Abstract:

Matthew Carter is the most read and praised modern typeface designer. His works encompass all written mediums, and is used in everything from the printed page to the computer screen. Carter’s most famous and widely read typefaces include ITC Gilliard, Verdana, and Bell Centennial. In addition to his own individual work, he helped co-found two successful digital type foundries: Bitstream Inc and Carter & Cone Type Inc.

Background:

Besides having a father (Harry Carter) who was a type and book designer (designed Cyrillic Baskerville), Matthew Carter was also encouraged at a young age to study lettering by the artist, Ian Fleming-Willams. Before planning to attend Oxford University, Carter spent 1955 and 1956 in the Netherlands interning at Joh. EnschedŽ en Zonen (EnschedŽ Type Foundry) under Paul Radisch and Henk Drost. While the other interns avoided the punchcutting department, Matthew Carter spent his year at the foundry studying the art of making type by hand. Letters were carved out of steel and used to make lead casts. After his internship, he decided to forego attending Oxford and concentrate on type design, Matthew Carter began his career as a freelance type artist.

During his first visit New York City in 1960, Carter was quickly influenced by progressive designers (such as Milton Glaser) of New York’s ‘commercial art scene’, and by his introduction to Mergentahler Linotype where he would work two years later as a staff type designer. From 1965 to 1971, Matthew Carter embraced new photo-setting technologies and created such works as Snell RoundHand. By the time Matthew Carter returned to London, he had already developed numerous classics for Mergentahler such as Olympian, Bell Centennial, and ITC Charter.

By 1981, Carter had embraced the new digital technologies and co-founded Bitstream Inc. with Mike Parker, Cherie Cone, and Rob Friedman. His work at Bitstream lasted for a decade and with previous partner, Cherie Cone, founded Carter & Cone Type Inc. By 1996, Matthew Carter had created Verdana and Georgia for Microsoft, typefaces made for computer screens. Look at any web-page, and chances are you are looking at a font created by Matthew Carter. After the commissioned work by Microsoft, Carter continued his prolific career by designing the typefaces for Sports Illustrated, Wired, and Yale.

Matthew Carter is still very alive and active.

A Timeline:

1937 Born in London, England to typographer and book designer Harry Carter

1955-1956 Learns how to punchcut while interning at the EnschedŽ Type Foundry

1960 Visits New York

1965-1971 Works as staff type designer at Mergenthaler Linotype, Creates Snell RoundHand

1971-81 Freelance type designer in London, Designs Bell & ITC Galliard

1980-1984 Appointed typographical advisor to Her MajestyÕs Stationery Office

1981 lected Royal Designer for Industry, The Royal Society of Arts

1981-1991 Co-found Bitstream, Inc., Designs Bitstream Charter

1991 present_ Co-found Carter & Cone Type, Inc.

1992 Designs Elephant

1993 Designs Sophia

1994 Designs Verdana and Georgia

1995 Designs Walker

1997 Designs Miller

2002 Exhibition Typographically Speaking: The Art of Matthew Carter opens

A Quote:

“I'd rub at one with the toothbrush and look at it and say ‘Oh, this is Garamond's Saint-Augustin Roman, how interesting.’ and then I would think ‘holy shit, I was just handlying the punches of the greatest artist who ever worked in this field.’ ”