Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design

may question it being a true revival. The fact that Mrs Eaves is not a
slavish replica is one of the reasons why we chose an original name, rather
than calling it Emigre Baskerville.”
Revivals are, of course, about critical reevaluation and then
change—in perception, typographic needs, or technology. Licko notes that
“the idea of fixing, or improving, a classic is relative to usage. Some
typefaces are more appropriate for certain uses than others and some may
have a wider use than others, but there is no absolute measurement for
typeface designs that calculates good versus bad.” The fixing done to a
classic typeface that makes it suitable for one use may make it less suitable
for another. Moreover, adds Licko, “A revival also exemplifies the
idiosyncrasies of the type designer doing the revival. If two designers do a
revival of the same typeface, each designer’s interpretation will be unique,
based upon... relative sensibilities, vision, and skill.”
With Mrs Eaves, Licko’s point of departure was one of the most
critiqued characteristics of Baskerville’s original—the sharp contrast
between stems and hairlines, which naysayers in his day believed was a
hindrance to legibility. Licko wanted to understand the criticism, if not as
well disprove it, so she opted to “explore the path not taken. After all, the
sharp contrast evidenced in Baskerville was new at the time of its creation
due to recent developments in printing and papermaking technologies. In
his pursuit of ‘perfect’ printing, John Baskerville developed ultrasmooth and
brilliant white papers, as well as intensely black printing ink.” Ultimately,
Licko’s analysis forced her to conclude that she should retain the overall
openness and lightness of the face. So she reduced the x-height, relative to
the cap-height, which gives Mrs Eaves the appearance when set of being
one point-size smaller than it really is. In roman, bold, italic, small, and
petite caps, Mrs Eaves is a very readable face that is also quite elegant, not
unlike a hot-metal impression. It turned out to be one of Emigre’s best-
selling font packages ever.
Crossing over from “original” to revival, Licko learned an
unexpected lesson. “I’ve found that doing a revival is in many ways easier
than designing a typeface from scratch. Because the fine details, which can
be very time-consuming, are prescribed by the model, there are fewer
stumbling blocks in the development.” Of course, she continues to pursue
new designs as a means of exploring the unexplored. But her subsequent
revivals have given her the opportunity to study and better understand the
details that she would never fully appreciate by merely observing, studying,
or using the typeface. In light of Mrs Eaves, Licko asserts: “In subtle ways,
a revival forces me to accept certain design decisions that I would not have
made myself, to integrate a different way of thinking.”