AL

LIE

FIEL

DS

Written, Photographed, and Designed by

ALLIE FIELDS

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution came the prevalent use of brick to

construct our cities. Brick was in no way a new building material, but it began to

transform landscapes across the nation. Along the way it provided a new medium

for signage and lettering that today is so commonplace it often is taken for granted.

The typography found on brick tells a story: a story of bygone eras, and how

industrial cities have transformed and are used today. Embrace the history, texture,

and possibilities of brick in Kansas City through Public Typography and Brick.

THE

TYPOGRAPHY

ON

BRICK

TELLS

A

STORY.

Table of Contents

OF A BYGONE ERA

A FRESH COAT OF PAINT

BRICK AS CONTEXT

IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY,

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“French Bottoms,” this area was the center of trade between Kansas Indians

and French trappers. After the stockyards were established in 1871 and railroads

reached their heyday the city emerged. Soon the area began to focus on the

agricultural, meatpacking, freight and industrial investments of the time. Through

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through the building of Kemper Arena and the American Royal agricultural show,

and some upscale and artistic tenants have begun to reestablish the area. A history

still lays claim on the brick buildings of the West Bottoms.

07

Across the nation many have begun to take notice of ghost signs, some almost

completely lost while others appear only worn by the weather. Glimpses of the

past glorify the booming industries which once dominated the area. In Lettering

on Buildings, Nicolete Gray asserts that “one thing is indisputable: sans serif is the

most rudimentary form of letter.” When examining the ghost signs in the West

Bottoms and throughout downtown Kansas City, it becomes clear that legible

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today the texture of the surface has begun to overwhelm the letterforms, the use

of thick sans serif and heavy slab serif fonts was purposefully chosen.

OLD

ADVERTISING

SIGNS

ARE

SOMETIMES

CALLED

WALL

DOGS.

Ghost Type

09

Many of the buildings bear the names of the companies that once resided behind

the brick walls, and dually served as advertisements. Old advertising signs are

sometimes called wall dogs. Ghost signs bear only the remnants of the former

colors used, and many appear to be faded white. Some even appear to have been

covered by three-dimensional letter forms that today reveal a brighter red brick.

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13

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over each other over time. This provides a unique record for that building as you

can see the different industries and businesses housed there, as well as the changing

styles of typefaces used. If these remnants are not preserved they will eventually

disappear forever, and some examples are lost when buildings go into disrepair or

are torn down. However, left unattended this typography offers a glimpse of the

past, and while sometimes illegible, beautiful all the same.

15

Ghost signs occur because of the harsh weather conditions they have

faced over time. The level to which these signs are legible allows one

to estimate several facts about the particular sign, such as its age and

how well it has been restored and repainted over time. Some signs

merely appear weathered, and are much newer than other ghost

signs found within downtown Kansas City and the West Bottoms.

Weathered Typography

17

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Many of these signs are still legible and are examples of the old

practice of painting on brick being used after the original industries

that dominated the area had faltered. In the end one must always

remember that this fading type once had a function: to convey an

impression, as well as to spell out words; also it is part of a whole, and

must be related to the function and design of that whole.

21

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LETTERFORMS

ARE

MAN-MADE

AND

MALLEABLE

BY

THE

USER.

23

All letterforms express different qualities,

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possible forms of expression. As a

surface, brick gives texture to art and

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This quality can enhance the piece both

visually, and offers a comparison to the

original signs on brick.

GRAY CONVEYS THAT MODERN LETTERING IS MADE IN A

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is true, the simple act of painting on brick has not changed in terms of materials,

but in techniques. Brick as a medium has never disappeared, and the texture of

this surface will not change. Businesses are no longer constrained to any particular

format for the design that they paint. Past ideas sometimes come into play, but many

today appreciate painting with a hand-done feel to it. To notice the differences,

from stark stencils to loose script is to become aware of the many typefaces and

styles of writing which saturate the brick buildings of our cities today. 27

Today, these signs feature a wide variety of compositions and typefaces

that would have seemed out of place in a past era. Painted typography on

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than to boxes or bars near the tops of tall buildings. The newness of these

signs presents a crisp presentation of paint on brick.

Painted on B!ick

31

MODERN

TYPOGRAPHY

AND

BRICK

COINCIDE

PURPOSEFULLY.

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33

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Cursive writing is a suitable development of this technique, and can be found

in multiple instances as well. It is important that the type interact with the

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best when accompanied by a sans-serif font.

No Caution in Cursive

39

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43

Throughout Kansas City, or any city for

that matter, brick is not only used for the

practical purposes of advertising and

signage. Brick walls provide the perfect

medium for artists and vandals alike to

paint or attach their artwork. Lettering

itself can be an art where the formal

ciphers are capable of being charged

with imaginative content on a grand

scale (11). Typography itself can becomes

art when placed upon brick without the

context of advertising or signage as used

within other sections of this analysis.

WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PAINTED LETTERFORM,

it is natural that other forms of signage would develop along as well. Two-

dimensional and three-dimensional signs have been placed upon brick buildings,

and several patterns arise from taking note of these particular signs. When

considering letterform, placement, situation, scale and material these signs can

be divided into several categories. Brick becomes secondary in this instance, yet

still is an element to be noticed. The surface creates context, and the color of

the brick can play a role in the signs which are attached to it. Size and type of

sign tell the viewer about the business. These letterforms range from simple to

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First, there are the two-dimensional signs. Some have painted letterforms,

which are attached to brick buildings in various fashions. These often show the

most unique typography in that the brick does not restrict the shapes or size of

the sign. There are many different colors of brick, and these signs most often

complement the type of brick used in the building.

Two-Dimensional Signs

51

LETTERING

OF

COMMERCIAL

PURPOSES

WILL

OFTEN

RESPOND

TO THE

FUNCTION

OF A

BUILDING.

53

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55

Three-dimensional signs are also found attached to brick buildings.

These often utilize lights or neon typography which work to distract from

the ordinary building material of brick and highlight what is often an

entertainment venue or restaurant.

Three-Dimensional Signs

BRICK

BECOMES

CONTEXT

FOR

THREE-DIMENSIONAL

SIGNS.

Three-dimensional signs offer in some ways the most creative freedom for the

typographer. These signs can light up at night, or they can take advantage of

negative space when shapes are cut out. Smaller text is often used in this type of

signage since it is not as essential they be viewed from great distances. Color also

seems to vary greatly within these circumstances.

61

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63

THESE

SIGNS

ARE

OFTEN

FOUND

ABOVE

DOORWAYS.

Brick is an unmistakable surface for typography within our cities, Kansas City

being no exception. Whether it be painted, old, new, or even three-dimensional

one can’t walk down the street without passing by one of these signs. Often taken

for granted, it is important to see the history brick provides for typography created

long ago, and the opportunities it offers to serve as context for new signs today.

This surface unites typography in a way few surfaces can through its unmistakable

texture and its great abundance. Brick will never be a new surface for typography,

yet it offers possibilities to remember our history, and embrace the future.

BRICK

WILL

NEVER

BE A

NEW

SURFACE

FOR

TYPOGRAPHY.

Designer as Author, Patrick Dooley, Fall 2012, The University of Kansas.

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SOURCES

;QOV["�4M\\MZQVO�\PM�-V^QZWVUMV\ by Phil Baines & Catherine Dixon

<PM�=V�+]T\]ZML�?WZL"�>MZVIK]TIZ�<aXWOZIXPa�IVL�1UIOM by Paul Tosh

Lettering on Buildings by Nicolete Gray, Reinhold Publishing CorporationNew York 1911

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