COLLECTION NAME:
RIT CARY GRAPHIC ARTS COLLECTION
mediaCollectionId
RIT~1~1
RIT CARY GRAPHIC ARTS COLLECTION
Collection
true
Filename:
cc_csc0149_bixler
filename
cc_csc0149_bixler
Filename
false
Identifier:
cc_csc0149_bixler
identifier
cc_csc0149_bixler
Identifier
false
Title:
Patterns for the Bixler typeface
title
Patterns for the Bixler typeface
Title
false
Creator:
Bixler, Michael
creator
Bixler, Michael
Creator
false
Creator:
Bixler, Winifred
creator
Bixler, Winifred
Creator
false
Subject:
Type and type-founding
subject
Type and type-founding
Subject
false
Subject:
Graphic design (Typography)
subject
Graphic design (Typography)
Subject
false
Subject:
Type designers
subject
Type designers
Subject
false
Summary:
These are metal patterns for the Bixler typeface. Michael Bixler studied typography with Professor Alexander Lawson in the RIT School of Printing. He was inspired by the classic letterpress typefaces of the Italian Renaissance and in 1968 – 69 designed his own typeface to adhere to this aesthetic. To do this, first he drew all the characters of the alphabet in pen and ink. These included designs for the upper and lowercase, plus the numerals and punctuation. Then, the designs were converted to engraved metal patterns through a photographic intermediary step. The pattern letterforms were used with a pantographic router to cut the small brass moulds or matrices. For the final step in the typeface production, Bixler fitted each brass matrix on a Monotype typecasting machine that injected molten lead into their recesses. The hot lead solidified almost instantly and a piece of metal printing type was cast. The casting process was repeated thousands of times for each character to obtain a full case of type —enough for setting multiple pages of text. The Bixler typeface only exists for use at the couple’s letterfoundry.
description
These are metal patterns for the Bixler typeface. Michael Bixler studied typography with Professor Alexander Lawson in the RIT School of Printing. He was inspired by the classic letterpress typefaces of the Italian Renaissance and in 1968 – 69 designed his own typeface to adhere to this aesthetic. To do this, first he drew all the characters of the alphabet in pen and ink. These included designs for the upper and lowercase, plus the numerals and punctuation. Then, the designs were converted to engraved metal patterns through a photographic intermediary step. The pattern letterforms were used with a pantographic router to cut the small brass moulds or matrices. For the final step in the typeface production, Bixler fitted each brass matrix on a Monotype typecasting machine that injected molten lead into their recesses. The hot lead solidified almost instantly and a piece of metal printing type was cast. The casting process was repeated thousands of times for each character to obtain a full case of type —enough for setting multiple pages of text. The Bixler typeface only exists for use at the couple’s letterfoundry.
Summary
false
Publisher:
Press and Letterfoundry of Michael & Winifred Bixler
publisher
Press and Letterfoundry of Michael & Winifred Bixler
Publisher
false
Digital Publisher:
Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - Cary Graphic Arts Collection
digital_publisher
Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - Cary Graphic Arts Collection
Digital Publisher
false
Date of Original:
1968 approximate
date
1968 approximate
Date of Original
false
Date of Digitization:
2019
date_of_digitization
2019
Date of Digitization
false
Broad Type:
still image
broad_type
still image
Broad Type
false
Specific Type:
casting pattern
type
casting pattern
Specific Type
false
Digital File Format:
jpeg
format
jpeg
Digital File Format
false
Physical Format:
aluminum plate
physical_format
aluminum plate
Physical Format
false
Language:
English
language
English
Language
false
Original Item Location:
CSC-0149
relation
CSC-0149
Original Item Location
false
Library Collection:
Bixler Press and Letterfoundry collection
original_item_location
Bixler Press and Letterfoundry collection
Library Collection
false
Digital Project:
2022_0056_aug
digital_projects__
2022_0056_aug
Digital Project
false
Catalog Record:
catalog_record
https://archivesspace.rit.edu/repositories/3/archival_objects/13683
Catalog Record
false
Place:
New York - Rochester
coverage
New York - Rochester
Place
false
Rights:
RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.
rights
RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.
Rights
false
Notes:
Title supplied by the cataloguer
notes
Title supplied by the cataloguer
Notes
false