Though many trends in typography continued from the 60s into the 70s, this new decade was a period of freedom. Type became more decorative and extravagant, inspired by the groovy music and fashion of its time. With the Letraset becoming a household name, type became more irregular and expressive (Gable, 2010). Keep reading to learn about some of the most popular typography trends during the decade, which have since resurfaced with the popularity of the retro aesthetic seen in various popular culture such as the show Stranger Things.
Photo: TypeRoom
1. Expressiveness
One of the most prominent aspects of typography in the 1970s was expressiveness. Designers often cared more about their type looking expressive and creative rather than it being legible. Elements such as stark contrast in line strokes within letters, elaborate embellishments and bright colours all contributed to creating type that was interesting to look at but not always easy to read. Nowadays, not only do we have more information in order to know how to ensure text is legible, but there are also more considerations in terms of making design accessible.
Photo: Glenmont Consulting
2. Bright Colours
Possibly attributed to the LGBTQ+ social movements and introduction of the rainbow pride flag in 1978, bright colours were very popular in 1970s typography (Keung, 2020). With such fun and experimental typefaces emerging, it only made sense to pair them with colours that were just as fun. These colours heavily contrasted the bleak state of the United States of America at the time, and perhaps all of these funky fonts and fun designs were a way to cope with the trauma of this decade.
Movie poster for the film "Pozor, želva!" released in 1970.
3. Bubble Letters
As showcased in the "Pozor, želva!" poster, bubble letters were extremely popular in the 1970s (Keung, 2020). With the Letraset being used to create freeform type, irregular shapes were more common and type was often more rounded compared to the common serif type in the 1960s. This acted as a form of expressiveness and a way to portray freedom throughout design.
Photo: Mark van Leeuwen
4. Swashes
Swashes are flourishes on letters which usually exaggerate the serifs on certain letters. Since swashes make a typeface look more like it is handwritten, they are often common on script and calligraphy typefaces, however they were mainly used on serif typefaces in the 1970s. This is a good way to make groovy typefaces with a lot of personality, which were prominent in this decade.
Photo: Amy Hood
5. Drop Shadow Galore
Something very common in 1970's typography was thick drop shadows or strokes. Drop shadows were often so thick that they created a background behind the text, such as this design by Amy Hood. Using a thick drop shadow or stroke is a great way to add more dimension to text and give even more character to exaggerated typefaces that were being used at the time. This is a characteristic that is still used in 2020, especially when creating retro-inspired designs (Fleck, 2020).
Photo: Pinterest
6. Bottom-Heavy Type
A prominent trend for typography in the 70s was typefaces that held most of their weight towards the baseline. This was showcased in the 1968 comic "Keep On Truckin'" by Robert Crumb which has been reproduced many times over the years. The type in the comic later inspired the typeface "Keep on Truckin' FW" created by Brain Eaters Font Co. which is a popular retro typeface to this day (Fonts In Use, n.d.).