Social, cultural innovations and new media. Art Nouveau started around 1890 In the Netherlands. It was known as ‘De Nieuwe Kunst’. The awareness that fine arts and crafts could be considered on equal footing resulted in a growing attention to form in daily life. Just a few years earlier, in 1884, Martinus Nijhof’s Dutch translation of Lewis F. Day’s Art and Society was published. Artists and architects were involved in the applied arts. The poster became part of daily life. Publishers reached different target groups with numerous publications. A new culture emerged in the visual arts, applied arts and architecture. Graphic design became a profession. It was a revelation for me when I started to delve into this world of fine arts, crafts and decoration.
In 1995 the art historians Kees Broos and Paul Hefting and I collaborated on the book and the exhibition Graphic design in the Netherlands. A century. My company V+K Publishing published the book in co-edition with Uitgeverij L.J. Veen, Amsterdam. Phaidon Press, London. Suisyosha, Tokyo and Leonarde Arte, Milano. And my design agency V+K Design curated the graphic design and production of the book and the exhibition. The exhibition was presented in Breda, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Istanbul and New York, in co-operation with the Dutch Graphic Design Foundation. The board of this Foundation was composed of: Cees W. de Jong (Chairman); Paul Hefting, Aesthetic Design Department PTT, (Dienst esthetische vormgeving PTT), Art historian and author; Rob Huisman, Director BNO, Association of Dutch Designers; Frans Spruijt, Director Drukkerij (Printing Company) Mart Spruijt; and Frank Tiesing, Director Museum de Beyerd Breda, Graphic Design Museum.
Visually experimental design was incorporated in a wide variety of printed matter in the Netherlands. The designers involved included Jan van Krimpen, Piet Zwart, Paul Schuitema, Cor Alons, Paul Citroen, Gerard Kiljan and Paul Schuitema. The last four designers on that list also taught at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. Photography, a new medium, played an important role at that time. Often politically motivated avant-garde groups like Futurists, Dadaists, Constructivists and others rejected traditional aesthetic views in Europe. Typography was increasingly important in these new developments and text had to be short and striking. The use of primary colors and elements such as the circle was also applied. The latter element, the circle, was used by several artists such as El Lissitzky, Jean Arp, Walter Cyliax, and Jan Tschichold. The Amsterdam’s Kunstnijverheidsschool (The Arts and Crafts School) was strongly influenced by the functionalist and socially critical ideas of De Stijl and Bauhaus, partly due to the influence of architect Mart Stam as director of the school (1934-1948). Mart Stam, poet of steel and glass.
Free images and strict form. De Vereniging van Beoefenaars van Gebonden Kunsten, GKf, (The Association of Practitioners of Related Arts) the successor of VANK, was founded in 1945. It proved to be a positive stimulus for the graphic design profession. There were major differences in GKf exemplified by Illustrative designers such as Jan Bons, Nicolaas Wijnberg, Ad Wernars, Dick Elffers and Otto Treumann and the stricter designers and typographers such as Willem Sandberg, Wim Brusse, Pieter Brattinga, Charles Jongejans, Benno Wissing and Wim Crouwel.
The Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam. In 1967, I started studying graphic design, an education that was immediately familiar to me. In addition to being surrounded by imaginative people, students and teachers, attention was focused on the early beginnings of designers and artists from the past and present. All of this in the context of a beautiful new academy building designed by architect and furniture designer Gerrit Rietveld. Life started to make sense.
The Gerrit Rietveld Academy was a particularly positive experience. A number of artists and designers who were involved as teachers at the academy played a special role in my life. At that time, and still today, I had an affinity and admiration for those who taught me.
Dick Dooijes, (1909-1998). Director Gerrit Rietveld Academy, 1968-1974. Not only was he a member of the Amsterdam City Council, he was also an important type designer and who worked at Lettergieterij Amsterdam for more than 30 years. A member of the Art Council he also designed the sans-serif typeface Mercator, but his most famous typeface is Lectura from 1969.
Jan G. Elburg, (1919-1992), poet and artist. Considered one of the ’Vijtigers’ (Fifties) he was also awarded the Jan Campert Prize and the Constantijn Huygens Prize. Jan G. Elburg taught in the preparatory year with, among other things, assignments inspired by the studies of modern art education at the Bauhaus (1919-1933). Visually and verbally very creative and versatile, he said: “I see sharper through the language.”
Theo Kurpershoek, (1914-1998) was a designer, typographer, monumental artist, illustrator and painter. Educated at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam there he also became the Chairman of Arti et Amicitiae and De Kring. Theo Kurpershoek taught letter drawing and typography, and was able to discuss technological and historical developments in an exhaustive manner.
Charles Jongejans, (1918-1995) was both a graphic designer and a typographer. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. Together with Paul Guermonpres, (1908-1944), he was part of the design agency Co-op 2, (1934-1942) and from 1945 he worked as an independent designer with clients like Ahrend, the Municipality of Amsterdam, Goed Wonen (Good Living), and Holland Festival. With his amiable personality, he was a designer who provided his students with insight into the total design process.
At the Rietveld Academy, graphic designer Tom de Heus, introduced me to Ko Kwinkelenberg (1927-2013). Kwinkelenberg made his mark, in 1950 he worked at the design department of Lettergieterij Amsterdam v/h Tetterode. Where S.H. de Roos, Dick Dooijes and G.W. Ovink also worked as librarians. After three and a half years, Ko left for the Vorm studio of Teun Teunissen van Maanen (1918-2001). Teunissen van Maanen co-founded Stichting Nieuwe Wooncultuur (Foundation New Living Culture) and of Goed Wonen (Good Living) and from 1946 he worked as a graphic designer for the newspaper Vrij Nederland (until 1950) as well as International Textiles (1948-1959), Mepal, and the publisher Contact. In 1957 he entered into a working relationship with the weaving mill De Ploeg. Teunissen van Maanen was a member of the GKf and the NIDf. After the departure of Teunissen van Maanen in 1961, Kwinkelenberg took over the Vorm studio.
Ko Kwinkelenberg was introduced to Sikkens by Elffers. Kwinkelenberg belonged to the GKf like Teunissen van Maanen and Elffers. Graphic design was now a specialist profession. The visual presentation of companies changed very fast. Mergers and multinational companies played an important role as did an interest in corporate identity.
Sikkens was an important client for this studio. Outside of Sikkens, Kwinkelenberg also worked on numerous assignments for the Meijer printing company – and the Royal printing company G.J. Thieme – such as annual reports and jubilee books for companies as well as the Dutch Railways and the Amsterdam Historical Museum. Several authors, photographers and designers were involved in Meijer printing company and Meijer-bedrijfsfotoboeken (Meijer-corporate photo books). Meijer’s company brochure of 1966-1967, mentioned the designers Dick Elffers, Jurriaan Schrofer, Mart Kempers, Hans Barvelink, Tom de Heus, Ko Kwinkelenberg and Harry Sierman.
Studio Kwinkelenberg was a hub for inspiring clients and contact with photographers and writers. Photographers such as Cas Oorthuys and Hans de Boer, along with writers such as B. Majorick and Herman Hoeneveld, the illustrator Ted Schaap and many others. Ko Kwinkelenberg had an eye for detail and attention to typography and presented himself confidently as an equal discussion partner with both clients and companies; he understood their needs well.
In 1973, I became director of Studio Kwinkelenberg. Ko Kwinkelenberg had problems with his health, sold his company to OVERAD, PRAD, and left for Spain, where he started painting.
Studio Kwinkelenberg underwent a name change: Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers and, in 1975, a management buy-out. I became owner of the design agency. In a funny coincidence, the name of Teun Teunissen van Maanen’s studio was ‘Vorm’.
In 1978 there were international developments and a name change again, two company names for two activities: V+K Design and V+K Publishing. One a graphic design agency and one a book packaging, publishing company.
V+K Design: from 1970 the company was involved in Corporate Identity Design, Logotypes, and Corporate Identity Manual for Sikkens, the logotype Sikkens was again adapted to a slightly lighter logotype, Akzo Coatings. Starting in 1975, we handled the Corporate Identity Design, Corporate Identity Manual for PCGD, the Corporate Identity Design for Postbank and ING Bank, and the Corporate Identity Manual for Postbank. Then, from 1980, we took care of the Corporate Identity Design, Manual, and Logotype for Libris as well as the graphic design of Libris magazine along with the graphic design of annual reports for many companies, sometimes as many as eight annual reports a year, in addition to exhibition design.
V+K Publishing: Issued books on graphic design, typography, architecture and art. In co-operation with publishers and museums around the world.
VK Projects: the name was changed, and has remained the same since 2004.
Personal Encounters. I have selected a number of summaries of introductions, postscripts, essays and acknowledgments that I have written and that have been published along with a few extra lines about people who are personally important to me. There is also a selection of books, exhibitions and some graphic design assignments. Keep it simple and accessible!
Cees W. de Jong
VK Projects. Cees W. de Jong, Member of BNO, The Association of Dutch Designers.
Residence Wisseloord. Wisseloordlaan 121, 1217 DL Hilversum, The Netherlands.
Architectural Politics as seen in Competition. Since 1790. 1991.
The Image of a Company. Design for Corporate Image. 1990.
De tijden veranderen. Kerstnummer Grafisch Nederland KVGO. 1989.
The New Photography in the Netherlands. 1989.
Functional Glamour. 1987.
Europa CEPT Postage stamps. Modern architecture. PTT. Issued 1987.
Schoon & Weer. Een herinneringsuitgave voor de toekomst. 1980.
Nooit gebouwd Nederland. Kerstnummer Grafisch Nederland KVGO. 1980.
Alphabet. PCGD – RPS. Postcheque en Girodienst, Rijkspostspaarbank, Postbank. 1979
A number of books that have been published privately for clients are not mentioned.
The archive of Cees W. de Jong is part of the Archive, Special Collections of UvA, Allard Pierson, Amsterdam.
Special people
Names of authors, architects, designers, editors, publishers and clients are listed. I would like to mention a few in particular because they occupy a special place in my private and business life. As always, it was a pleasure to work together with Alston W. Purvis, my dear friend, now Professor Emeritus of Visual Arts at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. For many years, we have enjoyed a successful collaboration on a lot of special projects, books and exhibitions.
Special thanks are extended to: Jean-François Barrielle, Edition Flamarion, Paris. Jamie Camplin, editorial and managing director of Thames & Hudson, London. Martijn F. Le Coultre, Design Museum Dedel, The Haque. Alan Fletcher, graphic designer, London. Norman Foster, architect, London. Paul Gottlieb, editor in chief, publisher of Abrams, New York. Herman Herzberger, architect, Amsterdam. Eric Himmel, editor in chief, publisher of Abrams, New York. Otmar Hoeffer, type director Linotype, Bad Homberg. Ies Hoogland, director communications KLM, Amstelveen. Curt Holz, editorial director Prestel, Penguin, Random House Verlagsguppe, Munich. Ewald Kist, CEO ING Bank. Amsterdam. Prof. Dr. Klaus Klemp, HFG Offenbach, Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt. Rem Koolhaas, architect, Rotterdam. Godfried van der Lugt, CEO ING Bank. Amsterdam. Stefano Marzano, architect, designer, Philips Corporate Design, Eindhoven. Artur Martin, photographer, Naarden. Onno Maurer, museum director Flehite. Erik Mattie, art historian, author, Amsterdam. Alessandro Mendini, architect, Milan. Richard Meier, architect, New York. Henriette Mueller-Stahl, editor Birkhäuser Verlag, Berlin – Zürich. Yvònne Joris, director Museum Kruithuis, Breda. Jan Juffermans, art dealer and author, Utrecht. Ko Kwinkelenberg, graphic designer, Amsterdam. Herman Lieve, commissioner Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers, general director PRAD-OVERAD, Amsterdam. Dieter Rams, designer, Kronberg. Rob Saunders, director Letterform Archive, San Francisco. Thomas Stemmle, director Edtion Stemmle, Zürich. Benedikt Taschen, publisher Taschen Verlag, Cologne. Jan Tholenaar, collector of Typeface Specimen, Amsterdam. Robert P. Welsh, Toronto and Joop M. Joosten, Leiden, art historians, the authors of Piet Mondrian Catalogue Raisonné. Kees Woudt, together with his brother Roel Woudt owner of the Mercurius Group, Wormer. Kazuhiro Yamamoto, International Business Manager, Dai Nippon Printing, Tokyo. Hermann Zapf, type designer, Darmstadt.
Graphic design. Annual reports, Corporate Publications, Packaging design, etc. AkzoNobel, Amsterdam – Arnhem. Akzo Coatings, Sassenheim. Gemeente Almere. Gemeente Amsterdam. Bank der Bondsspaarbanken, Amsterdam. ING Groep, Amsterdam. KLM, Amstelveen. Koninklijke Volker Wessels Stevin, Rotterdam. Linotype, Bad Homburg. Philips Design, Eindhoven. Postbank, Amsterdam. Proost & Brandt Papier, Diemen. Papierfabrieken Van Gelder en Zonen, Amsterdam. N.V. Van Oord, Rotterdam. Sdu Uitgevers en Ontwerpgroep, The Hague.
Cultural institutions. AGI. Zurich. American Institute of Graphic Arts, New York. Domus Academy, Milan. Floriade, Haarlemmermeer, Venlo and Almere. Fundació Mies van der Rohe, Barcelona, Koninklijk Verbond voor Grafische Ondernemingen (KVGO), Amstelveen. Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, The Hague. Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen, Zoetermeer. Premsela, Dutch platform for design and fashion, Amsterdam. Bureau Rijksbouwmeester, The Hague. Rijksgebouwendienst VROM, The Hague. Stichting Nederland Wereldtentoonstellingen, The Hague. University of Amsterdam, Special Collections, Amsterdam. University Utrecht, Utrecht.
At work for Museums. Boston Museum of Fine Art, Boston. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. De Beyerd, Breda. Cobra Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Amstelveen. Dudok Stichting, Hilversum. Museum Flehite, Amersfoort. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Kunstmuseum, The Hague. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. GGG, Tokyo. Hermitage Museum, Amsterdam – St. Petersburg. Het Kruithuis, Den Bosch. Mauritshuis, The Hague. Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt am Main. Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich. De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam. Het Rembrandthuis, Amsterdam. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Shchusev Museum for Modern Architecture, Moscow. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Teylers Museum, Haarlem.
Co-editions. Abbeville Press, New York. Harry N. Abrams, New York. Academy editions, London. Belser Verlag, Stuttgart. Birkhäuser Verlag, Berlin – Zürich. Verlagsgruppe Bruckmann, Munich. Bunkensha, Tokyo. Cercle d’Art, Paris. Dai Nippon Printing, Tokyo. Deutsche Verlags Anstalt, Stuttgart. Dumont Buchverlag, Cologne. Editions du Collectionneur, Paris. Edition Flammarion, Paris. Frederico Motta Editore SPA, Milan. Edition Stemmle, Zürich. Forlaget Søren Fogtdal, Valby. Guangyu Schengya Culture Communications, Guangyu. Icob, Alphen aan de Rijn. Inmerc, Wormer. IPP, Beijing. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona. Kodansha, Tokyo. Lund Humphries – Ashgate Publishing, London. Mercatorfonds, Antwerp. Mercurius Groep, Wormerveer. Meulenhoff Nederland, Amsterdam. MIT Press, Cambridge. Inmerc, Wormer. International Typeface Corporation ITC, New York. Over Amstel, Amsterdam, Phaidon Press, London. Philip Wilson Publishers, London. Pei Books International, Tokyo. Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH – Prestel Verlag, Munich, London, New York. Princeton Architectural Press, New York. Rizzoli, New York. Robundo, Tokyo. Sasquatsch Expeditions, Blaricum. Sdu Uitgevers, The Hague. Skira editore, Milan. Snoek – Ducaju, Gand. Suishosa Co. Ltd., Tokyo. Taschen Verlag, Cologne. Terra Lannoo, Arnhem. Thames and Hudson, London – New York. The Monacelli Press, New York. Verlag Photographie, Schaffhausen. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken. Waanders uitgevers, Zwolle. Wiese Verlag, Bern, WPG Uitgevers, Amsterdam.
Book packager, publisher.
It’s wonderful to be your own client, formulate your own assignments and find a co-publisher. This is of course not always easy. Starting in 1979, I started producing books for co-publishers abroad. Books that often did not appear on the Dutch market, which was too limited. It was possible to build up a good network and to carry out the most exceptional projects with the right people. This involved collaboration with special personalities and publishers all over the world. We took part in the Frankfurter Book Fair, the London Book Fair, the American Booksellers Association (ABA), the Tokyo Art Book Fair, and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. That meant meeting people, exchanging ideas, traveling and having fun.
It all starts with an book idea for the international market, in co-edition in different language editions if possible. The book is then presented to potential publishers to arrange for them to add the book to their list and put their name on the book.
What’s a book packager? A publishing company that creates book content themselves, with the help of freelancers and their in-house staff, editors and graphic designers. The packager handles all the rights and permissions, conceptualizes the book and oversees every aspect of production. The tasks involved in putting together the book: writing, researching, editing, illustrating, translating as well as determining the specifications for the book. Then there’s setting the schedule, getting the printing bids, making pre-press arrangements and working with the printer and other providers throughout the production process. On a broader scale there is monitoring the budget for the project that includes all of the fees related to design, the editorial fees and royalties as well as printing costs. And, in the end, delivering finished copies to the publisher(s) around the world. These can also be museums or other institutions.
The projects sold by a packager are sold based solely on a proposal. An agreement has already been reached between the packager and the licensor/publisher and a proposal is put together by the packager’s editorial team. Freelancers are hired after a publisher’s contract is in hand.
A packager basically acts like a publisher with one additional role, that of project manager, and one distinction, which involves sales and distribution. As the packager find the publisher who will essentially put their name or imprint on the book and distribute it as they do the other books on their list. The work of the packager, designer and any others who assist with the book such as photographers or editors, is acknowledged with a credit on the colophon page and/or the copyright page. As long as the book is in print, I monitor sales, and decipher royalty statements. I only like to work on books I really love and believe in, and for which I feel I can find the right publishing partner. Books need to be sold and reach their audience worldwide.
Selected books and co-editions
Architectural Design Competitions. A new selection of 40 competitions. The publication and the exhibition feature high lights from a period covering more than two centuries and provides a survey of architectural movements and their respective representatives. This history of architecture design competitions mirrors the history of architecture itself. This book deals with international architecture design competitions starting from 1792 including the first prizewinning architect and other great entries. Erik Mattie & Cees W. de Jong. Graphic design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. VK Projects, Hilversum. Work in progress. 2025.
Floriade Expo 2022. Growing Green Cities. The outlook for a livable future from an urban planner’s perspective. Almere. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Photography Arthur Martin a.o. Floriade Expo, Almere. 2022.
Floriade Expo 2022, Growing Green Cities. Almere. Erik Mattie. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Photography Arthur Martin a.o. VK Projects, Hilversum. Floriade Expo, Almere. 2022.
Floriade Expo 2022. Anthology. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“The flower in anthology in this case stands for the best that has been written about all those topics that will be covered in this issue of Floriade Expo 2022. You can see, smell, taste, and feel flowers. I hope and expect that the texts that have been chosen will give surprising insights. The texts have been edited, supplemented, and rearranged to form a complete bouquet. The art is to realise changes in our lives, now and in the future, through which healthy food, a green living environment, and the responsible use and sustainable application of water and energy play a role.
Green book, MVRDV’s green city design for Floriade Expo 2022 consists of a grid of paths crossing the peninsula. This creates plots, where trees and plants are placed in alphabetical order. Its design is a green visual experience.
FSC. Well managed forests and recycled paper, existing (old) paper is mixed with water and contaminants and ink are removed from the paper. Once that’s done, the paper is processed into ‘new’ paper. Recycling paper offers several advantages, such as reducing energy and water consumption, decreasing the number of felled trees, and lowering CO2 emissions. Unfortunately, paper cannot be recycled endlessly. The fibres in old paper have a maximum lifespan of seven times. During the recycling process, the paper fibres lose some of their strength and become shorter. Therefore, new, long, wood fibres are added to the old fibres. These new wood fibres come from sustainably managed forests. To preserve forests and ensure a healthy living environment for people and animals worldwide, we use FSC paper for our printed products. It’s important to take good care of our forests so that we can continue to use wood and paper. The FSC label stands for responsible wood and paper.”
Adolf Hitler. De beeldbiografie. Erik Somers and René Kok (NIOD). Photo editing Bibi Neuray. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Over Amstel - Hollands Diep. 2022.
The biography provides a fascinating and penetrating picture of the rise and fall of the dictator. The Nazi regime made sophisticated use of photographs and other visual material to increase Hitler's popularity and create the Führer myth. In addition to professional photographers, amateur photographers also captured the charismatic Führer and thus strengthened his carefully constructed image. Erik Somers and René Kok conducted extensive research into the image biography in German and international photo archives and collections. Never before has such a comprehensive photo book about Hitler been published. More than 450 photos with detailed captions place the phenomenon of Hitler in its historical context. Press and propaganda photos are interspersed with previously unpublished and private images that - intentionally or not - portray the person behind the Führer. Erik Somers and René Kok are historians working at the Institute for war, holocaust and genocide studies (NIOD). Publisher Over Amstel - Hollands Diep, Amsterdam.
The Enduring Legacy of Weimar. Graphic Design & New Typography. 1919-1933.
Alston W. Purvis, Cees W. de Jong. VK Projects. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo, Prestel, Penguin, Random House, Munich. London. New York. 2019.
The Enduring Legacy of Weimar. The future. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“A small group of international artists devoted themselves to visual experiments in a wide variety of printed matter and design. This often politically motivated avant-garde group-Futurists, Dadaists, Constructivists, and others-emphatically rejected traditional aesthetic views. During the Weimar Republic, the political posters of various movements and parties attracted great interest. You could not escape the large, colorful posters. The Nazi Party drew up precise guidelines for these. Texts had to be short and striking, and red, ‘the color of the revolution’, had to dominate.
The Fraktur font, part of the group of Gothic block letters, was often used for the typography. A continuous repetition of fixed themes was also prescribed. After the party seized power in 1933, this propaganda was fully put into the service of the Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda (Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda), led by Joseph Goebbels.
Special attention is given to the unusual development of the work of Suprematist and later Constructivist artist El Lissitzky (1890–1941). His style was imitated by Hans Vitus Vierthaler (1910–1942) when Vierthaler created the poster for Entartete Kunst, the Nazi exhibition of modern art in Munich in 1936. The graphic design of Vierthaler’s exhibition poster features a black triangle that penetrates a red circle; the triangle’s tip turns into a white wedge. The typography is sans serif. To advertise this exhibition, condemning modern, progressive, avant-garde art, Vierthaler borrowed the style of El Lissitzky. Why did Vierthaler design this poster in this way? What were the guidelines of the Reich Ministry? And what concept played a part in this exhibition about ‘entartete Kunst’ (degenerate art) that led them to create a poster in the Constructivist style?
For the cover of this publication, I did not borrow the style of Jean Arp and Walter Cyliax, using elements from the exhibition poster for Kunsthaus Zürich’s Abstrakte und surrealistische Malerei und Plasti, 1929. Rather, I made a tribute to these artists. The circle as an element was used by several artists such as El Lissitzky, Jean Arp, Walter Cyliax, and Jan Tschichold. This new cover was designed with black, white, and red colors and the font, Avenir Next (2004).”
Ten Principles for Good Design: Dieter Rams. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. Contributions by Klaus Klemp, Frankfurt; Erik Mattie, Amsterdam. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Photography by Jorrit Maan, The Haque. Softcover. Prestel Random House, Munich, London, New York. 2021.
Ten Principles for Good Design: Dieter Rams. An important question. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Back in the late 1970s, Dieter Rams was becoming increasingly concerned by the state of the world around him: ‘an impenetrable confusion of forms, colors and noises.’ Aware that he was a significant contributor to that world, he asked himself an important question: is my design good design? As good design cannot be measured in a finite way Rams set about expressing the ten most important principles for what he considered was good design. Please share these principles accurately and fairly. Dieter Rams has rationally formulated the true challenges and 10 solutions of the design process in a unique way. Additionally, as a designer he has created useful series of every-day objects that are durable and readily understandable and usable by human beings.
As a product designer and university professor, Dieter Rams products and design ethos have had significant influence on designers around the world. Designers, manufacturers, and consumers remain inspired by his products and his legacy, especially his ‘Ten principles for good design.’ Dieter Rams is a personal source of inspiration. Meeting him and his wife Ingeborg at his home in Kronberg was very special to me. I was also extremely pleased with Dieter Rams positive response to our plans to publish this book.”
Exhibition Ten Principles for Good Design: Dieter Rams. Curators: Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects and Jorrit Maan. Asher Hazelaar, Puls. Pastoefabriek, Harm Scheltens, Utrecht, 2018.
Ten Principles for Good Design: Dieter Rams. Zehn Thesen für gutes Design: Dieter Rams.
Edited & designed by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Contributions by Klaus Klemp, Jorrit Maan, Erik Mattie. Prestel Random House, Munich. London. New York, 2017. English and German hardcover.
Focus on the ‘Ten principles for good design’ and highlights of design by Dieter Rams, between 1955 and 1980. Dieter Rams was born on 20 May 1932 in Wiesbaden. He studied at the School of Art in Wiesbaden. In 1953 Rams started working for the architect Otto Apel in Frankfurt. In 1955 he was recruited by Braun to work as an architect and interior designer. And, in 1961, Dieter Rams became the Head of Design at Braun, a position he held until 1995. Together with his design staff, Dieter Rams designed many memorable products for Braun.
Wendingen. 1918-1932. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. Contributions by Alston W. Purvis, Martijn F. Le Coultre. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. VK Projects, Hilversum. Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam. 2018.
Exhibition Wendingen 1918-1932. Curators Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Hilversum. Onno Maurer, Museum Flehite, Amersfoort. 2018.
Wendingen. Avant-garde. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Wendingen, an art magazine and mouthpiece for the avant-garde of the first half of the twentieth century, was the realization of a personal dream of Hendricus Theodorus Wijdeveld (1885-1987): a magazine about art that is also a work of art in itself. For a long time, H.Th. Wijdeveld played an important role in the world of architecture, visual arts and graphic design. In addition to being ‘father’ of Wendingen, he was a concept developer, graphic designer and typographer, but above all he was an architect. He regarded architecture as ’the mother of all arts; painting and sculpture are her children’ (Michelangelo). Hendrik Wijdeveld lived to be 102 years old. As an architect, Wijdeveld worked on utopian and futuristic urban projects, among other things. For example, he designed a monumental Volkstheater in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam (1919), high-rise buildings in a park-like environment (1919-1922), the Dutch pavilion at the World Exhibition in Antwerp (1930), the interior of the passenger ship Nieuw Amsterdam of the Holland-America Line (1937) and the ‘Plan the impossible’, a 15-mile-long shaft to the center of the earth, partly covered by high-rise buildings (1944). Wijdeveld was a strong proponent of collaboration and the exchange of ideas between artists. Long before modern social media, he was able to strategically establish contacts and maintain relationships at home and abroad. How successful Wijdeveld was as a networker is evident from the covers of Wendingen, which were designed by the artists like J.L.M. Lauweriks, Joseph Mendes da Costa, Michel de Klerk, C.J. Blaauw, R.N. Roland Holst, H.N. van Anrooy, C.A. Lion Cachet, Jan Sluijters, S. Jessurun de Mesquita, Jan Toorop, K.P.C. de Bazel, Toon Poggenbeek, Pauline Bolken, J.B. van Heukelom, Johan Luger, Hildo Krop, G.F. la Croix, B. Essers, Tjerk Bottema, Jozef Cantré, H.A. van der Eijnde, H.Th. Wijdeveld, Jac. Jongert, Willem van Konijnenburg, Jaap Gidding, Frits Lensvelt, El Lissitzky, B. Bijvoet en J. Duiker, Johan Polet, Albert Klijn, Anton Kurvers, Jan Havermans, L.E. Beyerman, Hermann Finsterlin, Margaret Kropholler, Tine Baanders, W.M. Dudok, Fokko Mees, J.M. Luthmann, Otto B. de Kat, J.A. Snellebrand, Christa Ehrlich, P.L. Marnette, Hendrik Wouda, W.H. Gispen, J. Ten Klooster, N.J. van der Vecht, Albert Hahn Jr., K. Kathof, Chris Lebeau, Vilmoz Huszár, J.S. Sjollema, Jan Poortenaar, H.T. Zwiers, A.P. Smits, L.C. van der Vlugt, W. Roozendaal, J. Zietsma, Arthur Staal, Peter Alma, A.D. Copier, S.L. Schwarz, Joep Nicolas and Theo van Reijn. Both this book and the exhibition in Museum Flehite offer a complete overview based on twelve themes: architecture, the Nieuwe Bouwen, theater & stage, the Amsterdam School, sculpture, painting & drawing, graphic design, crafts, international artists, international art, Willem Marinus Dudok and Frank Lloyd Wright. All 116 issues of Wendingen that appeared between 1918 and 1932 are depicted in this book and are included in the exhibition. The magazines are bound with raffia in a Japanese manner and measure 33 x 33 cm. The magazine collection has been supplemented with a selection of architectural drawings, sculptures, paintings, posters, objects and furniture that were included in the various issues of Wendingen and still appeal to the imagination. But the most striking things about Wendingen are the typography and design. In my opinion, the Wendingen issue of November 4th 1921, about Frank Lloyd Wright, is illustrative of the interpersonal and communication skills of Hendrik Wijdeveld, the passionate, creative all-rounder who wrote: ‘This issue is devoted to the work of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Introduction by the architect dr. H.P. Berlage. Typography by H.Th. Wijdeveld. Cover design by El Lissitzky’. The collaboration initiated by him between Lloyd Wright, Berlage, El Lissitzky and himself resulted in one of the most special Wendingen publications of all time. It is included in this book in its entirety.”
Meggs’ History of Graphic Design. Sixth edition. Philip B. Meggs, Alston W. Purvis. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken. 2016.
The Colours of… Frank O. Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Wang Shu. BIG, Stefano Boeri, Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Steven Holl Architects, Toyo Ito, Lui Jiakun, Michael Malzan, Architecture, Giancarlo Mazzanti, Enric Ruiz-Geli, Cloud 9, SANAA. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Contributions by Erik Mattie, Sophie Roulet, Bert de Muynck. Birkhäuser Verlag, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin, Munich, Boston. 2015.
The Colours of… Frank O. Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Wang Shu. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Colour is important to our lives, perhaps even essential. Artists, designers and architects all use colour in their own unique and intensely personal way. Colour reflects the turbulence that rocks societies around the world we live in. Our own personal connection to colour can also be a source of inspiration.”
“Frank O. Gehry ‘The design for the 2010 Pavilion is a contrast of lightweight materials and dramatic, cantilevered, metal structures. The entire design is rendered in a vivid red that, in a play of opposites, contrasts with the green of its park setting. The colour reflects the iconic British images of traditional telephone boxes, post boxes and London buses. Collage of form and colour: Museum of Biodiversity, Panama. Bend and fold colour: New World Symphony, Miami. Colour of the mind: Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas.”
“Jean Nouvel ‘A 45-metre-high rectangular box with transparent blue “screen” walls, the colour of the building changes constantly depending on the lighting conditions and time of day, both revealing and concealing the interior. At night the building lights-up with images projected onto the screen.’ Jean Nouvel ‘The campus is more similar to a traditional Chinese garden: when just finished it is not at its best. You have to wait, maybe even ten years, to let it grow and develop. My architecture needs time to change. In the beginning it is like a small chicken without feathers. Or like wine, or tea…it needs time.’ Coloured depths: Agbar Tower, Barcelona. Vivid red colour: Serpentine Pavilion, London. Lantern magic: Concert Hall, Copenhagen. A vibrant red line: The red kilometer, Bergamo.”
“Wang Shu ‘This old and beautiful material is very cheap. This is how I convinced my client. Usually my budgets are very low, so that makes it interesting for them. In China, we are faced with an odd situation: mechanised building is very expensive, building manually is significantly cheaper.’ Wang Shu 5.. Old and beautiful material: Historic Museum, Ningbo. Traditional Chinese Garden: Park Pavilion, Jinhua. Architecture needs time to change: China Academy of Art, Hangzhou. Meditation and poetry: Wa Shan Guesthouse, Hangzhou.”
The book also contains projects by a series of architects whose work is based on totally different concepts and basic assumptions and with very interesting results:
BIG. Light blue texture: Danish Pavilion, EXPO 2012, Shanghai.
Colour-coded master plan: Superkilen Urban Park, Copenhagen.
Stefano Boeri. Glass and basalt prism: Complex of Buildings at La Maddalena, Sardinia.
Zaha Hadid. Suspended black: MAXXI Museum, Rome.
Herzog & de Meuron. Many shades of green: 28 Condominiums at 40 Bond Street, NY.
Steven Holl Architects. Open colour: Linked Hybrid Apartment Complex, Beijing.
Toyo Ito. Polished painted colour: Mihimoto Ginza 2, Tokyo.
Lui Jiakun. Favourite colour pink: Hu Huishan Earthquake Memorial, Sichuan.
Michael Malzan Architecture. Rhythm of light and shadow: New Carver Apartments, Los Angeles. Texture, form, light and colour: Inner City Arts Campus, Los Angeles.
Giancarlo Mazzanti. Interrelated colour: Timayui School, Santa Marta.
Enric Ruiz-Geli, Cloud 9. Transparent colour: Media Tic Building, Barcelona.
SANAA. Bright golden colour: Derek Lam Store, New York.
Goed Fout. Grafische vormgeving in Nederland 1940-1945. Alston W. Purvis. Contributions by Erik Somers, René Kok and Gerad Groeneveld. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Vantilt, Nijmegen. 2015.
Exhibition Goed Fout. University of Amsterdam. Special Collections Library. Curators: Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects and Mathieu Lommen, UvA, Special Collections Library. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. UvA. Special Collections Library. 2015.
Goed Fout. Black and White. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“During the occupation years, several designers and printers worked for the German authorities or the National Socialist Movement (NSB) of Mussert and his associates. Some did so out of conviction, others under duress, still others for opportunistic motives or simply for money. These collaborators produced printed matter and posters in the roaring style of Nazi propaganda. They worked according to precise guidelines. For example, posters were not allowed to contain more text than could be read in one minute and the color scheme had to be dominated by red – the color of blood and of the National Socialist revolution. Opposing these pacesetters were the designers and printers who produced clandestine publications or used their work against the occupier. They worked underground and had to make do with modest means, given the scarcity of type material and paper. Moreover, those who ventured into the printed resistance risked their lives. Unlike many other Dutch people, they refused to let oppression and persecution go their way. The underground press provided them with a means of raising their voices. Some graphic collaborators were convinced National Socialists – wrong choices can also stem from idealistic motives. The most pronounced example of this is Lou Manche (1908-1982), an artist who was an all-rounder and worked as an illustrator, painter, sculptor and designer. He was born in Amsterdam and was taught there by, among others, Richard Roland Holst at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. He later moved to Nijmegen, where he felt more at home as a Catholic and where he and his wife Johanna had eleven children. Until November 1940, Manche was a member of the Verbond van Dietsche Nationaal Solidaristen (Verdinaso), a fascist movement that opposed parliamentary democracy and also pursued a union of the Netherlands and Flanders. In March 1940 he swore allegiance to the NSB and during the occupation he developed into the most important designer of the posters that propagated National Socialist propaganda. Manche was undeniably a good designer, no matter how wrong the message he was sending. During the war years he used to walk around in Nijmegen in the uniform of the WA (‘Defense Department’ of the NSB) and in that capacity he did not hesitate to mistreat his fellow citizens. Towards the end of the war he fled with his family to Germany, but in 1946 he returned to the Netherlands. He was arrested and imprisoned in the former concentration camp in Vught, which served as a prison for collaborators after the liberation. Manche was released in 1948 on three years' probation. He resumed his career as an artist and produced religiously inspired works until the 1970s.
As a counterpart to Lou Manche you can find the Groningen printer, artist Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman (1882-1945). Long before the war, Werkman was experimenting with quirky graphic techniques, for example in the magazine The Next Call from the 1920s and in the Hot Printing series from the 1930s. In National Socialist eyes, his groundbreaking work fell into the category of 'degenerate art', while Manche's had the 'popular' allure that the occupier so much appreciated. At the end of 1940, Werkman set up the clandestine publishing house De Blauwe Schuit who produced a series of forty beautiful publications until mid-1944. The outliers are the well-known Hasidic legends, a series of prints that Werkman printed between June 1941 and December 1943 in an edition of twenty copies. Werkman was arrested in March 1945 by the Sicherheitsdienst in Groningen. On April 10, a few days before the Canadians were in front of the city, he was executed near the Frisian village of Bakkeveen. Unlike Manche, he was not allowed to continue his life and career after the war.
Werkman and Manche are opposites from an artistic and political point of view. Within the context of this book, they represent the extremes of 'right' and 'wrong', between which lies a twilight zone in many shades of gray. Graphic design and propaganda were weapons deployed on both sides of the moral divide. The occupier used them to impose his will on the Dutch, the resistance to mobilize them. Contemporaries who made opposing choices are contrasted in this book. Perhaps this clarifies the dilemmas that designers - and in a broader sense all Dutch people - were confronted with during the occupation years. With some images of printed matter, the reader has to think about the mortal danger to which the makers exposed themselves. With products from the wrong corner, it is instructive to empathize with the motives from which they originated.”
De hut van Mondriaan. Laren – Blaricum 1914 – 1919. Dooyewaard Stichting. Martijn F. Le Coultre. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Dooyewaard Stichting, Blaricum. 2015.
Exhibition De hut van Mondriaan. Laren – Blaricum 1914 – 1919. Dooyewaard Stichting. Martijn F. Le Coultre. Curators: Cees W. de Jong, Katjusca Otte, Ingelies Vermeulen. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Dooyewaard Stichting, Blaricum. 2015.
Piet Mondrian. The studios. Amsterdam, Laren, Paris, London, New York. Editing and design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Contributions by Marty Bax, Marjory Degen, Martijn Le Coultre, Katjuscha Otte, Ingelies Vermeulen.
In co-edition. Edition Hazan, Paris. Thames and Hudson, London. AUP Amsterdam. 2015.
Piet Mondrian. The studios. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“A visual journey via the studios of Piet Mondrian takes us to Amsterdam, Laren, Paris, London and New York. These are the places where Mondrian lived and worked, setting up studios in his uniquely personal manner. As his work developed into a reduction of form, combined with strident uses of colour, the walls of his studios became an ever-changing plane upon which coloured rectangles climbed. Pieces of cardboard painted in white, grey and primary colours, along with furniture in the same colours, provided an extra dimension, an interplay between space and colour. The different studio locations and their corresponding time-periods provide a direct visual impression of Mondrian’s life and work, from the naturalistic paintings of around 1890 and his experimental neo-impressionistic work to the abstract ‘grid’ paintings. Personal photographs, documents and paintings bring this journey and its associated developments into focus. Texts written by Mondrian himself are published in this book – texts written for De Stijl, the international monthly magazine for new art, science and culture (founded by Theo van Doesburg), and for De international revue i10 (founded by Arthur Lehning). Original covers and pages from De Stijl and De internationale revue i10 are included in the illustrations.
Piet Mondrian (Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan) was born on 7 March 1872 in Amersfoort, near Utrecht. In 1880 his family moved to Winterswijk. Mondrian enrolled at the Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, in Amsterdam, in 1892.
New York 1940 – 1944. Mondrian moved into an apartment on 252 East 56th Street. He was fascinated by the boogie woogie, a piano-based blues form known as the ‘rhythm of the United States.’ In 1941 he became an American citizen, registering under the name of Mondrian (instead of Mondriaan). He began to replace the black lines in his paintings with red, yellow and blue, finding that coloured tape made it easy to experiment. In June 1942 he began working on Victory Boogie Woogie; in late September he moved to 15 East 59th Street. By October 1943 he had constructed his lines for Victory Boogie Woogie with patches of red, blue, yellow, light-grey and black tape. The work was never finished – Mondrian died from pneumonia on 1 February 1944.”
The New Rijksmuseum. Pierre Cuypers and Georg Sturm exonerated.Het Nieuwe Rijksmuseum. Pierre Cuypers en George Sturm in ere hersteld. Cees W. de Jong and Patrick Spijkerman. Frits van Dongen. Cruz y Ortiz Architects. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. VK Projects, Naarden. Rijks Museum, Amsterdam. Amsterdam University Press. Dutch and English edition. 2015.
The New Rijksmuseum. Pierre Cuypers and Georg Sturm exonerated. The New Rijksmuseum. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“The renovated Rijksmuseum has been spectacularly modernized, in a way that architecture, art and history take on a new meaning for each visitor. The museum offers a representative overview of Dutch art and heritage dating from the Middle Ages, while showcasing important aspects of European and Asian art. Its collection of masterpieces includes works from Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh, and many others, and displays artefacts of the Netherlands’ rich history, with a special emphasis on the Dutch Golden Age, the seventeenth century. The garden surrounding the Rijksmuseum – the beautiful green outdoor gallery – exhibits sculptures and ancient fragments and ornaments that depict Holland’s historic past. Temporary sculpture exhibitions from internationally renowned sculptors are held annually here. This richly illustrated book takes you on an amazing tour of the architectural highlights of our cultural heritage, and contains plans and sketches of the Rijksmuseum – Pierre Cuyper’s and Georg Sturm’s secular cathedral.”
Great Books on Horsemanship. Bibliotheca Hippologica Johan Dejager. Editor Koert van der Horst. Design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Hess & De Graaf, Bas Hesselink. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden 2014.
The introduction of Johan Dejager. Summary.
“The collection concentrates on European books from the late 15th through the early 19th centuries and primarily deals with the following topics: late medieval manuscripts and early printed handbooks on horsemanship, riding masters and their dressage methods, veterinary science, cavalry, and bits and bridles.
From the middle of the 18th century the focus shifts mainly to beautifully illustrated books and famous series of plates. Although it is not always decisive, a book has to have at least one aesthetic element: a beautiful binding, an exciting frontispiece, interesting decorative elements, an extraordinary layout, or fine plates, etc., and together with a book’s provenance, its historical relevance or context, or its uniqueness and rarity, they can all be a factor in the decision to acquire it. It may be said that, due to its precise and rather narrowly defined scope, the collection contains nearly all of the great horse books published in the first two and a half centuries after the invention of printing. The total number of books amounts to 364, including 19 manuscripts and 52 works containing one or more series of plates, some of which are gorgeously coloured by hand. In the present catalogue these 364 books are presented per century, and per century according to the nationality of the 177 authors, beginning with the Low Countries, followed by Germany, England, France, Italy and Spain & Portugal. Per century the authors and anonymous works are listed chronologically according to the date of their earliest work present in the collection. The oldest printed book in the collection is the editio princeps of the Liber marescalcie, a very successful book on horse medicine composed by the Italian writer Laurentius Rusius in Italy in the 1340s. This first edition was printed in Speyer in Germany by Johann & Conrad Hist before 1490.”
Piet Mondrian. Life and work. VK Projects, Naarden. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. Contributions by Katjuscha Otte, Ingelies Vermeulen, Robert P. Welsh, Marty Bax, Marjory Degen. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo.
Piet Mondriaan. Leven en werk. A.W. Bruna uitgevers, Amsterdam. 2013.
Piet Mondrian. Life and work.Abrams, New York. 2013.
Piet Mondrian. Leben und Werk. Prestel Verlag, München. 2013.
Piet Mondrian. Life and work. Accessible and visual. Essay. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) was by far the most radical artist of his time. With his fully abstract, geometrical work he once and for all changed the appearance of modern art. One can find his abstract idiom in numerous iterations in works from other artists both during his life and up until the present day. Not only was Mondrian a superb painter who applied himself to his craft with formidable knowledge and insight, he was also a sophisticated and coherent theoretician. He ultimately found the inspiration for his research and the execution of his ideas in modern theosophy.
Not only did theosophy allow him to grasp the hidden connections of life and the cosmic reality, but it also offered him insight into the ways he could employ limited visual means to make the viewer aware of universal, cosmic harmony, and do so almost imperceptibly and uninhibited by references to visible reality. To induce this experience in the viewer, Mondrian chose the most radical form of expression: abstract compositions of horizontal and vertical lines and the exclusive use of the primary colors – red, yellow, and blue – and the non-colors, black and white. The road to abstract art was long, introspective, and full of difficulties. It took Mondrian well over thirty years. His paintings and his literary criticism illuminate his path as, step by step, he extricated himself from a traditional vision of reality toward a cosmic reality, which, as the painter called it himself, was ‘abstract-realistic’: abstract, yes, but no less realistic than the visible reality of traditional pictorial art. The most important source of inspiration for this book was Robert P. Welsh (1932–2000). During his research into Piet Mondrian’s early work, this American art historian amassed a substantial archive. His life’s work was the section of Mondrian’s catalogue of complete works up to early 1911. Joop M. Joosten was responsible for the second part, from 1912 until 1944. The Piet Mondriaan Catalogue Raisonné, which I designed, was published in 1998. For nine years, we worked on this project in a very ‘special way.’ Nine years that provided us with enough material to fill another book. The publication was made possible because a number of publishers wanted to participate in this broad, scientific, and international co-edition. Robert P. Welsh was a remarkable and inspiring art historian with a very personal view on the stylistic aspects of Piet Mondrian’s early works. He meticulously mapped the places Piet Mondrian worked and the circles he frequented. Welsh was not only a systematic ‘researcher,’ but most of all a unique ‘creative’ spirit who managed to paint a very special picture of Piet Mondrian’s early work and life. Furthermore, he was erudite and a kind man to work with, whether at his house in Toronto, his hotel in Amsterdam, or my studio, situated in Laren at the time. In September 2007, the Netherlands Institute for Art History in The Hague received Welsh’s archives from his widow, Dr. Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov. This prompted me to donate all of the catalogue production materials still in my possession. I also decided that the time was ripe for an accessible and visually strong book about the life and works of Piet Mondrian. You are looking at the result of that decision: an accessible and visual guide. It provides a direct visual impression of Mondrian’s life and work, from his naturalistic paintings of around 1890 to the abstract ‘grid’ paintings that shot Mondrian to international fame. This visual journey takes us to Winterswijk, Amsterdam, Brabant, Twente, Zeeland, Laren–Blaricum, Paris, London, and New York. More than 230 important paintings are reproduced in full color, along with personal photographs and documents with supporting information. The studios in Paris and New York where Mondrian worked and lived are also documented. All of his works are shown in more than 1,100 black-and-white images. Evidently, Mondrian was very good at maintaining personal contacts and moving in the right circles. He died on the February 1, 1944, his Victory Boogie Woogie unfinished. A memorial service was held on February 3, 1944, at the Universal Chapel on Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street in New York. About two hundred people attended the service, among them émigré artists such as Alexander Archipenko, Herbert Bayer, Marc Chagall, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Jean Hélion, Frederick Kiesler, Moïse Kisling, Fernand Léger, Matta, Lăzló Moholy-Nagy, Amédée Ozefant, Hans Richter, and Kurt Seligmann; American artists Peter Blume, Ilya Bolotowsky, Alexander Calder, Burgoyne Diller, Suzy Frelinghuysen, Fritz Glarner, Carl Holty, Harry Holtzman, Ibram Lassaw, George L.K. Morris, Robert Motherwell, Charles Shaw, Charmion von Wiegand, and Abraham Walkowitz; and Valentine Dudensing, Katherine Dreier, Albert Gallatin, Sigfried Giedion, Clement Greenberg, Peggy Guggenheim, Sam Kootz, Julien Levy, Henry McBride, Karl Nierendorf, Dwight MacDonald, Hilla Rebay, Meyer Schapiro, James Johnson Sweeny, and James Thrall Soby paid their respects.”
Utrecht, Beeld van een stad. Photography Arthur Martin, Naarden. Contributions Edsard Kylstra en Bettina van Santen. Editor Eveline Paalvast, Architectuurcentrum AORTA. Edited & designed by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls. Ermelo. De Arbeiderspers | A.W. Bruna Uitgevers B.V. Utrecht. 2013.
The Book of Books, 500 years of graphic innovation. Mathieu Lommen, University of Amsterdam. Special Collections Library. Contributions to this publication: Paul Dijstelberge, Frans A. Janssen, Cees W. de Jong, John A. Lane, Mathieu Lommen, Lesley Monfils, Adriaan Plak, Jan W.H. Werner and Johan de Zoete. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Co-publishers: Thames & Hudson, London. 2012. DuMont Verlag, Cologne. 2012. Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam. 2012. Uitgeverij Lannoo, Tielt. 2012. Pyramyd éditions, Paris. 2012. Chu Chen Books, Beijing. 2025.
The Book of Books, 500 years of graphic innovation. Postscript. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Over the centuries, publishers, printers and other book producers have been confronted with rapid changes taking place in their industry. These days, most changes are caused by the internet and its influence on shopping behaviour. Some stores seem to be on the verge of disappearing from towns and cities; changes in the configuration and function of traditional shopping streets are unavoidable. A number of bookshops have closed their doors for good, while publishers’ turnovers are either dropping or shifting from printed books to e-books. The industry producing books, newspapers and magazines is undergoing a radical transformation. A single tap on the screen of a tablet PC suffices to order or download a product. Audience-oriented production and publishing are becoming necessary, as the market is subjected to great pressure. Once more, publishers have to push the boundaries. Will instant e-book publishing be the new magic formula? What would the world look like without printed books?
This book presents special and sometimes iconic books from a period spanning over five hundred years. The editor of this book, Mathieu Lommen, works as curator of graphic design at the Special Collections of the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Being a book designer and publisher, I have a particular perspective on the selected books. What is the relationship between form and function? Which fonts were used, what kind of paper, what kind of finishing does the book have? Is the interaction between typography, colour and image effective? Which publishers, designers, photographers, illustrators or printers have contributed the book? And, last but not least, what was the target audience? Always cast a first look at the colophon.
We attempted to make a clear and informative book for a broad and international audience: designers, design historians, bibliophiles and book collectors. Searching the Special Collections of the UvA resulted in a selection of 125 books from different periods and countries.
Printed books and digital graphic innovations: frontiers are being pushed back again and again.”
Meggs’ History of Graphic Design. Fifth edition. 2012. Philip B. Meggs, Alston W. Purvis. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken. 2012.
TYPE. A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles. Published in 2 language editions and two volumes Volume 1. 1628 – 1900. Volume 2. 1900 – 1939. Idea, concept and research Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Laren. Text by Cees W. de Jong, Laren. Alston W. Purvis, Lincoln and Jan Tholenaar, Amsterdam. Graphic design in co-operation with Andy Disl, Los Angeles and Birgit Eichwede, Cologne. Editorial coordination Florian Kobler, Kathrin Murr, Cologne. Production Ute Wachendorf, Cologne. German translation Holger Wölfle, Berlin. French translation Blandine Pélissier, Paris. Photography Arthur martin, Naarden.
Taschen, Cologne. Two volumes in a hardcover edition, 2010. Two volumes in a paperback edition in a slipcase, 2012. Two in one hardcover edition, 2022.
TYPE. A visual history of Typefaces and Graphic Styles. Preface. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“William Caslon was most successful in England. In 1720, his first year of business, he produced a new typeface for the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge to be used for a Bible in Arabic. He printed sample pages so that he could sell the new typeface to other printers. On these sheets was his name, William Caslon, in roman letters designed especially for the purpose. This new typeface design was the beginning of the popular style we now know as Caslon Old Style. Following this style, Caslon cut a number of non-roman and exotic styles, including Coptic, Armenian, Etruscan, and Hebrew. Caslon Gothic is his version of Old English, or black letter. He published the first and extensive catalog for his type foundry in 1734, presenting a total of 38 typefaces. William Caslon died in 1766, aged 74. Collector Jan Tholenaar has assembled one of the greatest private collections of type specimens in the world. With his individual preferences setting the tone, the collection focuses on specimens produced between 1830 and 1930.”
“Extremely diverse fantasy letters and ornaments, with examples of artistic printing. The two volumes of this publication display some wonderful examples, with dazzling construction and color combinations. Type specimen in letterpress, not in lithography. Here we see magnificent examples of setting, all made up of letters, lines, or intricate ornaments. Applications were devised for all of this material being offered for sale, set, and printed by hand. This chapter in the history of type specimens is endearing, and the infinite variety is glorious. Until the beginning of the 20th Century, the names of only a handful of famous type designers, such as Garamond, Bodoni, and Fournier, were known. The thousands of typefaces introduced by foundries in the 19th Century were designed and engraved by anonymous workers. In type catalogs, these are referred to as ‘im Hause’ or ‘Hausschnitt.’ It was Klingspor, in particular, who attracted and credited famous designers in the early 20th Century: Otto Eckmann, Rudolf Koch, Walter Tiemann, Imre Reiner. Bauer engaged the services of Heinrich Wieynk, F. H. Ehmcke, Lucian Bernhard, E. R. Weiss, Paul Renner, and F. H. Ernst Schneidler. Berthold employed designers such as Louis Oppenheim, Georg Trump, and Herbert Bayer. Important designers also worked for the Ludwig und Mayer type foundry, including Heinrich Jost, J. Erbar, and J. V. Cissarz. Georg Belwe and Jan Tschichold designed for Schelter & Giesecke, and F.W. Kleukens and Hermann Zapf for Stempel. Some designed type for more than one firm. The Germans were trendsetters in this area. But in other countries, too, there were excellent designers working for type foundries. Georges Auriol and E. Grasset worked for Peignot, for example; A. M. Cassandre and Adrian Frutiger for Deberny & Peignot; Roger Excoffon for Olive; Aldo Novarese for Nebiolo; Warren Chappell and Morris F. Benton for American Type Founders; Rudolph Ruzicka, W. A. Dwiggins, and Walter Tracy for Linotype; and F.W. Goudy, Bruce Rogers, Berthold Wolpe, and Eric Gill for Monotype. S. H. de Roos and Dick Dooijes were employed by Lettergieterij Amsterdam, and J. van Krimpen and S. L. Hartz worked for Enschedé.
German foundries often had a branch either in Moscow or St. Petersburg to serve the Russian market. And from Berthold is a Hebrew specimen from 1924 with various faces and wonderful color illustrations. In 1925, a similar specimen was published in Eastern languages, including Arabic, Turkish, and Hindi. For 500 years, the same methods were used for printing – and, suddenly, it was over, owing to new developments. Type foundries that made only lead type have disappeared. Some changed with the times and are still part of the creative process of artistic presentation of messages in the global digital world. The medium is the message; the typeface is the message.”
TYPE. A visual history of Typefaces and Graphic Styles. Highlights in Letterpress.
The transition from 19th-Century decorative art to functional and geometric forms. Preface. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“A number of technological developments from 1930 to the present have brought us from letterpress to PostScript and OpenType. The world of typography has transformed, and in recent years we have witnessed breathtaking changes in the field. Contemporary designers are using typefaces of the past and present to satisfy the needs of the future.
The highlights of the years 1900 to 1930 include extremely diverse typefaces and ornaments-all in letterpress! We see many typefaces that interpret medieval and gothic letterforms, as well as Neo-Grotesk and Fraktur typefaces, along with a great demand for decoration-borders, initials, and lines. For some designers and typographers, the alphabet was the ultimate attainment of humanity.
Peter Behrens was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, medievalism, and William Morris, one of the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement. In 1889, for the release of the Golden Type, a Jenson like gothic ornamental typeface, William Morris wrote: ‘I began printing books with the hope of producing some which have a definite claim to beauty. At the same time they should be easy to read and should not dazzle the eye, or trouble the intellect of the reader by eccentricity of form of the letters.’ Peter Behrens played a vital role in the transition from 19th Century decorative art to the functional and geometric forms of the first half of the 20th Century. His work for AEG in Germany was the first example of a coordinated corporate identity.
At the same time, in the 1920s there was another demand. Out went serifs, black letters, and capital typefaces, and in came sans serif lowercase: typography that was asymmetric, simple, and direct. A reflection of De Stijl and Bauhaus, the new, elementary typography featured basic forms: the circle, triangle, and square. This typography was noble and pure, easy on the eye. The Futura from Paul Renner was a constructive solution, equally at home in classical and modern designs, combining personal style with the abstract strength of form. In Type: A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles, 1901 – 1938, we focused on type specimens produced in the first 30 years of the 20th Century. We present typefaces and type specimens demonstrating the highlights of letterpress and the art of printing, with designers credited by name. If you are looking for the most ideal typeface… You will find several magnificent type specimen proofs with thousands of typefaces, all in perfect shape, in this publication. It will not be difficult to select the typeface you are looking for.”
The Poster. 1000 posters, From Toulouse-Lautrec to Sagmeister.1000 Affiches. De 1890 a nos jours. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Contributions by Alston W. Purvis, Martijn F. Le Coultre. Abrams, New York. 2010 and Edition Hazan, Paris, 2010.
The poster. 1000 posters. Deliver the Message. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“For more than ten thousand years we have felt the need to express ourselves with writing and drawing. Since the Neolithic period, we have communicated not only through gestures and sound but also by means of a visual language. Worldwide, hunters and gatherers and later early farmers made use of information systems to advertise services and products. It was also a way of maintaining facts and data. From the beginning visual language was highly important and is still relevant today. Looking back on the last hundred and thirty years of poster design, the initial development of the poster usually included typography and the use of some type of illustration, and the purpose of the poster has always been to deliver a message. A simple, practical medium requiring paper, ink, and an idea, the poster has remained essentially unchanged from the industrial revolution until today. All people are limited in their ability to process information and acclimate to innovation, and the speed of change has increased exponentially in the globalized world that we live in today. Making efficient use of the new media available helps to develop and stimulate the creative process, and with the new technology designers’ roles have changed. Project execution has become one of multiple roles; the designer must be able to simultaneously serve as content manager, designer, typographer, illustrator, and photographer. There are increasing demands for the designer to be involved in all aspects of the work. The digital era has transformed the world of communication, design, and typography, with breathtaking advances in recent decades. Technology’s impact on poster design and the ways in which contemporary designers are harnessing the visual language of the past to satisfy the needs of the present and future are evident in this selection of 1000 posters.”
Exhibition Golden Age. Highlights of Dutch Graphic Design. 1890-1990. Concept Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects. Curators Cees W. de Jong & Alston W. Purvis. In co-operation with Dingeman Kuilman and Renske Brinkman, Premsela, Platform for design and fashion. Coma, Amsterdam / New York, Vaclav Pozarek. Esther Cleve, professor of Modern Typography and Graphic design, UvA and curator at Museum De Beyerd, Breda.
Thanks to: Martijn F. Le Coultre, Dick Maan and Grafische Cultuur Stichting.
The exhibition was presented by Cees W. de Jong in Boekarest, Sophia, Budapest, Madrid, Breda, Ljubljana, Istanbul, Brno and Athens. Between 2008 and 2010.
Four themes, each consisting of two movements:
The turn of the 19th century & De Stijl and its influence.
Wendingen & Dutch constructivism.
Different directions & Political and social upheavals.
Post-war rationalism, expressionism & International design.
The Ballets Russes and the Art of Design. Edited by Alston Purvis, Peter Rand and Anna Winestein, US. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. The Monacelli Press, New York. 2009.
Les Ballets Russes. Arts et Design. Edited by Alston Purvis, Peter Rand and Anna Winestein, US. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Edition Hazan, Paris. 2009.
La Nouvelle Typo. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Edition Hazan, Paris. 2008.
La nouvelle Typo. Le futur n’est qu’illusion. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
« Nous ressentons le besoin d’écrire depuis plus de 10000 ans. Dès le néolithique, nous n’avons plus seulement communiqué par les gestes et les sons, mais aussi par le biais d’une mémoire externe: l’écriture, les lettres. Partout dans le monde, les chasseurs et, plus tard, les premiers agriculteurs, ont utilisé cette technologie de l’information pour vanter leurs services ou leurs produits mais aussi pour empêcher toute confusion. Un système simple d’utilisation et adapté aux réseaux sociaux de l’époque. À ses débuts, l’apparence de ce langage écrit était primordiale pour ses utilisateurs ; elle l’est encore aujourd’hui. Chacun est limité par ses propres capacités à traiter l’information et à s’adapter à l’innovation. Le cours des choses s’accélère pourtant considérablement, particulièrement dans notre monde globalisé. Comment conserver une vue d’ensemble tout en restant concentré sur les tâches à effectuer ? Devenir multitâche ! Il s’agit d’utiliser efficacement les nouveaux médias de sa propre époque tout en développant et stimulant son esprit. C’est le rôle du designer, du typographe. C’est le développement d’une idée, des premières réunions à la version préliminaire. C’est l’exécution du projet et le design final. Permuter les tâches, collecter les informations ! A chaque instant, le rôle d’un nouveau développement prend de l’ampleur. Regardons rapidement vers le passé pour observer l’incroyable extension de notre mémoire externe : il y a 500 ans, à la naissance de l’imprimerie et de la typographie.
L’Allemand Johann Gutenberg (1394-1468, Mayence) passe généralement pour l’inventeur des caractères métalliques mobiles. Cette invention, qui date probablement d’entre 1440 et 1450, aurait impliqué la combinaison par Gutenberg de plusieurs techniques existantes : la presse, les pigments à base d’huile et les évolutions du savoir dans le travail du métal, en termes de découpe et de moulage. Son innovation typographique ne résidait pas dans la création de nouveaux styles de caractères : il a en réalité fidèlement imité le lettrage des livres produits par les scribes de l’époque. L’une des deux principales oeuvres de la presse de Gutenberg à Mayence fut la « Bible à 42 lignes », achevée en 1455 et imprimée en deux volumes de 324 et 318 pages. Sa seconde oeuvre fut les ‘Lettres d’indulgence’, en 1454 -1455. Le nom de la Bible de Gutenberg vient simplement du nombre de lignes par page. Ses caractères reproduisent le style des scribes allemands de l’époque composé de textura et d’écriture cursive, plus ouverte, parfois appelée bastarda. La police textura utilisée dans la Bible à 42 lignes inspira par la suite la police Goudy Text, portant le nom de son inventeur. Mayence devint alors la capitale européenne de l’imprimerie et attira d’autres professionnels, comme Nicolas Jenson. On sait peu de choses sur les dernières années de Gutenberg, mais son invention conserva quant à elle la plupart deses propriétés jusqu’à la révolution industrielle. Les choses ont beaucoup évolué durant les cinq cents dernières années. Aux États-Unis, Ottmar Mergenthaler (1854-1899) élabora la première machine au monde permettant l’impression par ligne entière. Elle fut baptisée ‘linotype’, de l’anglais ‘ line of type’. De nombreux autres systèmes et améliorations furent ensuite créés. La technique de base se perfectionnait. Le ‘ black art’ 11 (faisant référence à la couleur noire de l’encre) connut de nombreuses périodes fastes. Jusqu’à la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et même jusqu’aux années 70, la typographie était la technologie parfaite pour son temps. Certaines avancées technologiques nous ont cependant apporté PostScript et Open Type, autrement dit l’ère numérique des chasseurs et bâtisseurs dont le schéma mental d’organisation est abstrait. En plus des designers et typographes, les utilisateurs eux-mêmes se sont mis au travail, en partageant les informations. Notre époque voit s’échanger 3,3 milliards de connexions téléphoniques et la technologie fait partie intégrante de notre quotidien. C’est la technologie de la communication. Tout faire. Être adroit. Le nouveau profil d’utilisateur de l’information a un autre besoin, social et latent. Il veut vite ; il veut tout, tout de suite ; mais il veut aussi prendre et donner ; rendre au réseau social. Le rôle du designer est différent et il n’en est parfois pas conscient. Son statut touche une dimension toute autre. L’ère du numérique a transformé le monde de la typographie et les vingt-cinq dernières années ont été témoins d’avancées surprenantes dans ce domaine. L’impact sur la typographie et la manière dont les designers contemporains exploitent les polices du passé et du futur pour satisfaire aux besoins du présent vous sont présentés ici.
Snoogle, 2009, Hannes van Döhren & Raimo Böse. Waza, 2008, Franciszek Otto. Noa, 2004, Nina Lee Storm. ITC Franklin, 2004, David Berlow. Demos, 2004 Gerard Unger. Praxis, 2004, Gerard Unger. Avenir Next, 2003, Hermann Zapf & Akira Kobayashi. Vialog, 2003, Werner Schneider & Helmut Ness. Hildegard, 2003, Jan Sonntag. Zapfino, 2003, Hermann Zapf. Diverda, 2002, Daniel Lanz. Textra, 2002, Jochen Schuss & Jörg Herz. Optima Nova, 2002, Hermann Zapf & Akira Kobayashi. Kosmik, 2002, Erik Van Blokland. Sabon Next, 2002, Jean-François Porchez. Frutiger Next, 2001, Adrian Frutiger. Compatil, 2001, Silja Bilz & Reinhard Haus. Fedra, 2001, Typotheque, Peter Bilak. LT Syntax, 2000, Hans Eduard Meier. Tetria, 1999, Martin Jagodzinski. Ambiguë, 1999, Carla Schweyer. LT Univers, 1999, Adrian Frutiger, LT Studio. Aroma, 1999, Tim Ahrens. Gianotten, 1999, Antonio Pace. Milano, 2002, Antonio Pace. Markin, 1999, Alfred Tilp. Scarborough, 1998, Akira Kobayashi. Silvermoon, 1998, Akira Kobayashi. Le Monde, 1997, Jean-François Porchez.
Atomatic, 1997, Johannes Plass. Finnegan, 1997, Jürgen Weltin. Spitz, 1997, Olivier Brentzel.
PMN Caecilia, 1990, Peter Matthias Noordzij. Officina, 1990, Erik Spiekermann. Beowolf, 1990, Erik Van Blokland & Just van Rossum. Industria, 1989, Neville Brody. Insigna, 1989, Neville Brody.
Stone, 1987, Sumner Stone. Lucida, 1985, Kris Holmes & Charles Bigelow. Neue Helvetica, 1983, LT Studio.”
Jan Tschichold. Posters of the Avantgarde. 2007. Martijn F. Le Coultre, Alston W. Purvis and Cees W. de Jong. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. Graphic designed by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Corine Teuben, Utrecht. VK Projects, Laren. Birkhauser Verlag, Basel. 2007.
Jan Tschichold (1902–1974) was one of the most outstanding and influential graphic artists and typographers of the 20th century. Throughout his life he stood in the service of print and writing, first as a talented young calligrapher and designer of some 70 posters and then, later on, as a self-critical typographer and typeface designer. In his posters, he expresses the avant-garde ideas of the Neue Typografie, or New Typography, which were strongly influenced by the Bauhaus. Tschichold received many prizes for his work. For example, the Société Typographique de France appointed him an honorary member in 1960, and he was named an honorary Royal Designer of Industry by the Royal Society of Arts in 1965. This book is an analytical examination of Tschichold’s posters. It contains his own collection of posters, with works by Hans Arp, El Lissitzky, László Moholy-Nagy, Oskar Schlemmer, and others, as well as the approximately 70 posters he designed himself.
Jan Tschichold. Master Typographer. His Life, World and Legacy. Essay, Cees W.de Jong. Summary.
“Ever since he first formulated his efforts to create a new typography in 1925, Tschichold has inspired typographers and designers around the world. He was trained in Leipzig and started his career there as a traditional calligrapher designing advertisements, mainly for the Leipzig trade fairs. Between 1927 and 1937 Tschichold traveled through Germany, Austria, Chechoslovakia, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom and Denmark to present his publications, lectures and exhibitions on the themes of the New Typography (Die Neue Typography) and type design. Tschichold belonged to the Ring neuer Werbegestalter (circle of new advertising designers), which was initiated by Kurt Schwitters in 1928. Its members included Schwitters, Tschichold, Willi Baumeister, Max Burchartz, Walter Dexel, Hans Leistikow, Robert Michel, Georg Trump, Cesar Domela, Friedrich Vordemberge-Gildewart, Piet Zwart, and Paul Schuitema. Because of his international contacts he was very well informed of what was happening in the world of typography, design, and art.”
Sans Serif. The Ultimate Sourcebook of Classic and Contemporary Sans Serif Typography. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Thames & Hudson, London. 2007.
Sans Serif type. Letters are friends. Introduction. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Our script has evolved from the flow of writing. Naturally, this later also prompted the serif in printed letters. The amazing thing is that typography developed for hundreds of years internationally, but only with Serif typefaces. The first samples of the new style of Sans Serif typefaces as Antique mentioned, only made their appearance in 1816 in England. Sans Serif typefaces rapidly gained popularity, coming into common use throughout Europe and America. The first, early examples of Sans Serif letters can be found in the type catalogues of producers with such evocative names as Mergentaler Linotype Type Founders Company, Brooklyn New York – American Type Founders Company Philadelphia – Monotype, London – Fonderie Caslon, Paris – Deberny & Peignot, Paris – Bremensis, Sao Paulo – Nebitype, Torino – Schriftgiesserei Gutenberg, Riga – H. Berthold Messinglinienfabriek und Schriftgiesserei, Berlin – D. Stempel, Frankfurt am Main and Joh. Enschedé & Zonen Lettergieterij, Haarlem. Producers, type founders, kept in contact and conducted business with each other. At first highly regionally, but quite quickly all over the world. Letters were sold, copied, adapted and released under other names, accommodating the trends of the time. If one firm had success, then another wanted a slice of the cake. Typographers were initially often employed permanently by type foundries. The arrival of freelance typographers, designers changed this pattern. Typographers introduced us to their personally designed ‘friends’, such as Akzidenz, 1898 H. Berthold AG – Futura, Paul Renner, 1928 Bauerische Giescherei – Gill Sans, Eric Gill, 1929 Monotype Corp. – Frutiger, Adrian Frutiger, 1957 Deberny & Peignot – Eurostile, Aldo Novarese 1962 Società Nebilio – FF Thesis Sans, Luc de Groot, 1994 FontShop and Priori, Jonathan Barnbrook, 2003 Émigré.
This is a handy sourcebook, providing a visual record using a selection from the evolution of Sans Serif Typefaces and particularly from the last years. Accessible and easy to use, it presents new and renewed fonts of Sans Serif Types, those typefaces in current use, sketches by type designers and first proofs, illustrating the relationship between typography and graphic design. We are still looking for new opportunities and, the question is, has the ideal Sans Serif typeface been invented yet? That is for you to decide.”
Poster NL. Compilation and final editing Cees W. de Jong, Martijn F. le Coultre, Alston W. Purvis. Editing and research Helewise Berger, Stefanie Burger, Joanne Dijkman, Jorre Both. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Naarden. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Muller Visual, Sander Muller, Amsterdam. Librero, Kerkdriel. 2007.
Flatprint and posters. Lithography, offset, letterpress, wooden banknote letters. Essay Cees W. de Jong & Helewise Berger. Summary.
Lithographic printing. Characteristic of lithographic printing or stone printing is that the image is created by an attraction and repulsion process of water and grease on a flat printing block, in contrast to intaglio and letterpress printing, which work with lower or higher surfaces on the printing plates respectively. It is possible that the edges of the lithography block (stone) are visible in the paper; this print border is called a must. Planographic printing is versatile: both tones and lines, as well as multi-color prints can be printed with it. Because the printing block can be reused, large print runs can be printed quickly. This technique is very suitable for the advertising world (posters) because of its reproducibility and the possibility to print in multiple colors. The amount of the pressure depends on the stone used. Common forms of planographic printing are lithography and offset.
Lithograph. A block of limestone is smoothed by grinding it down and then it is degreased, after which it can be drawn on with a greasy material. The stone is prepared with gum arabic, resin, talc and later also nitric acid to fix the water-repellent grease of the drawing in the stone. After the stone is moistened with water, an oil-based ink is applied over the stone. This is repelled by the water-absorbent, unmarked part and accepted by the oily part (the drawing). The oil-based ink on the drawing is then printed onto paper with a printing press. Before the next print, the stone must be moistened again and inked. The plate can be ground down again until the entire image has disappeared and is thus suitable for a new drawing. The artist can also use transfer paper to transfer the drawing to the stone, so that it isn’t necessary to work with heavy stones and in mirror image. The use of large stones allowed large sheets to be printed, which was important for the emerging field of advertising.
Offset. The term ‘offset’ refers to the fact that there is no direct contact between the original printing plate and the paper. The negative is brought into contact with the metal printing plate, which is coated with a photosensitive emulsion that absorbs ink. After exposure to light, the plate is developed and the emulsion remains only on the exposed areas. As with lithography, offset technology also uses the principle that water and oil repel each other. After wetting with water, the areas without an image are more resistant to the greasy ink that is applied. The inked image is transferred to a rubber blanket cylinder; this mirrored canvas image is then printed on paper.
High pressure. Relief printing is the umbrella term for various graphic techniques, including wood engraving and linocut. The image is obtained by cutting or sticking material out of a plate or block of wood. The printing ink then adheres to the raised parts of the printing plate. Under the pressure of the press, the paper is pushed backwards, so that a raised edge – the must – can be seen at the edges of the image. Most large-run printing was done in letterpress until the 20th century. In the early days of printing, the platen press was used. The paper was stretched against the printing form by means of a platen by means of a jack. Rubber stamps and plastic plates are used in flexo printing.
Note letters. Printing with the aid of a typeset with lead letters or banknote letters is also a relief printing technique. The wooden banknote letters were initially carved by hand, later they were produced industrially in larger numbers. In early posters, the image was often printed by means of lithography, with special texts with the wooden letters being produced in a separate printing process. Posters were printed in color with all illustrations of the ‘stone’. Special texts were printed with wooden banknote letters in a separate printing process.”
Dutch Graphic Design. A Century of Innovation. (Nederlands Grafisch Ontwerp. Van de negentiende eeuw tot nu). Alston W. Purvis. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. In collaboration with Asher Hazelaar, Puls, Ermelo. Terra Lannoo, Arnhem, 2006. Thames & Hudson, London. 2006
A comprehensively illustrated, unique overview of more than a century of graphic design in the Netherlands. A must for anyone interested in design. The book fills a gap. It is the only current book about the history of graphic design in the Netherlands. In 400 pages it offers a fascinating journey through time, from Art Nouveau to De Stijl, Wendingen, Constructivism, the Avant-Garde, Werkman, the turbulent 1930s, the Second World War, the years after, up to and including the top designers that determine the image of Dutch graphic design today. The Netherlands occupies a leading international position in the field of graphic design. How that is justified is made clear in Dutch Graphic Design, in which the history of graphic design in the Netherlands comes into its own in 400 pages and with more than 500 color illustrations. Dutch Graphic Design offers a fascinating journey through time, from Art Nouveau to the designers who determine the image today.
Creative Type. A Sourcebook of Classical and Contemporary Letterforms. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong. Contributions by Alston W. Purvis and Friedrich Friedl. Thames & Hudson, London. 2006.
Creative Type. A Sourcebook of Classical and Contemporary Letterforms. Essay. Cees W. de Jong. Summary.
“Small selection of ‘visual images’ on type design and letterproofs. Lead letters, output on paper and film, now today only PostScript fonts. From News Gothic via Golden type, Clarendon, Peignot, Beowolf to Syntax Antiqua. ‘Le Monde’ is a set of four highly legible letter fonts designed by Jean François Porchez for the French newspaper, Le Monde, for four specific applications. The paper is a gentleman! Jill Bell’s ‘Carumba’ is ‘fun and funky’, an expressive, contemporary letter full of South American passion and written with, for example, a calligraphy pen, a Chinese brush and the wrong end of a small brush. The advent of the digital era has also entirely transformed this world. The way the printed word appears has changed dramatically many times over the course of the years and has now been expanded with the ‘digital word’. Reflected in the process of letter design. From hand written letters, via lead blocks, photo litho and Letraset, we have arrived in the PostScript and Open Type era. An enormous degree of freedom and flexibility is being created with all kinds of hitherto un dreamed of options. Globalisation has generated a cultural mix and worldwide exchange of ideas. At the same time, the past plays a major role in our nostalgia for familiar images of yore. What has remained is the tried and trusted principles; the preconditions determined by form and rhythm, for example; the black and white relationship; shape against shape; the sum of the parts of typography. What I find most striking is that letter designers, with their wonderful eye for the detail of letters, can determine such a great difference in character. The page of a book naturally looks completely different and, as reader/consumer, you perceive the message differently, too. The choice of typographer and the application of the graphic designer have transported you to another world. Handwork. The master’s eye. All the subtle differences in shape can be accommodated with ascender thicknesses, curves and serifs. Now, the designer has every opportunity to realise all his ideas. The speed of adjusting individual fonts in the design process is optimal. Thicker, thinner, italic, more open, it can all be done in a flash. An extensive family of faces can be designed and realised in three shakes of a lamb’s tail. Actually, it is no longer the technology that is interesting, but the recent aesthetic developments. This is reflected in the letters featured in this book. New requirements demand new letters. It’s a never-ending process. Letters are being re-read and adapted, changed or re-designed. That’s the way it’s always been. There are no less than 400 different Bodoni’s. Probably because people always think they can improve or add something. New is better!? I hope you will have a great deal of pleasure in looking at and reading Creative Type.”
Architecture for the Judiciary. Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Laren. Jaap Huisman, Gerard Kerkvliet, Wytze Patijn, Max van Rooij, Sandra Spijkerman. Photography Joop van Reeken. Ministry of VROM, Government Buildings Agency, The Hague. 2005.
Ewald Kist. A personal farewell. Roel Janssen, The Hague. Photography: Hans Heus, Alphen aan de Rijn. Design Cees W. de Jong, VK Projects, Laren. ING Bank, Amsterdam. 2004.
Richard Meier. Thirty Colors. Richard Meier, Hans van Dijk. Photography Elizabeth Felicella. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing. Hans Ultee, Akzo Nobel. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Josine Overduin, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design. Akzo Nobel, Sikkens. 2003.
Innovative and transparent. ING House, New Head Office, ING. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing. Photography Hans Heus, Christian Richters. Text Tracy Metz, Max van Rooy. Graphic design by Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design. ING Bank. 2002.
Wendingen.1918-1932. Martijn F. Le Coultre. Editing Cees W. de Jong. Graphic design Jan Johan ter Poorten, Corine Teuben, Cees W. de Jong, V+K Design. V+K Publishing – Inmerc, Blaricum. Princeton Architectural Press N.Y. 2001.
Feuilles Mortes. 30 Books. 30 Years of Design and Publishing. Herman Hoeneveld. Exhibition Museum De Beijerd, Breda. (Voor Anja). Editing & design by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Design, V+K Publishing. 2001.
Exhibition Feuilles Mortes, 30 Books. 30 Years of Design and Publishing. Frank Tiesing, Museum De Beijerd, Breda. Curator Cees W. de Jong, V+K Design, Blaricum. 2001.
OMA. Rem Koolhaas. 30 Colours. Rem Koolhaas. Stijn Rademakers, Jan Knikker, OMA. Photography Edwin Walvis. Hans Werlemann, Hectic Pictures. Y. Kida. Second Stage Theatre. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing. Hans Ultee, Akzo Nobel. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, Ronald Boiten, V+K Design. Akzo Nobel, Sikkens. 1999.
Holland Schept Ruimte. Het Nederlands paviljoen op de Wereld Tentoonstelling EXPO 2000 Hannover. MVRDV. Martin Roth, Michiel Schwarz. Ed. Gert Staal. Editing & graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design, V+K Publishing, Blaricum. Stichting Nederland Wereldtentoonstellingen. 1999.
Piet Mondrian. Catalogue Raisonné. Vol. I. Catalogue Raisonné of the Naturalistic Works (until early 1911). Volume II. Catalogue Raisonné of the Work of 1911 – 1944. Volume III. Appendix. Robert P. Welsh and Joop M. Joosten. Editor-in-chief Henk Scheepmaker. Editing & graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design, V+K Publishing, Blaricum.
In co-edition with V+K Publishing – Inmerc, Amsterdam. Harry N. Abrams. New York. Prestel Verlag, Munich. Cercle d’Art, Paris. Mercatorfonds, Antwerp. Skira, Milan. 1998.
Norman Foster, 30 Colours. Norman Foster. Paul Overy. John Small, Foster and Partners U.K. Photography James H. Morris a.o. Akzo Nobel, Sikkens. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing. Hans Ultee, Akzo Nobel. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Corinne Teuben, V+K Design. Akzo Nobel, Sikkens. 1998.
Alessandro Mendini, 30 Colours. Alessandro Mendini. Fulvia Mendini. Stefano Caciani. Photography Elio Basso, Santi Caleca, Maurizio Casati, Thomas Deutschmann, Alberto Ferrero, Carlo Lavatori, Arthur Martin, Ralf Richter. Editing by Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing. Hans Ultee, Akzo Nobel. Graphic design by Cees W. de Jong, Anke Osinga, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design. Akzo Nobel, Sikkens. 1996.
Television at the Crossroads. Alessandro Mendini, Andrea Branzi, Stefano Marzano. A collection of essays and design concepts addressing the questions ‘Where is television heading and where will we, as viewers, be following it? Based on innovative design workshops held in Italy and the Netherlands. Philips Design. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong a.o. V+K Publishing, Blaricum. Philips, Amsterdam. 1994. Wiley, London. 1994.
De illegale camera. 1940-1945. Nederlandse fotografie tijdens de Duitse bezetting. Flip Bool, Veronica Hekking. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong a.o. V+K Publishing, Blaricum – Inmerc. 1995.
Andreas Feininger. Das ist Fotografie. Translation Gert und Nina Koshofer. Verlag Photographie, Schaffhausen. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, V+K Publishing, Blaricum. Thomas Stemmle, Verlag Photographie, Schaffhausen. 1995.
Willem Marinus Dudok, Architect – Stedeboukundige, 1884-1974. Dr. Herman van Bergeijk. Ed. Arjen Oosterman. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Publishing, Blaricum. 1995.
Architectural Competitions. Volume 1: 1792 – 1949. Volume 2: 1950 – till now. Cees W. de Jong, Erik Mattie. Two volumes in a slip-case. This history of architecture design competitions mirrors the history of architecture itself. Highlights from two centuries provides a survey of architectural movements and their respective representatives. Fostering creative diversity within the accepted aesthetic boundaries of the day and the future. Design Cees W. de Jong a.o., V+K Publishing, Blaricum. Taschen, Cologne. 1994.
Exhibition. Dutch Graphic Design. A Century. Curators Cees W. de Jong, Paul Hefting. In co-operation with Foundation Dutch Graphic Design. Cees W. de Jong (Chairman), Paul Hefting, Rob Huisman, Frans Spruit and Frank Tiesing. The exhibition was presented in Breda, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Istanbul and New York starting 1993.
Dutch Graphic Design. A Century. Kees Broos, Paul Hefting. The first publication about the development of graphic design in the Netherlands, from its beginnings in 1890 to the present. Richly illustrated with 550 full-color plates, Dutch Graphic Design portrays a remarkable diversity of styles and techniques in a wide range of media and applications: books and typeface design, commercial printing, posters, postage stamps, corporate identity programs, logos, signage, and much more. Included is the work of individual designers such as Jan Toorop, Jan van Krimpen, Theo van Doesburg, Piet Zwart, Hendrik Werkman, H.P. Berlage, H.Th. Wijdeveld, Willem Sandberg and Wim Crouwel, to name a few. Their work is discussed in the context of such themes as the decorated book, the Wendingen magazines, Dadaism, De Stijl, pictographs, the underground press of the occupation years in the second world war, the fifty best books, corporate design, and current trends. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design. V+K Publishing, Blaricum. 1993.
Grafische vormgeving in Nederland. Een Eeuw. ICOB, Alphen aan de Rijn. 1995 and 1997.
Dutch Graphic Design. A Century. Suisyosha Co. Ltd. Tokyo. 1994. Grafische vormgeving in Nederland. Een Eeuw. Uitgeverij L.J. Veen. 1993. Dutch Graphic Design. A Century. Phaidon Press London. 1993. Dutch Graphic Design. A Century. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US. 1993. La grafica in Olandea, Leonarde Arte, Milano. 1993.
Kirei. Plakate aus Japan. Thomas Stemmle, Edition Stemmle. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Jan Johan ter Poorten, V+K Design, Laren. V+K Publishing-Inmerc. Laren. Edition Stemmle. 1993.
Winnen met papier. Vijftig jaar uit de 250-jarige Geschiedenis van Proost en Brandt, 1942-1992. Dr. Keetie Sluyterman. Illustrated history of a paper wholesaler in The Netherlands – also active in graphic and office systems – where the paper trade ensured continuity in the company. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong and Ernst Schilp, V+K Design, Laren. Proost en Brandt, Amsterdam. 1992.
Soviet Architectural Competitions, 1924-1936. Catherine Cooke, Igor Kazus. Editor Stina van der Ploeg, V+K Publishing. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong, Joke Kranen, V+K Design. Soviet Architectural Competitions 1920-1930. V+K Publishing, Laren. 1991.
Igor Kazus was director of The Shchusev State Museum of Architecture. Catherine Cooke, British architect. Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge.
Architectural Politics as seen in Competition. Since 1790. Riichi Miyake. Editorial adviser Cees W. de Jong. Research adviser Stina van der Ploeg, V+K Publishing, Laren. Set of 7 books. In co-edition with Kodansha, Tokyo. 1991.
The Image of a Company. Design for Corporate Image. Ben Bos, Paul Hefting, F.H.K. Henrion, Jaap Huisman, Cees W. de Jong, Jaap Lieverse, Ronald de Nijs, Ernst Schilp, Gees-Ineneke Smit, Gert Staal, Alex Visser. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong and Ernst Schilp, V+K Design. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. 1990.
This is a presentation of a series of international case studies illustrating the importance of corporate identity (how companies present themselves to the outside world), an important management issue. In parallel with a number of international case studies, for example, Esprit, IBM, Braun, Adidas and Coca Cola, there is a manual, by Cees de Jong, Ernst Schilp and Ben Bos detailing how to achieve a distinctive corporate identity. The work provides useful information for companies of every size, with advice on expressing a company’s image by means of color, typography, forms, packaging, the use of signs, fleet-marking, publicity and promotion materials. In the same way, management issues of co-ordination and implementation are discussed and illustrated. Practical details are supplied in a full technical account of an imaginary corporate image manual. The book is intended for the use of graphic designers, managers, marketing and publicity professionals.
The Image of a Company. Design for Corporate Image. Sdu, The Hague. 1990.
Rockport Publishers, Inc. Rockport, Massachusetts. 1990. Architectural Design and Technology Press, London. 1990. Gustavo Gilli, Barcelona. 1990. PAOS, Tokyo. 1990.
De tijden veranderen.Kerstnummer Grafisch Nederland KVGO. Prof. Henri Baudet, Herman Hoeneveld. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong and Ernst Schilp, V+K Design, Amsterdam, Koninklijk Verbond van Grafische Ondernemingen, Amstelveen. 1989.
The New Photography in the Netherlands.De Nieuwe Fotografie in Nederland. Kees Broos and Flip Bool. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong a.o. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. Fragment Uitgevers, Amsterdam. 1989. Sdu uitgevers, The Hague. 1989.
Functional Glamour. Het kruithuis ’s-Hertogenbosch. Yvònne Joris, Gert Staal. a.o. Photography Peer van der Kruis. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong a.o. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. Het Kruithuis, ’s-Hertogenbosch. 1987.
The Rietveld Schröder House. Bertus Mulder, Ida van Zijl. Photography Frank den Oudsten. Ed. Lenneke Büller. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong and Ernst Schilp, V+K Design. V+K Publishing, Laren. Uitgeverij De Haan, Bussum. 1988.
Europa CEPT Postage stamps. Modern architecture. PTT. Issued 1987. Graphic design Cees W. de Jong. Work of both architects Herman Herzberger and Rem Koolhaas selected by Cees W. de Jong and incorporated in his design.
Schoon & Weer. Een herinneringsuitgave voor de toekomst. Koninklijke Drukkerij Thieme, Nijmegen. Text Herman Hoeneveld. Graphic design and photography Cees W. de Jong, Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers. Koninklijke Drukkerij Thieme, Nijmegen. 1980.
Nooit gebouwd Nederland.Kerstnummer Grafisch Nederland KVGO. Gerrit Komrij, Cees Nooteboom. Editing & design Cees W. de Jong, Willem Schilder, Frank den Oudsten. Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers. Koninklijk Verbond van Grafische Ondernemingen, KVGO. 1980.
Through visual artist Frank den Oudsten I got to know Dick van Woerkom, manager of Nederlands Documentatiecentrum voor de Bouwkunst in Amsterdam. This documentation center houses a beautiful and important collection of the archives and architectural drawings of many important Dutch architects. From H.P. Berlage, J. Duiker, C. van Eesteren, J.J.P. Oud, H. Th. Wijdeveld to MVRDV. Dick van Woerkom, Frank den Oudsten, Willem Schilder and myself developed the concept for Nooit gebouwd Nederland. I wanted to involve authors in this project who could make a literary contribution, so I asked Gerrit Komrij to write an introduction and Cees Nootenboom to write an essay. With the following result: Nooit gebouwd Nederland: Kerstnummer Koninklijk Verbond van grafische Ondernemingen, KVGO. (Christmas edition of the Royal Association of Graphic Companies (KVGO). Amsterdam. Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers, Amsterdam. 1980.
Nooit gebouwd Nederland: Exhibition Bouwcentrum, Weena 700. Rotterdam. Nederlands Documentatiecentrum voor de Bouwkunst. Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers, Amsterdam. Frank den Oudsten, Amsterdam. 1980-1981.
Nooit gebouwd Nederland. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. Unie Boek, Bussum. 1983. Nie gebaute Niederlande. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. DVA-Anstalt, Munich. 1983. The Netherlands Never Built. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. Architectural Design and Technology Press, London. 1983. The Netherlands Never Built. V+K Publishing, Amsterdam. Rizzoli, New York. 1983. Nooit gebouwd Nederland. V+K Publishing – Inmerc, Blaricum. 1999.
Alphabet. PCGD – RPS. Postcheque en Girodienst, Rijkspostspaarbank, Postbank. 1979
Cees W. de Jong. Alphabet, commissioned by PCGD-RPS, Postbank, ING The Netherlands, 1979. Design: Cees W. de Jong a.o., Vorm + Kleur Grafisch ontwerpers. Commissioned by PCGD (Postcheque en Girodienst), later the Postbank and ING Bank, we have been busy for years with, a thousand and one assignments, in the field of identity design projects, resulting in a Corporate Identity Manual. Alphabet featured the set of all letters, numbers and punctuation marks of the alphabet specially designed for PCGD-RPS, Postbank. This font was used by all 6 million customers, account holders of the PCGD-RPS, Postbank. For personal data printed on cash cheques, giro payment cards, giro transfer forms, and any other forms or cards in use in their respective services. The design concept is connected to the visual forms of Roman typefaces. A friendly alphabet designed for all of the bank’s customers, the lowercase letters had a connection with medieval numbers. The Rochford-Thompson Group, (Newbury, Berkshire, UK), supplied personalised and encoded banking and financial documents that were involved in the production of this project. Because there were limited technical print possibilities, the technical printing systems: Wescode and McCorquedale were used. Each machine has its own construction and printing system. These differences made it necessary to choose a non-proportional letter with line height and width. Every letter, number has the same height (1/6 inch) and width (1/11.5 inch). An alphabet with 45 positions in total, no more positions for extra typefaces, no uppercase letters or a complete set of punctuation marks. 45 positions in total: 29 lower case letters, 10 medieval numbers and 6 punctuation marks. Lowercase letters: a, ä, b, c, d, e, é, f, g, h, I, j, k, l, m, n, o, ö, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z. Medieval numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Selection of punctuation marks: , * . / – &. Also, for security reasons, a number of features are built in that are difficult to imitate. In the design process a complete font family has been realized including uppercase and lowercase in different weights. Functional solutions that worked well.
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Since 1970. Corporate identity design, corporate identity manuals, annual reports, packaging design, magazines, publications, exhibitions, trademarks. Clients: AkzoNobel, Arnhem. Akzo Coatings, Sassenheim. Gemeente Almere. Gemeente Amsterdam. Bank der Bondsspaarbanken, Amsterdam. ING Groep, Amsterdam. KLM, Amstelveen. Koninklijke Volker Wessels Stevin, Rotterdam. Philips Design, Eindhoven. Postbank, Amsterdam. Proost & Brandt Papier, Diemen. Papierfabrieken Van Gelder Zonen, Amsterdam. N.V. Van Oord, Rotterdam. Sdu Uitgevers en ontwerpgroep, The Hague.
