Eric Gill is a complex personality. On the one hand a celebrated typographer, designer, artist and sculpter. On the other a deeply religious man who committed adultery, incest and beastiality. This interactive publication explores both sides of this controversial character.
Inspired by Fiona McCarthy's article on Gill in The Guardian, I wanted to create an interactive publication that celebrated Gill's work but also questioned our understanding of it in light of Gill's private life.
I kept to a minimal colour palette of red and black to create a strong aesthetic that worked well with Gill's woodcuts. I wanted to entwine McCarthy's words with examples of Gill's work so an interactive format worked well as a medium. As you scroll through the pages elements are uncovered, symbolising the hidden, often contradictory, aspects of Gill's character.
The publication is typeset in two of Gill's own typefaces, Joanna Italic and Gill Sans Ultra Bold. Wildly different in appearance and character, they highlight the extremes of Gill's personality. For authenticity I took inspiration from Gill's book, An Essay on Typography, which uses ampersands throughout and advocates the use of italic as a primary font rather than for emphasis or contrast.