Didactics of Typography: Teaching the Letter / Teaching with the Letter

An Insight into the Methods and Outcomes of Teaching Typography

"Didactics of Typography. Teaching the Letter / Teaching with the Letter" is a scientific monograph that delves into the methods and outcomes of teaching lettering and typography. Designed by Pawel Krzywdziak, this publication aims to spark a broader debate on the current state and future of the discipline, as well as the place of typography in contemporary design art. It presents various syllabuses, student projects, and discussions surrounding teaching outcomes.

The strength of this scientific monograph lies in its modest yet effective design. The layout organizes articles with diverse structures, each offering unique teaching insights. To accommodate both Polish and English versions of the text, parallel placement was necessary. Additionally, the publication features numerous illustrations of student work and photos from the studios. The visual style of the monograph adopts a monochrome color palette with orange accents, printed on the uncoated surface of a cream white paper.

The realization of this design involved a soft cover with flaps, printed in Pantone 021U and offset black. The paper used is Munken Pure 120, 300 g/m2 by Arctic Paper. The book measures 200 x 17 x 260 mm and spans across 180 pages.

Within the book, readers will find 12 illustrated chapters, 10 of which are dedicated to different typographic studios. To enhance navigation, the chapters are separated by sections that comprehensively present crucial information about the studios and profiles of teachers. The text layout allows readers to focus on reading the articles while simultaneously providing an overview of illustrations and diagrams relevant to specific issues. Color accents guide the reader's attention to the most important elements related to the topic.

"Didactics of Typography. Teaching the Letter / Teaching with the Letter" was a project that commenced in April 2018 with a typographic conference in Cracow, Poland. The publication was officially issued in 2019. The design process involved extensive research and collection of materials from speakers, including reflections, curriculums, student works, and conclusions from other speeches. The goal was to create a holistic view of typography teaching in Poland, rather than a mere catalogue of student portfolios.

Pawel Krzywdziak's design for "Didactics of Typography. Teaching the Letter / Teaching with the Letter" faced the challenge of unifying articles and illustrations while distinguishing various elements like data, lists, schemes, and individual student work. The bilingual narration is achieved through two coordinated columns with different widths and font sizes.

Winner of the Iron A' Design Award in 2020, "Didactics of Typography. Teaching the Letter / Teaching with the Letter" stands as a well-designed, practical, and innovative creation that meets professional and industrial requirements. It integrates industry best practices and competent technical characteristics, providing fulfillment and positive feelings to its readers.

Image Credits: Paweł Krzywdziak, 2019.

© Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, Poland, 2019. The copyrights contained in this volume belong to their authors.