Pencil to Pixel.

Original Arial drawings.

Last week I braved the rain to Wapping to visit Pencil to Pixel, an exhibition about the history of the Monotype institution of typographic printing. Because I am over enthusiastic about such type related events I signed up for the free 'guided tour', and I can happily say it was my favourite exhibition this year. We were talked through each display case of examples of the design and production of printing type, and it was concise and clearly explained, which was good for me because it took me a while to get my head around the enormity of the process of switching from human hands arranging single letters into entire publications, to mechanically organising them instead. It was fascinating hearing about the impact that Monotype has had on the history of printing and type design. 

Sadly the exhibition has ended, otherwise I would be back for a second visit and to make a few Christmas purchases in their lovely shop...if only it was on for longer...

Photographic Matrices for the Linofilm Europa 1970.

Part of the workforce before the Monotype machine was invented.

Master record of the origin of design and current status of use of typefaces.