, serials, papers, abstracts, theses, databases and the worldwide web.

The next stage will consist of analytical and comparative studies of the construction, origins, qualities, connotations and personalities of typefaces, leading to an elaboration of the phenomenon of the proliferation of typefaces. While there exists a certain amount of information about issues such as the construction and origins of typefaces, little is available about the less tangible qualities, connotations and personalities of typefaces.

An additional complementary aim of this research is to ascertain what impact the proliferation of typefaces is having on the professional practice of graphic design. To this end, it is proposed that a questionnaire will be distributed via a national mailout to all AGDA members. Graphic designers will be asked to describe and reflect on how the proliferation of typefaces impacts on their daily typographic design decision-making in a combination of multiple choice and open-ended questions.

The expected duration of this PhD study is 5.5 years part-time and it is expected to be completed in 2001.

Further information and comments: A.Cahalan@utas.edu.au

Anthony Cahalan
Head, Graphic Design
Tasmanian School of Art at Hobart
University of Tasmania
GPO Box 252-57
Hobart TAS 7001
AUSTRALIA
Telephone +61 3 6226 4360
Facsimile +61 3 6226 4308
Email A.Cahalan@utas.edu.au

"Here's the latest on Anthony's PhD, it should be published by now it appears: http://www.agda.com.au/eventsnews/act/news/2006/Anthon01.html"

"A link I just stumbled across that may be of some interest as well: http://www.abc.net.au/perth/stories/s1367339.htm"

"Hi, Has the PhD been printed and is the thesis avaiable for reading?"

"It is interesting to read about someone starting a "PhD" in typography, but has the PhD been printed and is the thesis avaiable for reading."

"I am a typographer also 1965 began my journey into the field...I studied in Los Angeles and worked nearly 30 years at it...I see all kinds of errors in letterspacing and point them out to my wife as to how the spacing should be...I use to letterspace by hand on a light table with a grid...you could pick up each letter and space it then camera it...One sentence at a time or paragraph...too long a story to tell but I enjoyed reading about the Phd. in typography...I am now a singer with The Drifters here in Australia...and trying to get into Silk Screening...Small Business"

"I am a Graphic Design student from Curtin University, doing a research project on Typography and Technology, and the future trends of typography. I was wondering whether you were aware of any good resources, or whether you had written any papers yourself that I could resource and reference for my assignment.

Regards, Rebecca Arwen Siero"