Typographers

Lyon from Commercial Type
An integral part of communication, typography is everywhere. Used in nearly every form of advertising and design, typography has demanded the skill of dedicated typographers for centuries. As clients develop needs for specific styles and families of type, typographers are called upon to develop brand new, implement existing or revive old typefaces. Dedicated professionals who are constantly curious about their medium, typographers often create their own typefaces for distribution among the design and advertising professions as well.

Interlock from the Ed Benguiat Collection at House Industries
While the digital revolution has spawned a vast array of means for typeface publication, type foundries have existed since the invention of movable type in the 15th century. With long and intertwining histories, their are several major type foundries that have existed, in one form or another, for centuries. The popularity of the internet, online blogs and digital distribution has provided a new home for many individuals and small organizations to create and develop their own type foundries as well.

Many graphic designers also dabble in the field of type design and vice versa. While the increasing number of typographers and type foundries has made it virtually impossible to be familiar with every typeface design in publication, it is important for a designer to be well versed in the styles, uses and origins of typography, type foundries, type designers and their corresponding typefaces. As a varied range of clients and their different projects present designers with different problems, it is the job of the designer to be able to find viable typographic solutions based on the specifics of the problem.