System Process Form: Type as Algorithm

The ultimate typographic experiment. 7,762,392 typefaces from one of the world’s foremost typography studios.

The ultimate typographic experiment from one of the world's foremost typography studios, MuirMcNeil's Two Type System presents a systematic approach to form-giving that liberates the design process from the narrow confines of individual self-expression.

The methodologies demonstrated in this book transcend the short-term limitations of single solutions to single problems, revealing the ways in which system, process, and form constitute the bedrock of a successful design practice.

Using a combination of algorithm, chance, and deliberation, a core database of 23 type systems and 198 individual fonts is interpolated to generate millions of hybrid forms in which every dot, line, space, and letter is designed to correspond and collaborate in close harmony. The showcased examples, selected for their distinctively abstract and striking qualities, are printed in three vibrant neon inks and metallic black. The result, far more than a mere catalog of typefaces, demonstrates the power of excavating design problems at their deepest roots, allowing abundant and diverse outcomes to proliferate spontaneously.

Illustrated in color throughout

Paul McNeil is a graphic designer, educator, and author. He has extensive experience in design teaching and was course leader of the master’s program of contemporary typographic media at the London College of Communication. Seven years in the making, The Visual History of Type, McNeil’s definitive survey of type design and typography from 1450 to 2015, was published in 2017.

Hamish Muir was cofounder of the London-based graphic design studio 8vo and coeditor of Octavo. He was a senior lecturer in graphic design at the London College of Communication and has regularly delivered lectures, workshops, and short courses to national and international audiences.