Russian Constructivism

Classification: This font, done during the period of Russian Constructivism, is the grandfather of "modernized" sans-serif type faces. This is where it all began for the intuitive, modern-feel typography.

Object/Audience: This is the cover page for "Good!" by Vladimir Mayyakovsky. It was designed by El Lissitzky and completed in Moscow in 1927. The targeted audience was Russian citizens. So begins propaganda in the form of constructivist Russia.

Font/Layout: Constructivism was used as a break from "art for art's sake" in the early 20th century. The font was developed during this architectural movement and was designed to capture the social attention of Russians and to communicate a (social) message. Therefore the type is very simple, legible, and not clouded with imagery.

Influence: This example will forever influence my work and everyone's work around me. Without this movement, our idea of a sans-serif may be completely different. The way we communicate with simplicity would have been discovered in a different way, or maybe not at all. Now-a-days, type is able to stand alone if used correctly, and I would attribute this design element to the Russians early last century.