Sponsored by Monotype, the 2014 TYPE& events in Tokyo included a masterclass for professional typeface designers, and presentations and panel discussion on multi-script typography and typeface design. The events captured the growing interest by Japanese type foundries to expand into Latin typeface design, and gave an opportunity to discuss Reading’s approach to developing multi-script design skills. Gerry Leonidas ran the masterclass on the first day of the event, and presented on the second, answering many questions on the MA Typeface Design programme’s contribution in the area. Reading alumna and Monotype employee Reiko Hirai was instrumental in the success of the event.
We are very pleased to note recent awards to students in Typography & Graphic Communication.
Chancellor’s Awards
Undergraduates Kate Goudsmit and Rob Lowe, currently in their final year of study, together with Ryan Lee and Peter Loveland, in their second year, all received the Chancellor’s Award for their overall performance in the academic year 2012–13. Sir David Bell hosted the award ceremony on Monday (25 November) and commended their high achievement. Award winners received a commemorative book featuring short interviews with each recipient.
Warm congratulations to our four winners!
Rob Lowe and Kate Goudsmit with Sir David Bell.
Sign Design Society
Undergraduate Emily Whiteside, currently in her final year of study, was awarded a commendation for her submission to the Student Work category of the annual Sign Design Society awards. The submission was her ‘Designing a journey: the Chatsworth Shuttle’ project, completed under the direction of project tutor Sara Chapman. In their comments, the judges praised ‘the expertise and evident quality of the solution’, which involved the design of a map and timetable for the Chatsworth shuttle bus service, deployed as a poster, flyer, and downloadable app.
Emily Whiteside’s entry to the Sign Design Society awards.
Also receiving a commendation was MA Information Design student Joan Zalacain for his map of Amsterdam’s tram system, created during his studies at Reading in 2012–13. In their remarks on his design, which emphasized the location of barriers at system access points, the judges noted that ‘the graphic solution had been carefully thought through and the result was functional and stylish.’
Typography alumna Anne Brady’s company, Vermillion, has scooped success at the annual Institute of Designers of Ireland by winning not one, but two awards in the digital category.
The two winning apps come from the two ends of Vermillion’s client spectrum. The first explored the fascinating world of singer-songwriter Pierce Turner and concentrated on the writing and production of his much-acclaimed song Snow, from his album Songs for a Very Small Orchestra. The second win was in the academic area and is called Books of Dublin. It showcases a selection of rare books from two of Dublin’s most renowned antiquarian libraries and includes commentaries from leading academic specialists. You can download both free to your iPad from the App Store.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, IDI President Andrew Bradley said that the awards “further demonstrate the impact of design in the area of new media. It proves beyond doubt how creative design skills can add value and indeed change the dynamics within the exciting and constantly developing field of digital communications and marketing.”
MAU visitors and Reading hosts, from left Ms Aki Amitani, Professor Yoshiro Goto, Gerry Leonidas, Toshi Omagari, Professor Gerard Unger, Yui Yoshitomi, Julian Moncada, Mari Kitamura, Akiko Maeda, Yukiko Aoshima.
Marking the University’s new connection with the Mushashino Art University of Tokyo, two staff members and four students visited the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication for an intensive week of typeface design. The group, led by Reading alumnus Professor Yoshiro Goto of the Visual Communication Design Department, used their time in Reading to conclude a collaborative project devised by Prof. Goto and Gerry Leonidas, and delve deeper into the Department’s research-informed approach to typographic practice. Their schedule combined dedicated sessions, as well as shared tutorials and seminars with current BA students. The group also took part in sessions of particular interest by Professors Michael Twyman and Gerard Unger. Assisting generously throughout the week were fellow alumni Julian Moncada and Toshi Omagari (also a MAU alumnus).
We are delighted to announce the success of the Design Star Consortium, one of AHRC’s new Doctoral Training Centres. Along with design departments at Brighton, Goldsmiths, Loughborough and the OU, we have secured funding to support around 60 PhD studentships over the next five years.
Professional assignments – ‘real jobs’ – are a special part of our BA programme, and get the thumbs up from graduate Laura Slater in this month’s Creative Review. Real jobs were “totally worth it. It did seem a lot of effort sometimes but it boosted my confidence at pitching and my experience has made me stand out from other graduates.”
This year’s Monotype Studentship, awarded to an incoming MA student through the generosity of Monotype Imaging Ltd, has been awarded to Slovenian student Teja Smrekar, who will study Typeface Design. Teja receieved her first degree in Fine Arts from the University of Maribor, where her dissertation topic was ‘The socially engaged poster’. Teja has developed an interest in typeface design and attended workshops run by Gerry Leonidas and Reading alumna Veronika Burian. In her professional practice she has designed poetry books, an identity for the Association of Slovenian Artists, and has exhibited her work at EDUZGRAF in Zagreb, Croatia.
Dan Rhatigan, Type Director at Monotype, said ‘We selected Teja because of her overall enthusiasm and particularly her research interests in the Cambodian Khmer script. It’s always our hope that the Monotype Studentship will encourage the student who benefits from the opportunity and enable them to contribute to the wider body of typographic knowledge.’
Paul Luna, Head of Department, said ‘The support of industry partners is vital to allowing students from all over the world to study at Reading, and we are very grateful to Monotype for this continuing generous contribution to design education.’Teja Smrekar
Kate Goudsmit, who as a Part 2 student was a winner in the Vincent Ma awards run by Design Portfolio Marketing Services, has been interviewed on their blog. Design Portfolio have been generously supporting students in the Department through prizes for achievement and opportunities for work experience in their busy London studios for several years, in memory of former employee and Reading alumnus Vincent Ma.
Typography alumna, Caroline Webb, has designed and installed a new Papal inscription for Westminster Cathedral, to commemorate the visit of Pope Benedict in 2010.
The 7 foot long inscription is made of one piece of Carrara Marble inlayed with letters of green and red Porphery and lies in the main entrance to the Cathedral.
The marble inlay was done by Pietra Dura craftsman Thomas Greenaway.The inscription took 2 years to design and produce, and a week to fix in the floor. The commission was technically challenging in every way; Caroline will be writing a full article to document its creation.
