Typography: The Magazine, Issue 06: The Present of Movable Type

◆ This issue of Type Journal ISSUE #06 includes a special gift──
§ A set of two "Type Journal" special No. 5 lead movable type characters from Ri Xing Type Foundry, Taiwan, the last traditional Chinese type foundry in the world.

── The first type-themed MOOK in the Chinese-speaking world
── Supervised and authorized by Graphic-sha, a professional Japanese design publisher, with exclusive content for the Traditional Chinese edition
── Takes you on a journey through the vast world of typefaces

◆ Main contents of this issue──
§ The Letterpress Printing Scene ── We'll take you to letterpress workshops and museums in Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Europe, and America for an in-depth look!
§ Letterpress Printing Q&A: Basic knowledge you should have before commissioning letterpress printing
§ Global Typeface Exploration: A trip to North Korea to observe typefaces in their daily lives!
§ On-site report from the 2019 ATypI International Typography Conference in Tokyo

This book is the first special publication in the Chinese-speaking world dedicated to typefaces. Supervised and authorized by the Japanese professional design publisher Graphic-sha, and featuring exclusive Chinese content for the Traditional Chinese edition, it will help you explore in-depth knowledge and information about typefaces from various perspectives.

▎Special Feature - Types Today ▎

Letterpress printing, which uses metal and wooden movable type, has a history of over 500 years since its invention by Gutenberg in the 15th century. Once on the verge of extinction due to the tide of digitization, letterpress printing has recently undergone a transformation, attracting renewed attention due to its nostalgic appeal and cultural and historical significance. Even though traditional type craftsmen are scarce and the manufacturing of new type is becoming increasingly difficult, there is still a group of people around the world who love and are dedicated to it. How is this 500-year-old technology developing into its contemporary form in Taiwan, Japan, and other parts of the world, and what possibilities does it hold for the future? In this issue of Type Journal, we will journey from Asia to Europe, visiting the forefront of letterpress printing to give you an in-depth look!

■ Taiwan Section
Movable type printing in Taiwan: The development of Chinese movable type printing in Taiwan; Starting from Zhongnan Type Foundry, searching for Taiwan's lost typefaces; Ri Xing Type Foundry; PaperWork;乐田活版工房; Shifen Printing

■ Japan Section
Kasui Kobo; Sasaki Katsuji-ten; ALL RIGHT PRINTING; First Universal Press; Tosho Printing Domosha; Meiko Printing; Motoya Typeface Museum; Printing Museum, Printing House

■ Korea Section
Paju Typography Museum - Type Tree

■ Thailand Section
Press A Card; Joo Huck Printing Works

■ Europe Section
Printers Devil, UK; I.M.Imprimit, UK; p98a, Germany; Fliegenkopf, Germany; Mainz Gutenberg Museum, Germany; Plantin-Moretus Museum, Belgium; Former French National Printing Office, France

■ Letterpress Q&A: Essential knowledge before commissioning letterpress printing
■ Letterpress and movable type specimen book
■ List of companies that can perform movable type and letterpress printing
■ Books related to movable type and letterpress printing

▎Column Series ▎

In the column section, Monotype Type Director Akira Kobayashi dissects the hidden secrets of typefaces for us, imparting tips and tricks to solve "optical illusion problems" in typeface design. For "Typefaces Around the World," this time we venture to the mysterious and taboo country of "North Korea," observing how typefaces in the daily lives of North Koreans reflect their national character. Finally, justfont co-founder, who attended the 2019 ATypI International Typography Conference in Tokyo, will share his first-hand observations and insights.

Book Typography / Seiji Maikura
The Hidden Secrets of Text / Akira Kobayashi
Distinguishing Japanese typefaces from their historical origins: Tsukiji Type No. 5 System / Naoyuki Takeshita
Types around the world: Vol. 4 North Korea Edition / Chih-Chieh Ko (But)
Type Event Report 01: ATypI 2019 Tokyo: International Typography Conference / Wei-Hsiang Su
Type Event Report 02: Helping you find the typeface that suits your taste best - "Typeface Flavor Wheel"
Type Event Report 03: "The New Wave of Design - The Road to Weingart's Typography" Special Exhibition

Whether you are a beginner in typeface design or an advanced designer looking to explore typography further, this issue of Type Journal will take you back to the origin of typeface design – movable type – to help you reconsider the essence of typeface design and deepen your understanding and imagination of it.