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ECV Lille, Design Teaching: MA Culture Graphique course, Tomi Vollauschek, co-founder of FL@33 and Stereohype, re-appointed to be visiting lecturer [intervenant] at ECV France – École de Création Visuelle – teaching an English and French language remote Culture Graphique course for Master 2 / year 5 Graphic Design and Art Direction 'alternance' students at ECV Lille, France. 27 September – 15 November 2024
___
MA CULTURE GRAPHIQUE COURSE | SYLLABUS | FIRST ROUGH MODULE DRAFT
It is an honour that after over eight years of working with ECV France as an external educator, speaker and designer in residence – running Masterclass workshops, giving talks and being involved in occasional Diploma Graduation Jury duty, ECV France re-appointed FL@33's Tomi Vollauschek to be visiting lecturer [intervenant] at ECV Lille – École de Création Visuelle – this time teaching the remote Culture Graphique course.
___ The syllabus as shown here was the initial overview draft but was developed and extended further throughout the course – in scope and depth – and so was the reading list.
The module was developed by Tomi Vollauschek with complete freedom.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | SYLLABUS
MA CULTURE GRAPHIQUE COURSE | SYLLABUS | FIRST ROUGH DRAFT
Tomi Vollauschek (FL@33 / Stereohype) | Design Teaching: MA Culture Graphique course
ECV Lille – Year 5 / Master 2 / M2 Des-DA ALT
CULTURE GRAPHIQUE | Mastère 2 M2 Des-DA ALT — Graphic Design and Art Direction
(7 students)
Friday 9am–1pm,
27 September – 15 November 2024
COURSE INTRODUCTION
The word Grid in design might sound boring and rigid to some, but in this course I will demonstrate why the opposite is the case. The theme of Grids may just be an excuse for this particular journey through Culture Graphique. However, in this playful course – full of historic and pop culture references, anecdotes, examples, videos and exercises – we will examine how the understanding of grids enables a deeper understanding and practice of design. While learning a lot, this will make the students' design process easier and their design results better.
___ Grids have been a cornerstone of visual composition for centuries, evolving from ancient mathematical principles like the golden ratio to modern digital frameworks. The Bauhaus movement and Swiss Style, particularly Josef Müller-Brockmann's work, solidified the grid's importance in graphic design. Grids extend beyond layout and micro-typography to letterforms and type design, as seen in Paul Renner's Futura typeface. While providing structure, grids are not restrictive, allowing for creative flexibility across various design disciplines.
___ The punk aesthetic and later designers like David Carson challenged traditional grid use, demonstrating the power of breaking rules. In the digital age, grids have adapted to responsive web design, flexible visual identity systems and user interface needs. Modern approaches like modular grids and the 8-point system offer even more precision and flexibility. Understanding grid systems is crucial for designers, but knowing when to deviate from them is equally important. Grids remain a fundamental tool in graphic design, providing a framework for creativity while ensuring visual harmony across different media and eras.
A QUOTE
"Don't let yourself be governed by the grid, govern the grid." | « Ne te laisse pas contrôler par la grille, contrôle la grille » — Massimo Vignelli, Italian Designer 1931–2014
MOVIE CLIPS
Speaking of grids and composition (for those who haven't seen it yet – or those who enjoyed it…).
Spoiler alert!
The Fabelmans (Les Fabelman au Québec, 2022) Movie Scene
___ Sammy (aka Steven Spielberg) meets John Ford (played by David Lynch):
YouTube clip 1 (4:30 min)
+ end sequence following this encounter:
YouTube clip 2 (25 sec)
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 1–6 AGENDA
Structured 6-day course plan:
DAY 1 | Introduction to grids and historical context | Layout
___ Golden ratio in nature and ancient architecture
___ Evolution of grids in art and design
___ Social Media Grids (Insta's 3x3) / Pixel art
___
Exercises in identifying grid structures in various works.
Brief: Dürer Grid Exercise
Day 2 | Bauhaus, Ulm and Swiss Style | Format
___ Bauhaus principles and influence on grid systems
___ Swiss Style and Josef Müller-Brockmann's contributions
___ The magic of the 12-column-grid
___
Analyzing and recreating Swiss Style layouts
Brief: 3 typographic mini posters – song lyrics
Day 3 | Typography and grids | Typography
___ Grid-based typeface design (e.g., Paul Renner's Futura)
___ Typographic grids and baseline alignment
___ Visualising Information and Data
___
Exercises in typographic composition using grids
Brief: Modular typefaces – custom design variants
Day 4 | Grids in different media | Colour
___ Architectural grids (e.g., Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier)
___ Grids in film and motion graphics
___ Visual Communication in a globalised world
___
Creating cross-media designs using consistent grid systems
Brief: High contrast B&W image and type fusion experiments
Day 5 | Breaking the grid | Images
___ Punk aesthetic and deliberate grid-breaking
___ David Carson and deconstructive design
___ AI—artificial intelligence / Creative Coding (e.g., Casey Reas, Joshua Davis)
___
Exercises in creative grid manipulation
Brief: Type poster series – build and destroy: follow and then break the rules
Day 6 | Modern grid systems and future trends
___ Responsive web design and CSS Grid
___ 8-point grid system in UI design
___ Flexible Visual Identity Systems
___
Final revision and discussion
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 1
DAY 1
Introduction, Golden Meaning, grids, then and now, and Dürer grid exercise
Introduction |
This presentation covered a wide range of examples illustrating the use of grids and the golden ratio in art, design, and nature. The Fibonacci sequence, also known as the golden ratio (approximately 1.618), appears in various natural and artistic contexts. The presentation explored:
01— Classical architecture: The Acropolis
02— Renaissance art: Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man and Mona Lisa
03— Dutch Golden Age painting: Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring
04— Natural phenomena: Fibonacci spiral in nature
05— Page layout techniques: Van de Graaf canon and Tschichold's Golden Canon
06— Pop culture: Pixies' Doolittle album cover by Vaughan Oliver
07— Digital media: Instagram grid usage
08— Video game design: Original Super Mario pixel designs (1985)
09— Contemporary illustration: Grid-based 'Pointillism'-style by FL@33
10— Typography: Modular type system designs by MuiMcNei
11— Modern architecture: Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion and Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation
12— Experimental typography: Works by Stefan Sagmeister and Autobahn
13— Abstract art: Mondrian compositions and Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian dresses
14— Graphic design theory: Müller-Brockmann's book "Grid Systems" and his posters
15— Contemporary art: Liad Shadmi's The Alphabet Room
16— Historical perspective and proportion: Albrecht Dürer's Dürer Grid from the 15th century
EXERCISE | BRIEF
Dürer Grid Exercise | Replicate and transfer your name or one of the provided words by using the Dürer Grid technique and a pencil. Increase the size, then apply it to the distorted grid.
See supplied PDF.
The exercise asks students to use the Dürer Grid technique to replicate and transfer their name or a provided word. This involves using a pencil to draw on a distorted grid, increasing the size of the original text. The Dürer Grid, developed by Albrecht Dürer in the 15th century, is a tool for accurately scaling and transferring images. To complete this exercise:
01— Start with the original Dürer Grid containing your name or chosen word.
02— Use a pencil to carefully replicate each letter onto the distorted grid.
03— Pay attention to how the distorted grid affects the shape and proportions of the letters.
04— Ensure that each letter is accurately transferred, maintaining its relative position within the grid cells.
05— Once completed, the result should be a larger, potentially distorted version of the original text.
This exercise demonstrates the practical application of grid systems in design and illustrates how grids can be used to manipulate and transform visual elements.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 2
DAY 2
Bauhaus, Swiss Style and poster exercises
A presentation covered a comprehensive range of topics in graphic design history and principles. Here's a summary of the key points:
1 | PAGE LAYOUTS
From Gutenberg to Van der Graaf and Tschichold's golden canon, compared with Rosarivo's canon.
2 | BAUHAUS MOVEMENT
___ Introduction to all three Bauhaus schools
___ Design principles
___ Key figures and their roles:Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Anni Albers, Wassily Kandinsky, Marianne Brandt, Paul Klee, Gunta Stölzl, László Moholy-Nagy and Josef Albers.
3 | RELATED DESIGN MOVEMENTS
___ Russian Constructivism
___ Modernism (with a focus on Graphic Design)
___ De Stijl
4 | SWISS STYLE
___ Introduction to key figures: Josef Müller-Brockmann, Max Bill, Armin Hofmann, Emil Ruder, Karl Gerstner, Ernst Keller, Lora Lamm, Siegfried Odermatt, Rosmarie Tissi and Hans Neuburg
5 | LATER
HfG Ulm, Dieter Rams and Jony Ive for Apple, Rams' 10 Good Design is... rules
6 | GRID SYSTEMS
___ Introduction of the versatile 12-column grid for page layouts
___ Examples of visualized grids in Josef Müller-Brockmann posters
EXERCISE | BRIEFING
Design composition aspects emphasised: Focal point, order, surprise, negative space and details.
___ Create 3 typographic mini posters in 45 min (3x 15min).
___ 3x A4 typography compositions in portrait format.
___ InDesign or Illustrator/ or equivalent software.
___ Find inspiration in Swiss Style posters without copying them.
___ Use an invisible grid of your choice (Your own or Fibonacci-based or 12-column-grid for example).
___ Use the lyrics of a favourite song of yours.
___ Add the info of the song's time length, the song title, the artist, year of release.
Limitations:
___ Use Helvetica in only 2 sizes and weights (for example Helvetica Light,
___ 60pt and Bold in 14pt).
___ You may play with positive / negative shapes.
___ NO added graphics or elements like lines.
Please note:
Your 3 layouts should be VERY different.
We then discuss them together next time. This exercise challenges students to apply the principles discussed, particularly focusing on Swiss Style typography and grid systems, while encouraging creativity within set constraints.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 3
DAY 3
Modular Typeface, Custom Design exercises
EXERCISE | BRIEF 1–3
This exercise challenges students to create a modular font system inspired by Neville Brody's Fuse project, Karel Martens' Printed Matter, and MuirMcNeil's work – including Eye magazine 94 with 8000 unique custom covers. Other examples included Prisma and Blixa Typeface also feautured in that issue.
The task is divided into three parts:
BRIEF 1/3
— Design a modular font (20 minutes):
___ Create letterforms using a square grid
___ Incorporate circles and diagonals in the design
___ Use squares, circles, and triangles as the basis for letters
___ Design at least 6 letters to form a word of choice
___ Work in black and white
___ Optional: Add repeating patterns or elements
BRIEF 2/3
— Color modification (10 minutes):
___ Modify letters to maintain a cohesive font family
___ Introduce at least 3 colors (suggested: CMYK or RGB)
___ Apply solid, covering colors
BRIEF 3/3
— Translucent color modification (10 minutes):
___ Further modify letters while maintaining font family cohesion
___ Use translucent colors
___ Apply color multiplication effect (e.g., in Photoshop)
Each exercise is followed by a brief discussion period to review and analyze the results. This exercise combines principles of grid-based design, modular typography, and colour theory, encouraging students to explore experimental approaches to type design within defined constraints.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 4
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 4**
DAY 4
High contrast B&W image and type combination exercises
After reviewing a wide range of inspirational examples including some from the reading list and provided PDFs, we'll focus on creating striking black and white compositions inspired by Non-Format's monograph Love Song, particularly pages 34, 41, and 52-56 of the PDF.
The task is to create a series of high-contrast, black and white (or greyscale) poster compositions featuring expressive typography combined with photographic elements.
The key aspects are:
___ Typography and imagery should blend seamlessly, making it difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins.
___ Use your own photographic elements, avoiding stock imagery.
Experiment with:
___ Ink in water
___ Smoke
___ Silhouettes
___ Plants
___ Natural elements (wind, fire, ice, water)
___ Create a sequence of at least 3 compositions showing varying degrees of legibility/readability, from clear to abstract.
___ Optional: Choose words or short sentences where the imagery either emphasises or contrasts with the meaning (e.g., "PEACE" on fire, or "Water" with liquid elements).
___ Focus on impactful details in your combinations. Single letters or short words may have the strongest visual impact, but feel free to experiment with longer text.
Format:
___ Create either a series of 3+ individual posters or a single poster showing the legibility sequence.
___ Prioritise visual impact and clear appreciation of the typographic and photographic details.
Additional Task:
___ Don't forget to complete the colour experiments from the Day 3 brief as well.
Remember to prioritise safety and reason in your experimentation with natural elements. (Don't burn down the house!)
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 5
DAY 5
Build and destroy: follow and then break the rules
Typography refresher / crash course | Please create 3 posters with different typographic requirements. Choose a size A2 or A1 and stick with that size for parts A, B, and C of the brief.
DAY 5 BRIEF PART A
Please create a black and white poster (A2) with the supplied text file ‘250 words about Typography_edit.txt’. [Copy shown below]
___ Develop a grid that should either be visible or become visible because of your layout choices. The main aim of this part A of the brief is to typeset the text (in English and also in French) in the best possible way to read it as if it were in a book. All the important rules you should apply are written on the following pages of this PDF.
___ In addition to these two English and French columns on the poster, please also use pull-out words of your choice that you can show in larger, maybe bold, type to create contrast. You may add graphic elements and photography (maybe with a halftone grid to keep it nice and crisp and black and white). Graphic elements and photos are, however, NOT necessary.
___ Type is king (or queen). Perfect readability is the aim of this exercise, so do NOT obstruct the text columns. Before placing the final text columns in your poster, please ensure that you make A4 black and white print tests of your type choices to check that your font, size, tracking, leading, and possible weight and font pairing work to perfection.
___ If you cannot print in the next few days, bad luck – but without testing your typesetting choices, it won’t be perfect... The look can be minimal, Swiss Style-inspired, but do keep it simple to celebrate the nice tension you can create while playing with contrast and the poster grid.
DAY 5 BRIEF PART B
Now take the part A poster and destroy it. Create a cut-and-paste collage of sorts. Keep it black and white, please. Take all that you learned but create a David Carson-style composition, deliberately pushing, scratching, tearing, and breaking all the rules. Create an exciting, graphically stunning composition by cutting, gluing, duplicating, and...
___ Make a mess. A beautiful mess – and keep some exciting white space in your composition. Work on the existing grid you developed for part A – but ignore it. Break out.
DAY 5 BRIEF PART C
This part is very surreal and strange, and I do not know what to expect. Please combine both posters. Carson-style elements should be used, but please add the English and French perfectly readable, unobstructed columns from part A and make a mess outside these columns. Use the grid.
Happy designing!
Questions?
PLEASE ASK any time via chat or email or Teams posts for all to see.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 5—Extra material: Typographic recommendations for ideal reading experience
HERE ARE SOME KEY TYPOGRAPHIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IDEAL READING EXPERIENCE:
Text-only copy from provided PDF. Some typographic illustrations are not displayed in this text-nly version.
Character Count and Line Length
___ Aim for 50-60 characters per line for optimal
readability.
___ Use the Information window in InDesign to check character count on the longest text line.
Tracking and Kerning
___ Adjust tracking as InDesign’s default 0 is rarely ideal.
___ Apply kerning whenever needed, especially for double digits or larger page numbers. For example:
11 (tracking: -5) [shown larger originally – presenting clearly how far apart the two '1's are by default...]
11 (tracking: -100)
10, 11, 20, 22, 23 (tracking: 0)
Leading (Line Spacing)
___ InDesign’s default leading is 120% of the font size (e.g. 12pt leading for 10pt type).
___ For ideal reading, 130-145% leading is recommended.
Font Size and Style Considerations
___ Smaller type sizes require more tracking.
___ Italic weights often need more tracking than normal weights.
___ For longer texts, use a mix of upper and lowercase rather than all uppercase.
___ Serif fonts tend to be more readable for extended text.
Layout Best Practices
___ Avoid orphans and widows where possible.
___ Limit hyphenation to no more than 2 consecutive line endings.
___ Use grids and lock to baseline grid for larger publications.
___ Avoid hyphenating words across columns or pages.
General Guidelines
___ For book design, use 10-12pt font size depending on the typeface.
___ Follow typographic rules but break them deliberately when appropriate.
___ Remember that good typography is often unnoticed – it’s only noticeable when it’s poorly done.
By adhering to these recommendations, you can create a more comfortable and effective reading experience for your audience.
KERN•I•NG
Tracking
T r a c k i n g
Leading
Leading
Leading
Leading
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 5—Extra material: 250 words about Typography | The text to use for the Day 5 posters
ENGLISH VERSION
Typography serves as the gentle whisper guiding readers through the narrative. At its foundation lies a typographic grid – a clever arrangement that keeps everything in balance. The right type size welcomes readers like an open door, while well-measured line lengths of 50-75 characters create a smooth path for the eyes to follow. Within this range, the golden sweet spot of 50-60 characters offers optimal readability, as emphasized by Emil Ruder.
___ Typeface and weight add depth to this harmony, with each font choice setting the tone and mood. Line spacing, or leading, ideally set at 130-145%, allows thoughts to breathe, surpassing InDesign’s whisper-quiet default of 120%. Kerning fine-tunes the relationship between letters, while tracking adjusts overall spacing, ensuring each character finds its perfect place.
___ In this harmonious composition, avoid unwanted words – orphans and widows – at page edges, and let no more than two consecutive lines end with hyphenated sighs. Paragraphs should be marked by indents or line breaks, but resist indenting at a text’s beginning where it feels redundant.
Whether it’s a soft whisper in novels or an energetic shout on posters, good typography transforms reading into an enchanting experience. Paradoxically, the better the typography works, the less it’s noticed – becoming an invisible force that effortlessly guides the reader’s journey.
___ As we explore these nuances, let’s turn our gaze to a visual symphony that brings these concepts to life:
KERN•I•NG
Tracking
T r a c k i n g
Leading
Leading
Leading
Leading
These illustrations reveal typography’s subtle power – a universal whisper resonating across cultures.
VERSION EN FRANÇAIS
La typographie sert de doux murmure guidant les lecteurs à travers le récit. À sa base se trouve une grille typographique - un arrangement ingénieux qui maintient tout en équilibre. La bonne taille de police accueille les lecteurs comme une porte ouverte, tandis que des longueurs de ligne bien mesurées de 50 à 75 caractères créent un chemin fluide pour les yeux. Dans cette plage, le point idéal de 50 à 60 caractères offre une lisibilité optimale, comme l'a souligné Emil Ruder.
___ La police de caractères et le graissage ajoutent de la profondeur à cette harmonie, chaque choix de police définissant le ton et l'ambiance. L'interlignage, idéalement réglé entre 130 et 145%, permet aux pensées de respirer, dépassant le discret 120% par défaut d'InDesign. Le crénage affine la relation entre les lettres, tandis que l'approche ajuste l'espacement global, assurant que chaque caractère trouve sa place parfaite.
___ Dans cette composition harmonieuse, évitez les mots indésirables - orphelines et veuves - aux bords des pages, et ne laissez pas plus de deux lignes consécutives se terminer par des traits d'union. Les paragraphes doivent être marqués par des alinéas ou des sauts de ligne, mais résistez à l'envie de faire un alinéa au début d'un texte où cela semble redondant.
Que ce soit un doux murmure dans les romans ou un cri énergique sur les affiches, une bonne typographie transforme la lecture en une expérience enchanteresse. Paradoxalement, plus la typographie fonctionne bien, moins elle est remarquée - devenant une force invisible qui guide sans effort le voyage du lecteur.
___ Alors que nous explorons ces nuances, tournons notre regard vers une symphonie visuelle qui donne vie à ces concepts :
CR•ÉNAGE
Approche
A p p r o c h e
Interlignage
Interlignage
Interlignage
Interlignage
Ces illustrations révèlent le pouvoir subtil de la typographie - un murmure universel qui résonne à travers les cultures.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | DAY 6
DAY 6
Catching up and revision
Presentation covering:
___ Responsive web design and CSS Grid
___ 8-point grid system in UI design
___ Flexible Visual Identity Systems
Revision and discussion about course results.
PARTICIPATING STUDENTS
M2 DA DG | Coline Baes, Chloé Cerutti, Estelle Gueneau, Mathieu Lebon, Camila Salazar-Oettinger, Léa Wojtinek and Lucas Ygouf.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO | READING LIST
(in addition to above add-ons)
Tomi Vollauschek (FL@33 / Stereohype) | Design Teaching: MA Culture Graphique course
ECV Lille – Year 5 / Master 2 / M2 Des-DA ALT
ESSENTIALS: Graphic Design / Typography
Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design,
Josef Müller-Brockmann
Typographie / Typography,
Emil Ruder
Adrian Frutiger Typefaces. The Complete Works.
Heidrun Osterer, Philipp Stamm
Der Geist der Farbe – Karl Gerstner und Seine Kunst,
DVA
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 1
Jon Wozencroft, Neville Brody, 1988
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 2
Jon Wozencroft, Neville Brody, 1994
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 3,
Brody & team, 2023
Designed By Peter Saville
Love Song
Non-Format
Saul Bass
Laurence King Publishing
The End of Print
David Carson
Typography Now
Booth Clibborn
ESSENTIALS: Grids and Flexible Visual Systems, Information Design
Grid Systems,
Josef Müller-Brockmann
Flexible Visual Systems – The Design Manual for Contemporary Visual Identities,
Martin Lorenz
Mise En Page Etc
Pyramyd
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information,
Edward Tufte
The Information Capital
London
Information Graphics
Geometry Makes Me Happy,
Index Book, various
Grids – Creative Solutions for Graphic Designers,
RotoVision / contributors
Golden Meaning
GD&
The Layout Book
Laurence King Publishing
+ PDF articles:
The Rule of Thirds and Filmmaking
ESSENTIALS: Think Globally (Act Locally)
The Politics of Design – A (Not So) Global Manual for Visual Communication,
Ruben Pater et al
ESSENTIALS: Food for thoughts
The Extreme Self,
Shumon Basar, Douglas Coupland, Hans Ulrich Obrist
Popular Lies* About Graphic Design,
Craig Ward
A Smile in the mind – Witty thinking in Graphic Design,
Beryl McAlhone & David Stuart
The Art of Looking Sideways,
Alan Fletcher
How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul,
Adrian Shaugnessy
MORE: Typography
The Visual History of Type,
Paul McNeil
About Face – Reviving the Rules of Typography,
David Jury
Exploring Typography, An In-Depth Guide to the Art & techniques of Contemporary Typography,
Tova Rabinowitz
The 3D Type Book,
FL@33 (Yours truly)
Lettering & Type,
Bruce Willen, Nolen Strals
Shape Grammars,
Janina Maroscheck
More: Graphic Designer Monographs and Showcase Books
Rational Simplicity – Rudolph de Harak Graphic Designer,
Richard Poulin
TD 63–73, Total Design and its Pioneering Role in Graphic Design,
Ben Bos
Lance Wyman: The Monograph,
Adrian Shaugnessy, Tony Brook
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 3,
Brody & team
The Art of Work,
Milton Glaser
Designed By,
Peter Saville
V.O. Archive,
Vaughan Oliver
Lubalin – Herb Lubalin, American Graphic Designer 1918–81,
Adrian Shaugnessy
Ladislav Sutnar, Prague, New York, Design in Action,
Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Restart – New Systems in Graphic Design,
Christian Küsters & Emily King
(Andreas Uebele) Material – Monograph Volume 3, 2003 – 2016,
Andreas Uebele
Graphics Alive,
Victionary, various
...
PICTURE CREDITS
Shown here are a few selected session screenshots and work samples were kindly provided by ECV students courtesy of ECV Lille.