Tipoteca is an amazing type foundry tucked away in the heart of Treviso. They are dedicated to the preservation of the origins of type. Our guide showed us the history of linotype and monotype. We were even shown a video on the art of engraving music into sheets of metal. Each line was carved into the sheet, as each note and mark was stamped in. It seemed even more complex than setting type, as no mistake could be easily corrected.
Upstairs there was a fantastic exhibit showing the complexities of printed items, namely money. All of the secret patterns and swirls were painstakingly done by hand. They were truly impossible to copy perfectly unless one were to have the original plate. Tiny stamps were also on display alongside beautiful flourishes and posters.
We then got to play with our own type. Our poster making process included first, of course, the idea. We decided upon a poster that highlighted the names of the greats we have learned about during this trip (Castiglioni, Starck, Magistretti, etc) with Design in Contesto in blue. We chose this dark blue in accordance with a lighter green that would hopefully ‘pop’ against the dark. I’m happy the poster was composed of all cool colors as they matched well with the warmness of the yellow paper. We were able to use a wide array of beautiful typefaces and allowed to turn the wheel as we spun our prints out. It was a lovely refresher into the world of typography.
