Edward Johnston was considered the father of modern calligraphy. He taught calligraphy at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. In 1915, Frank Pick commissioned Johnston to design a new typeface for the London Underground Group to strengthen its brand identity. Johnston designed Johnston Sans, a clear and simple typeface that was used widely on Underground buildings, vehicles, and publications. Johnston emphasized the importance of crafting real, functional objects to his students.

1. Edward Johnston

2. 'The first time I saw him writing and saw the writing that came as he wrote, I had that thrill and tremble of the heart …' Eric Gill, Autobiography , 1940

3. Edward Johnston 1872-1944 Edward Johnston could be regarded as as Capital M Modernist. (see the PostModerism webicle for more information) Considered the a father of modern calligraphy. He was born in San José, Uruguay. Johnston started teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London's Southampton Row, taking on students such as the typeface designer and sculptor Eric Gill. Edward Johnston 1872-1944

4. From Writing and Illuminating and Lettering , 1906 Extract from book. View the full thing here: http://www.archive.org/stream/writingilluminat00johnuoft#page/xx/mode/2up Available on site. From Writing and Illuminating and Lettering , 1906

6. Frank Pick 1878-1941 In 1912 he became Commercial Manager working under General Manager Albert Henry Stanley. Pick introduced a standardised advertising policy across all stations with a common advertising style to strengthened the identity of the brand in the public's mind. 1915 he commissioned Johnston to design a clear new typeface for use on all Underground Group buildings, rolling stock and publications.

7. Westminster Station 1902

8. Johnston’s ‘first drawing’ for the upper-case, 6 February 1916 Finished upper-case design for Johnston Sans, June 1916

9. Final design for the lower-case, July 1916

10. Above: Caslon’s Two-lines English Egyptian, c.1816 Below: Johnston Sans, 1916

11. Paul Renner, Futura type, 1927 and Johnston Sans, 1916

12. Gill Sans, 1930 and Johnston Sans, 1916

13. Johnston Sans Lower Case, July 1924

14. Johnston Bold, 1929

16. Tooting Bec Station, 1926

17. Knightsbridge Station, 1934

19. ‘ To his students, he laid great emphasis on the importance of real things – on the things they made being real and being really things . … Over and over again, to new generations of students, he tried to convey his vision of the exciting adventure of making a real thing .’ Priscilla Johnston, Edward Johnston , 1959

20. Johnston Sans 1916 Revised by Walter Tracy, 1974 New Johnston Medium, 1980

21. New Johnston Application Rules 1988