Baseline 1, 1979

The first ever Baseline!
Baseline 1, published in 1979
©1979 Published by TSI Typographic Systems International Ltd. and Letraset Ltd

This is the very first issue of Baseline. It launched as a magazine about typeface design, typography and typographic news. The first Baseline was published in 1979 by TSI Typographic Systems International (Letraset International). The intention of the magazine was to inform type-users about the activities of TSI. The magazine featured news and background information on typography and type design. At the time Baseline magazine was produced in three editions: English, French and German. They were distributed worldwide by Letraset companies.

Cover: ‘Romic’, A roman typeface by Colin Brignall

Introduction to Baseline and TSI

Letraset’s range of typefaces has been growing for a long time now. New faces come from a variety of sources – metal type, photosetting, design groups and independant designers – but one of the most important providers of new type designs is the Letraset Type Design Studio.
The typefaces from this studio, primarily produced for use in headlines made from dry transfer, have become increasingly popular with designers and have frequently been requested for inclusion in photosetting ranges.
TSI has been established to ensure that Letraset typefaces are available on as wide a range of typesetting systems as possible. It does this by offering type machinery manufacturers the opportunity to produce these designs under license.
For the equipment manufacturer this means that he can offer these alphabets on founts, discs, matrices or computer software with his machines. For the typesetter it means the inclusion of these popular typefaces on the range he offers to his customer. And, most important of all, new faces will be made available to the user in all the typesetting media, from dry transfer to photocomposed text…
Editorial team

Romic – new typeface family by the Editorial team

Typography from D&AD London, 1979 by the Editorial team

Left: Typography from D&AD London, 1979 by the Editorial team
Right: Three new types: ITC Zapf Chancery, Basilia and Quadriga by the Editorial team

The Liberated Letter Contest

Reflecting the resurgence of interest in typography, Letraset’s recent ‘Liberated Letter’ contest in the USA acted as a focus for the art of stylized headline lettering.
The Competition was open to all designers and artists in the United States. They were asked to use either ‘Liberated Letter’ phrase or design one, which would reflect the current situation of the typographic arts. The only other stipulation was that the end result should use a typeface from either the Instant Lettering or Letragraphica range.
Within this frame work the idea was to design a word setting where the image would creatively enhance the message. The overall aim of the contest was to provide a stimulus, which would encourage the use of Letraset dry transfer so that the designer could fully appreciate its flexibility…
Editorial team

Baseline News by the Editorial team