Evolution of Typography Timeline

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October 2019

Typography 1

In this project, I was tasked with creating a timeline of the history of typography from 3150 BCE to 1750 AD. This timeline was to be primarily black and white, featuring type specimens throughout history, as well as the zeitgeist, or spirit of the times. For a final deliverable, the timeline was to be printed on cardstock and glued together to create a near-seamless fold-out brochure.

During this project, I was initially stumped with my time period. I was very confused as to how I would connect the spirit of the times throughout the 4000+ time period. I initially tried to use the Bodoni typeface with a double-lined timeline to suggest ancient Egyptian or Greek pottery. However, I changed my typeface to Jenson, a much older font, to suggest ancient times. After the first print out with two all-black panels for the front and back covers, I decided to cut the covers of the first draft into the shape of an ancient vessel. This, along with collaborative brainstorming with fellow designers, led me to add black and white illustrations of the evolution of transportation throughout the time periods and continents. These illustrations were to suggest both the evolution of man diagram and illustrations that you would see on ancient Greek vessels. This concept helped to tie together all of the time periods and locations, as well as create visual interest and another narrative in the timeline. I shifted the images around to give it a more dynamic look, as well as added maps to connect the different locations and travel concept. Overall, I am very pleased with how my timeline turned out and enjoyed the cutting/gluing process.