Modular type: your help finding good examples needed

Maurice Meilleur

I’ve begun a project—I hope, eventually, a book—on the history and significance of modular lettering and typefaces. I have some ideas and hypotheses, but rather than share those up front—since I could be wrong—my first goal is to find as many notable and interesting examples of modular type and lettering, historical and contemporary, as I can. 

I’ve got a list well underway of relevant designers and studios: Albers, Apeloig, Bayer, Biľak, Crouwel, da Milano, le Bas, Meek (of FontStruct fame), MuirMcNeil, Perondi, Schrofer, Schwitters, Tschichold, Watzl … but I know there are many designers and studios and examples I’m overlooking, and probably stuff even from some of the people/studios I've found that I’m missing. The problem is that ‘modular’ gets pretty loosely applied by designers, and searches online and in libraries frequently lead to examples of other-experimental or found-object type and lettering—a lot of it interesting, but broader than I need. So I could use some help from a knowledgeable community (that’d be all of you).

Here’s the definition I’m working with, for now: type or lettering is ‘modular’ if it’s generated by combining and recombining a finite set of discrete shapes into letterforms according to a relatively constrained set of rules.

In particular: 

1. I’m looking for more systematic examples, where the designer has produced an entire alphabet—maybe in multiple cases or versions, maybe with numerals and punctuation … and,

2. while they would meet the definition, I’m trying to avoid examples where the designer simply traces the outlines of letters with a single shape, like a circle or square (with results like simple dot-matrix fonts, or H&Co.’s Dividend). Still, if that method winds up with something interesting like The Bee’s Knees or Elementar—then by all means share it. Also,

3. examples can be digital, metal, wood, film … whatever.

I really don’t mind hearing about examples I already know about. That’s why I didn’t list many specifics about what I’ve already gathered. Being reminded simply confirms that I was right to include them, and in any case there’s a lot I’m sure I’m missing, so don’t assume anything is too obvious if you think it’s a good match. And please feel free to share your own work.

Florian Hardwig

Interesting! I’ll start with naming a few of the modular sets that were made in the second quarter of the 20th century: Ne-Po, Fregio Mecano (digital as Tribasei), Superveloz, Alpha Blox. These don’t consist of “an entire alphabet”, but rather of a numer of basic shapes that can be used for building letterforms, among other things.

James Hultquist-Todd

Lustig Elements, which is based on a modular pattern created by Alvin Lustig, should count.

Ray Larabie

The in-house typeface used by The Designers Republic™ for Wipeout was influential, at least for me.

Also, check out my Dazzle Ships from 1997.

Maurice Meilleur

Thanks, Florian, James, and Ray. Florian, you're right—defining and providing a set of shapes that can be used to build glyphs is just as systematic as providing the built glyphs themselves.

Dan Reynolds

What about textura as a script? Is its modularity too far afield, because it isn’t a specific typeface? Perhaps the diagrams that Albrecht Dürer produced for lowercase textura letters could come somewhere in your book’s introductory matter?

What about Josef Albers’s Kombinationsschrift?

Dan Reynolds

Also the letter-drawing stencils produced by W.A. Dwigging, and the ones the Fred Smeijers reproduces in Type now: A manifesto plus works so far.

Dan Reynolds

Then there is Decoder from Unger for FUSE. http://www.gerardunger.com/allmytypedesigns/allmytypedesigns13.html

Maurice Meilleur

Dan, I forgot to list the FUSE projects in my OP—Unger's Decoder is definitely on the list. 

I'm going to include a discussion of precursors/antecedents of modular type, and Dürer's diagrams (along with other diagrams and writing manuals) and stencils—in particular, stencils made with punches, where component shapes start to be put into service for multiple letters—will show up there. I know of Fred's stenciling—he has a couple sets at least where it looks like he can do a whole lowercase alphabet and punctuation with maybe a dozen component forms—but not Dwiggins's; thanks for the tip. 

Maurice Meilleur

… and since I'm thinking of it, and to anticipate further speculation and discussion: as far as I'm concerned the first modular script in practice was cuneiform. Only so many shapes you can make by pressing a cut reed into clay.

Nick Shinn

Nick Shinn

“LED” fonts are a modular category.
Rian Hughes Klaxon offers a novel take on this genre.

Maurice Meilleur

Nick, they absolutely are, and their bulb filament (?) predecessors and LCD descendants as well. Some mechanical displayboard fonts meet the definition, as far as that goes.

Ramiro Espinoza

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Paul van der Laan

@Ramiro Espinoza: You know there is a bookmark function, right?

Ramiro Espinoza

@Paul van der Laan I don't see My Bookmarks, probably because I haven't bookmarked anything. Why? I've just written something about Super Tipo Veloz and later realised Florian had already mentioned.

Paul van der Laan

Then I stand corrected. Your “period” post reminded me of a hack that certain people used on other forums that lacked a bookmark function.

Nick Shinn

That’s a bit weak, Ramiro—I was imagining you had written something completely outrageous and then decided not to risk the moderators’ wrath!

Ramiro Espinoza

I AM one of the moderators, hehe. Now let's get back on topic again!  

Johannes Neumeier

Frutiger's Element Grotesk would fit the bill.

Maurice Meilleur

Good one, Johannes—I'd forgotten that Frutiger tried his hand at this.

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Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

TMI sounds great actually.

Dyana Weissman

Real quick: I want to be clear, I like @James Montalbano's apology and restraint. I do not wish to discourage posting. 

To get us back on topic, there was a workshop Underware did at RISD over a decade ago that might have some helpful information.

Maurice Meilleur

Thanks, Dyana! That page led me in a handful of good directions.

Beau Williamson

I immediately thought of those modular type ornament blocks. I can only find one example right now. Sorry for the bad quality, my scanner is not working, but this is from The Lovell & Gibson Specimen book of 1847 (in reprint); if you look close you can see the individual blocks that it is built from.

zoghal

hi, if need perso-arabic modular typeface can view this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuzA1AV7P5Y&index=6&list=PLDauK1xi4ct3F_aPkHbXIyRE5_uy3-VFG

PabloImpallari

http://www.lettermakerstencil.com/blog/2016/8/vintage-stencil

marksuarez

https://www.colophon-foundry.org/typefaces/pdu/
The stencil:
http://www.drieswiewauters.eu/graphic/project_13/images/PDU_1.png

Deleted Account

Here's one that's a bit different in that it hides modularity in a prim exterior.


Rather modern history though compared to the rest. The movie is of a modular variation font DJR, Alex, Santiago and I are working on for Google that should get a git 'and a site next week.