The Perfect Gentleman Issue 2 - April 2016 | Page 28

Cultural Gentleman

by James Marwood

There’s a joke amongst designers that if you
dislike someone, teach them about kerning.
The spacing between letters is something we
to which we pay little attention and yet it
greatly impacts the effect of a sign or block of
text. Learning about it is like developing a new
allergy. Something that other people don’t see
can become irritating.
This makes it a good thing that Eric Gill’s An
Essay on Typography covers little on the
technical nature of typefaces and lettering. It
is instead an opinionated examination of craft
and traditionalism in an industrial age. Gill
was a member of the Arts and Crafts
movement and so gives an impassioned
argument for the value of handwork, quality
and agency in work. Unlike some of his peers
he recognises his world has changed forever.
Instead he argues for the continuation of those
values he sees as essential for a human-shaped
world of work. Respect for skill, a sense of
ownership and pride in what one produces,
and fairness, both in the sense of justice and
of beauty.

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Gill’s personal life and his unpardonable
behaviour are well documented, but this
book shows his unconventional approach to
his art. It’s not to be taken as read, but rather
considered and thought about. It benefits
from a couple of readings, allowing Gill’s
deliberately outlandish claims to be
considered in depth. It serves as an excellent
example of writing to provide critical
thought. Gill doesn’t expect you to agree with
him, but to consider what he has to say and
what it means.
Even for those not employed in visual
design, this short book is a valuable read. We
all interact with text and typography every
day and understanding it is valuable. Even if
the most artistic thing you produce is a Word
document or an email, understanding the
thinking behind written design will help you
avoid some simple mistakes.
The Essay’s language is dated but no less
engaging for that, and Gill’s slightly absurdist
humour makes for an enjoyable hour or so.