Typography 2 Asses1 Part B – David Carson

November 2017 2nd ed.

TYPE MAG

David ccarson the godfather of grunge David carson typography the godfather of grunge David carson typography the godfather of s David carson grunge typography o the godfather of N typography grunge In this edition we look at how carson pushed the boundaries in experimental typography.

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TYPE MAG NOV 17 2nd ED.

Grunge Typography

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David

Carson changed his career from sociology to Graphic Design when he was 26 years old. Although he started with no experience or formal education in Graphic Design, his self-taught drive

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without any rules allowed him to grow into one of the most influential Graphic Designers.

He made waves in the graphic design industry in the 1990’s whilst he worked for Beach Culture and Ray Gun. He was employed in the role of art

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director at both publications. His time with Beach Culture lasted only six issues as the magazine went under and he was with Ray Gun for 3 years before branching off on his own. His work with Beach Culture was acknowledged with 150 design awards and his time at Ray Gun tripled their readers (Britannica Encyclopaedia, 2016).

It could be said that

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typography is done with colour, distortion and intrigue.

Carson’s unique grunge style was influenced by his surroundings. He is a surfer and photographer and Ray Gun magazine was a popular alternative music magazine. His design style soon became an influence on 1990’s pop culture as his bold unconventional technique gained a following with the youth of the time. Large commercial companies such

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this was the period that he pioneered the path for grunge typography. Carson describes his design approach as “Experimental, intuitive and personal.” And says his personal motto is “Why not?” (Butler. A, 2014). He has a unique style of using unconventional layouts, mixing and layering fonts and playing with juxtaposition. His unique

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style also incorporates dark and gritty photography to further connect and engage audiences. At first appearance, his work may come off as overpowering and unreadable but when looked at closer one can see that there is a hidden message or underlying meaning that is being conveyed through the text. His ability to convey expressive emotion with the

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as Nike, Levi’s and Pepsi soon approached him to do work for them and this saw Carson move into designing in different mediums such as television ads and clothing.

When asked what are the most important things a designer should consider when designing a magazine cover, article or website by Aaron Westgate (Layers Magazine), Carson replied: “Who is the audience, what

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is that audience’s visual language, what type of things are they seeing? How can you communicate and reinforce visually what is written or spoken, and how can you stand out from the competition in that particular field?” (Westgate.

A, 2007). This approach to typography earning him many awards in recognition of his work and the title of Godfather of Grunge Typography.

Type Mag AUS 2nd ed.

Issue created by: Leweyn Fleming, 2017.

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Image Source: Photos used have been taken by myself. Locations: Kingscliffe Beach NSW, West End QLD Reference List: Britannica Encyclopaedia, 2016; David Carson. Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Carson Accessed 10 Nov 2017 Butler. A, 2014; interview with graphic designer david carson. Retrieved from: https://www.designboom.com/design/interview-with-graphic-designer-davidcarson-09-22-2013/ Accessed 13 Oct 2017 Westgate. A, 2007; An Interview with David Carson. Retrieved from: https:// layersmagazine.com/an-interview-with-david-carson.html Accessed 13 Oct 2017