Before pixels and the ‘mouse & click’ there was the drawing board, T-square and set-square.
A special State of Design Festival event, held at Lamington Drive Gallery 28 July – 20 August 2011
David Lancashire presents a retrospective of collected original works by the late Lettering Artist Godfrey (Geoff) Fawcett. Offering a rare insight into the lost craft of hand lettering, this show features a selection of the words, graphics and studio materials of one of the last commercial lettering artists who worked entirely by hand.
“Geoff Fawcett worked with me at my studio for almost 20 years. He had amazing skills for artwork. I remember introducing him as a Finished Artist, to which he said ‘I’m not a Finished Artist, I’m a Lettering Artist’, and so he was — a great one at that.
All his work was carried out by hand and with bromides (photographic print), then stuck down on smooth-finished artboard with cow gum. Brush ruling was used for his hand lettering. He also mesmerised students and new designers in the studio with his method of sharpening a stick, dipping it in ink and ruling with it on tracing — he said it gave a better line than ruling pens.
This exhibition showcases a lot of work that was carried out in collaboration with myself and other pieces that I saved. Before the days of pixels and computers, it shows the skill of this very special lettering artist, whose company was always interesting and full of laughs.”
Here you have it in Black & White...
