International Society of Typographic Designers

International Society of Typographic Designers
Abbreviation ISTD
Formation 1928
Legal status not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee
Purpose Establish and maintain standards of typography
Region served
Worldwide
Affiliations Icograda
Website www.istd.org.uk
Remarks Founded as the British Typographers' Guild

The International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) is a professional body run by and for typographers, graphic designers, and educators. The society has an international membership and its aims are to establish and maintain standards of typography and to provide a forum for debate.[1]

History

The ISTD was originally formed as the British Typographers' Guild (BTG) in 1928 when Vincent Steer and friends met in a Sicilian restaurant in Holborn, to found the society. Steer recognized the need and the potential for the creative typographer's skills in a world where most 'design' was carried out through compositors' layouts. From his own background in printing, and the opportunity to observe the trade in America, he determined to develop the profession of typography in the UK, and to that end started the British Typographers Guild with six other like-minded founding members.[2]

In 1953 the guild became the Society of Typographic Designers (STD),[2][3] and in 1999, recognizing its influence in other countries, and at the behest of then President Colin Banks, it became the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD).

TypoGraphic

TypoGraphic is the journal of the ISTD and was first published in 1971. Selected writings from 30 years of TypoGraphic were published in an anthology in 2001.[4]

A complete set of TypoGraphic journals is available at the St Bride Library.

ISTD International Typographic Awards

The ISTD runs the International Typographic Awards which are held as an appraisal of current standards in typographic design and are judged by some of today's leading graphic, interactive and typographic design specialists:[5]

The ISTD Awards are held every two years, with the next award occurring during 2013.[6]

Categories of membership

The ISTD has several categories of membership,[7] some with designatory postnominals:

ISTD Student Assessment

The annual Student Assessment, started in 1975, allows students to gain entry to the ISTD.[7] This is achieved by assessment of their work applied to a rigorous brief (five new project briefs are published in October each year), and is open to those registered on a recognised full-time undergraduate or postgraduate course. Assessment is carried out by teams of practicing designers and typographic educators.

Student Assessments are held in England, Ireland, Middle East, South Africa and Australia to deal with the submissions relating to each location. These are coordinated by the ISTD Education Team under the aegis of the Education Director.[8]

References

  1. "ISTD - International Society of Typographic Designers". Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Steer, Vincent (1971). "Facts concerning the origins of the STD". TypoGraphic (Society of Typographic Designers) (2).
  3. Wallis, Lawrence W. "The Monotype Chronicles". Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  4. Jury, David (ed.). TypoGraphic Writing. ISTD [International Society of Typographic Designers]. ISBN 0-9540127-0-4.
  5. "ISTD Awards 2011". ISTD [International Society of Typographic Designers]. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  6. "ISTD International Typographic Awards". Grafik Magazine. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Become a member (PDF). ISTD [International Society of Typographic Designers]. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  8. "ISTD Assessment FAQ". ISTD [International Society of Typographic Designers]. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
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