Edward Johnston

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edward Johnston (11 February 1872 – 26 November 1944), was a British scholar who is credited with the revival of calligraphy. He started teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London's Regent Street. Then he moved on to the Royal Society of Arts and many students were inspired by his teachings.

He is most famous for designing the sans-serif Johnston typeface that is used throughout the London Underground system as well as the famous roundel logo used throughout the system.

He has also been credited for reviving the art of modern penmanship and lettering single-handedly through his books and teachings. Johnston also devised the simply crafted round calligraphic handwriting style, written with a broad pen, known as the foundational hand.

In 1921, students of Johnston founded the Society of Scribes & Illuminators (SSI), probably the world's foremost calligraphy society.

[edit] Publications

• Johnston, Edward (1995). Writing & Illuminating & Lettering. Dover Publications, 480 pp. ISBN 0-486-28534-0. 
• Johnston, Edward (1986). Lessons in Formal Writing. Taplinger Publishing Company, 243 pp. ISBN 0-8008-4642-7. 
• Johnston, Edward (1990). Decoration and Its Uses. Tenspeed, 64 pp. ISBN 0-89815-401-4. 

[edit] External links

• National Portrait Gallery Edward Johnston, 1937
• London's Transport Museum Photographic Archive Example of condensed form Johnston font used on a bus blind
• Crafts Study Centre Edward Johnston Collection hosted by AHDS Visual Arts