Wolfgang Weingart: Blog 13

Wolfgang Weingart

Wolfgang Weingart is a graphic designer mostly known for his work in typography and for being one very influential teacher around the world. He used to do experiments through his students’ work while teaching in Basle. He began teaching at the Basle School of Design in 1963, when he was given the role of a typography instructor by Armin Hofman. He travelled to almost all continents in order to lecture more students during his career.

His new approach to typography was different and it was very influential on the development of the ‘New Wave’ later on. His style developed from Swiss typography but the typography that his students created led to a whole new generation with totally different characteristics and manners. Weingart’s class in Basle served as his classroom as well as his laboratory. His best works and experiments were created there.

His experiments included 

circular compositions, interwoven geometric text and others. He rejected the typography of Tschichold and Emil Ruder. Even though he prohibited the rules that were in use at that time, he still made use of the grid but he took the grid to another level. Weingart took the grid and the typeface Akzidenz– Grotesk from its restrictive Swiss design and applied it to his work in order to create more experiments. His designs were more visually complex than others. He also created the famous rectilinear stepped blocks. This technique was used by many other designers after him. The overall appearance of Weigart’s works resembles a grid-based design.

 

Moreover, in order to challenge the Swiss design idea, Weingart, incorporates the collage technique and also the breaking of the grid. When the 70’s era approached, Weingart started to move away from exclusively text-based design to non- typographic imagery. This changed his style completely. He made use of, dot- screen, printing texture as well; he also experimented with layering effect of the film. Weingart embraced the collage technique and used it along with other techniques in his later works.

 

During this time, Apple contributed in establishing the key features which later become essential for Graphic Design. Some of the technologies created were the mouse and the postscript laser printer. Adobe also published new software; this was the innovative approach to graphical communication. Some of Weingart’s students are; April Greiman, Daniel Friedman, Neville Brody, Studio Dumbar in Holland and more. All of his students were influential to the postmodern era and they continued with the experimentation of their master. 

April Greiman was one of his students and also the first graphic designer to use the digital design possibilities. Greiman made use of Swiss modern design mixed with the Californian colours and also the new technology; the Apple computers. She made use of the multi-layering effect which was very effective at that time. April Greiman becomes the leading figure in the ‘New Wave’ graphic design. She also experimented with video commercials; in fact she designed and worked for several huge companies such as Esprit, Optica and Benetton. Like Greiman, there were many other Weingart’s students who succeeded in graphic design.

In conclusion, I think that Weingart made huge steps forward when challenging the rules of Tschichold. He created a new path towards postmodernism. Weingart influenced the development of the ‘New Wave’, the deconstruction and much of the graphic design that was produced later in the 1990’s. The most special thing that I find interesting about Weingart is that even though he was famous, he still taught his students his techniques in order to keep the development process going. This way his influences kept running through the minds of graphic designers.

Bibliography

Burton, P., 2013. Aiga. [Online]
Available at: http://www.aiga.org/medalist-wolfgang-weingart/
[Accessed 22 12 2014].

Flask, D., 2009. Design is History. [Online]
Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1960/wolfgang-weingart/
[Accessed 22 12 2014].