When I first lived in London in 1984/1985 the London Underground and the advertising posters I saw there, deep underground in each station and in the streets above, were eye-openers. They awakened me to the possibilities of public communication through words and images, and in images alone. I remember many of those posters even now.
Intimately bound up with them was their location—the Tube—and the signage and graphics abundantly evident in each Underground station. In later years, when I was working with some of the best typographers and type designers in London, I discovered that much of the Underground’s unique identity was created by early 20th century calligrapher and type designer Edward Johnston. He designed the first Tube station map, the typeface used in the signage, and the graphic elements scattered in various forms across most stations.
I am in the process of creating a fine art project that recognizes the contribution of Johnston’s designs and typefaces to my visual vocabulary, and during the research phase I discovered that his Underground typeface has been issued by two type foundries, in slightly different forms. I am considering using both sets of faces in the project, Home Truths.
Here are some links you may want to follow, to learn more about Johnston, his designs and the Underground:
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