Quoteth | Final Design

I began by researching designs from the 1920s-1950’s; I focussed on telephone directories, tabacco packaging/advertising and also newspaper prints as I feel that these items summaries Onassis’ life. He wouldn’t have made his first million without working at the telephone company, nor would he have made his name and fame amongst the elites, if it wasn’t for the newspapers exposing his relationships with numerous upper-class, women. The cigarette company that he built, Osman, also helped him to establish himself as a business man before moving onto the shipping industry. The aesthetics of my final works, are a strong reflection of this research. 

A common theme I noticed within early 1900 designs (the era of Onassis himself), was that multiple typefaces and styles were combined to create one typographic piece, as nineteenth century advertising typography features all the display types at a printer’s disposal. 

For the quote, Bell Gothic was used, a typeface that was created by Chauncey H. Griffith in the 1938 for legibility within the phone directories (comissioned by AT&T). This typeface was also utilised within newspaper print. I feel that this type has a lot of references to Onassis, as he too, began working with telephones, and soon found himself featured in newspapers (including the Daily News, NYC). I chose to use a bold weight as this was often used to increase the legibility of the type as it helped to counteract the characters breaking apart when being printed at a high speed with the lino type machine, so I wanted to be true to the intentions of the type. By stylising the font in bold, I feel that it reflects Onassis well, as he must have been a bold and influential man, with a lot of self belief in order to feign wealth in order to socialise with elites.

A popular 19th century vernacular was Clarendon/Ionic types. I decided to use Clarendon Condensed Bold for ‘ONASSIS’ in order to replicate a newspaper headline. By condensing the type, I replicated the print headers from the 1900’s, as well as through the use of uppercase letters; the narrow letterforms are also typical for late 19th century/early 20th century, making the type applicable when representing Onassis, as he would have often been printed in a similar typeface. By using a bold weight, I am also emphasising his name and importance as the artwork, after all, revolves entirely around him.

I chose Baskerville for the masthead, as I was inspired by the Daily News 1968 feature, that exposed Jackie Kennedy and Onassis. I couldn’t find the exact type, but know that I would be looking towards fonts similar to the Didone family, thus I turned towards Baskerville for its fame within newsprint.  The high thick to thin, gradual contrast, juxtaposes the heavy square to square aspect of Bell Gothic; keeping my piece true to that of the early 20th century by combining and juxtaposing multiple typefaces. 

The pt size is dependant on the information hierarchy, while also being suitable depending on the copy. For example ‘didn’t exist’ is in a much smaller pt size than the rest of the quote, as I wanted it to appear more minuscule as though the phrase itself almost didn’t exist. I also inverted ‘no meaning’ and surround the copy with a black rectangle (typical within 1930’s advertising) to balance the piece against the heavy pt for ‘ONASSIS’ and to also surround ‘no meaning’ with darkness, to enhance nothingness. The text is also justified, as this is the conventional way of setting copy for print since c.1450 and is common for 1900’s newsprints.

Update: Screen printed Handkerchief

Quoteth

About Onassis 

Upon researching Aristotle Onassis, I discovered that he was born in Turkey, to his father whom owned a company selling tobacco. Onassis refused to be lower-class, and so with only $250 strapped to his leg, he migrated to Argentina in the 1920's. 

While in Argentina, Onassis worked at a telephone company, listening to business calls between New York and London, using this information as his way to earn his first million. At night, Onassis would listen to these calls and with the acquired information, would invest. Through his success he was then able to purchase expensive suits and invite himself to rich events, where he would socialise with the elite women. Onassis made a name for himself through dating various wealthy, well known women, and after making that first million, expanded his fathers tabacco company by finding a hole within the cigarette industry, and exploiting it. He created two cigarette brands, including Osman, and marketed these products at women. 

Following this success, Onassis purchased a number of ships, (knowledge that he adopted from his ex's father) and soon became known as one of the most famous shipping magnates. He later went on to marry Jackie Kennedy, JF Kennedy's widow. 

Understanding of the quote

"If women didn't exist, then a world without money would have no meaning"

At first, I wasn't sure if this statement was degrading women or praising them. My into all analysis of this quote before research was that Onassis was saying: money is used to shower/spoil women (all women are 'gold diggers'), money is used to protect and provide for women (they are unable to do this for themselves), without money mean do not need to focus on social status (women are only impressed and focused on money).

However, after vigorous research, I have concluded that Onassis dated wealthier women than himself, whom were born into upper-class families, whereas Onassis was born lower-class and cheated his way up, through his admirable business mind and false-emitted ego; essentially making the women a higher status to himself, and not giving Onassis the right to degrade them, but to in fact admire them.

I do think that Onassis admired and appreciated women, as he was a playboy but to women who were willing to play along - today this would be a little unconventional, but it was the 1920's/30's after all. 

Onassis also targeted his tobacco company at women; as he knew that women were the ones who bring the items into the house (whether it was the husbands money or not). Women were the household consumers, and also the  focus of a lot of 1920/30's publicity so he understood the importance that women held within consumerism. 

Thus, I no longer consider the quote to be sexist. I believe that he understood women's role and power within consumerism, publicity and social status and so he used that to his advantage. Without women, Onassis wouldn't have made millions. So without women, the little money he originally had would mean nothing. His fame and wealth, is thanks to the female gender. 

Ideas

My first thoughts for my typographic piece is to focus on type that narrate aspects of Onassis life. 

As Onassis was Greek, I discovered that the currency during his peak would have been the Third Modern Drachma. I briefly explored using a Greek type similar to that embedded on the Drachma, to communicate the wealth behind the quote. I also tried embedding 'no meaning' and making it quite discrete and empty; giving the phrase in fact, no meaning. I also tried to replicate this idea by incorporating a lot of negative space as emphasise the lack of meaning. 

I feel like this idea currently appears to be too weak, as by focussing on money, the piece is quite impersonal to Onassis, which isn't what I am looking for, while it also feels too contemporary.

My first design |  S.Sargeant ©

My first design |  S.Sargeant ©

I then had the idea of focussing on tobacco packaging/branding/marketing, seeing if I could gain inspiration from the typeface, composition and colour scheme.  I researched Onassis's own brand, Osman, as I wanted to be true to his narrative, and not to make the mistake of absorbing inspiration from an entirely juxtaposing tabacco brand. There wasn't much research visually to find about Osman. I had to idea of extracting the text from the package that I could find, and then hand drawing lettering to enhance the vintage feel. However, as some of the letters were missing from the packaging (such as F and X) I would have to improvise the font. I haven't developed on this idea as I discovered a new idea that has slightly more depth, however if this new idea doesn't work, then I will experiment with this one.

My new and most recent idea, is to focus on 1920's telephone directories. As Onassis would not have even had a taste of the life that he created without the telephone company, I feel that this is possibly the most important milestone within his life. I also feel that there is more information and depth within this area, as there are lots of typographers, print designs etc. that emerged during this area (including the typeface used for the numbers on the phone dials, the telephone directories etc.). I also discovered Bell Gothic font. A typeface that was created in the 20's for readability within the phone directories. This typeface was then utilised within newspaper print. I feel that this type has a lot of references to Onassis, as he too, began working with telephones, and soon found himself in all of the newspapers. By stylising the font in bold, I feel that it reflects Onassis well, as he must have been a bold and influential man, with a lot of self believe in order to feign wealth in order to socialise with elites. 

Developing this idea, I am thinking of using Bell Gothic Bold and rendering a typographic newspaper/telephone directory using the quote. I may also use calligraphy to state his name on a decorative fashion, as vintage print works would have at the top.