New Online Archive Showcases Pictorial Typography Before ASCII Art
An individual has launched "Garden of Flowers," a new online archive dedicated to pictorial typography created with metal type, ornaments, and rule, some dating back to the 1600s. The project, eight years in the making, aims to document text art forms that predate ASCII art, expanding on a 2015 BA thesis focused on Amiga ASCII art. Developed in collaboration with Adel Faure, the archive currently features approximately 2,500 images, primarily sourced from public digital collections.
A new online archive titled "Garden of Flowers" has been launched, providing a collection of pictorial typography that predates the era of ASCII art. The creator initiated the project following a 2015 BA thesis on Amiga ASCII art, aiming to explore the historical precursors to modern text art beyond commonly cited typewriter art and visual poetry.
The archive specifically focuses on images constructed entirely from metal type, ornaments, and rule, with some pieces dating back to the 1600s. Over an eight-year period, the individual compiled a personal database that now encompasses approximately 2,500 images.
Adel Faure developed the website, making the collection publicly accessible for browsing. The images primarily originate from public digital collections, including the Internet Archive and various national libraries. The creator notes that these images are displayed without explicit permission for educational purposes, advising users to verify original sources and licenses before any reuse.
The "Garden of Flowers" archive is described as incomplete, and its creator welcomes corrections, leads for uncatalogued works, and feedback on any potential errors or misattributions. The search for these historical works spans multiple languages and keywords, such as type picture, typosignet, typotectur, Bildsatz, stigmatypie, and stunt typography. An accompanying essay detailing the project's origins is also available on the website.
(Source: Hacker News Frontpage)
