Edward Johnston
Encyclopedia
Edward Johnston, CBE
(11 February 1872 – 26 November 1944) was a British
-Uruguay
an craftsman
who is regarded, with Rudolf Koch
, as the a father of modern calligraphy
, in the form of the broad edged pen as a writing tool, a particular form of calligraphy
.
Johnston was born in San José, Uruguay. He started teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts
in London's Southampton Row
, where he influenced the typeface designer and sculptor Eric Gill
. Then he moved on to the Royal College of Art
and many students were inspired by his teachings. In 1912 Johnston followed Gill to Ditchling
where he died in 1944.
He is most famous for designing the sans-serif
Johnston
typeface
that was used throughout the London Underground
system until it was re-designed in the 1980s, as well as the famous roundel
symbol used throughout the system.
He has also been credited for reviving the art of modern penmanship
and lettering single-handedly through his books and teachings. Johnston also devised the simply crafted round calligraphic handwriting style, written with a broad pen, known as the foundational hand.
In 1921, students of Johnston founded the Society of Scribes & Illuminators
(SSI), probably the world's foremost calligraphy society.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(11 February 1872 – 26 November 1944) was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
-Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an craftsman
Master craftsman
A master craftsman or master tradesman was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only masters were allowed to be members of the guild....
who is regarded, with Rudolf Koch
Rudolf Koch
thumb|250px|[[Fraktur]] fonts by Rudolf KochRudolf Koch was a leading German calligrapher, typographic artist and teacher, born in Nuremberg. He was primarily a calligrapher with the Gebr. Klingspor foundry. He created several typefaces, in both fraktur and roman styles...
, as the a father of modern calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, in the form of the broad edged pen as a writing tool, a particular form of calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
.
Johnston was born in San José, Uruguay. He started teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
in London's Southampton Row
Southampton Row
Southampton Row is major thoroughfare running northwest-southeast in Bloomsbury, Camden, central London, England. The road is designated as part of the A4200.- Location :To the north, Southampton Row adjoins the southeast corner of Russell Square...
, where he influenced the typeface designer and sculptor Eric Gill
Eric Gill
Arthur Eric Rowton Gill was a British sculptor, typeface designer, stonecutter and printmaker, who was associated with the Arts and Crafts movement...
. Then he moved on to the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
and many students were inspired by his teachings. In 1912 Johnston followed Gill to Ditchling
Ditchling
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling....
where he died in 1944.
He is most famous for designing the sans-serif
Sans-serif
In typography, a sans-serif, sans serif or san serif typeface is one that does not have the small projecting features called "serifs" at the end of strokes. The term comes from the French word sans, meaning "without"....
Johnston
Johnston (typeface)
Johnston is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by and named after Edward Johnston. It is well known for its use by Transport for London....
typeface
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
that was used throughout the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
system until it was re-designed in the 1980s, as well as the famous roundel
Roundel
A roundel in heraldry is a disc; the term is also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours.-Heraldry:...
symbol used throughout the system.
He has also been credited for reviving the art of modern penmanship
Penmanship
Penmanship is the technique of writing with the hand using a writing instrument. The various generic and formal historical styles of writing are called hands, whilst an individual personal style of penmanship is referred to as handwriting....
and lettering single-handedly through his books and teachings. Johnston also devised the simply crafted round calligraphic handwriting style, written with a broad pen, known as the foundational hand.
In 1921, students of Johnston founded the Society of Scribes & Illuminators
Society of Scribes & Illuminators
The Society of Scribes & Illuminators is an organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of the arts of calligraphy and illumination....
(SSI), probably the world's foremost calligraphy society.
Further reading
- Holliday, Peter (2007). Edward Johnston: Master Calligrapher. London: British Library Publishing. ISBN 9780712349277.
External links
- The Legacy of Edward Johnston at www.ejf.org.uk The Edward Johnston Foundation
- Edward Johnston's works held at the Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection
- Edward Johnston at the Crafts Study Centre
- National Portrait Gallery Edward Johnston, 1937 Example of condensed form Johnston font used on a bus blind
- Edward Johnston Collection held by the Crafts Study Centre and hosted online by the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS)