Meet Cal Swann, graphic design and typography officinado at Virtu Design Institute

1. Introduction to Typography 1: Hello
Who’s Who: Cal Swann

2. This (and overleaf): two double page spreads from Typographics 69, the journal of the International Society of Typographic Design 2012
Reflections on those techniques of typography
Cal Swann
3
Cal has been a typographer and design educator in England
and Australia throughout the last five decades, ending up as
Professor of Design at Curtin University in Perth, Western
Australia. Retired from full-time employment, he continues
to design graphics, write, play jazz, and enjoy family life under
a cloudless blue sky.
2

4. Cal Swann, a brief resume
While Professor of Design at Curtin University, Perth,
Western Australia (until 2001), I was responsible for
supervising Doctoral and Masters research students.
Later, much later, as a (very) mature student I gained
an MA in Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University in
1986 and combined the two disciplines in the
publication Language and Typography (1991
In addition, I developed the coursework Master of
Lund Humphries). This was a complement to the earlier
Design program into distance education mode, offered book Techniques of Typography (1969, 1981).
through Open Learning Australia in 1998.
Illustration from 2012 issue of ‘Typographics 69’
previous pages.
This program became the first design course in the
world that could be studied online, so I’ve had an
In 1989 I arrived in Australia as Head of the School of
interest in online stuff for quite a while.
Design in South Australia. I’d held similar positions in
the UK as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Art &
I’m a graphic designer with a special training and
Design at Liverpool Polytechnic.
interest in typography, starting almost a hundred years
ago, during a three year Diploma course in Typography One of the nicest jobs was as Head of Graphic Design
at Leicester College of Art in the UK.
at Saint Martin’s School of Art, London from
1981–86, where I enjoyed daily contact with many of
Europe’s leading designers.

5. A Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia and Fellow
of the Chartered Society of Designers (UK), I was also a
frequent presenter at international conferences on
topics ranging from typography to design research.
Projects I’m working on include books on typography,
design research, Australian outback roadside mail
boxes and a personal history of graphic design. I have
been a designer and educator in England and Australia
throughout the last five decades.
Present position
Consultant graphic designer and design educator.
Previous academic posts
1996-2001 Professor of Design, Curtin University of Technology
1995-96 Professor of Typographic Design, University of South Australia
1989-92 Head of School of Design, University of South Australia
1986-89 Dean and Professor of the Faculty of Art & Design, Liverpool Polytechnic, UK
1981-86 Head of Department of Graphic Design, St Martins School of Art, London
1970-81 Head of Department of Graphic Design, North Staffordshire Polytechnic, UK
1960-70 Full-time lecturing (and senior lecturer) posts at Manchester College of Art,
London College of Printing, Plymouth College of Art.
Book publications
2012 Italic Handwriting: who needs to write anyway?
The Occasional Gig Press
2011 A feel for metal The Occasional Gig Press
2011 Threads: a life part remembered
1991 Language and Typography Lund Humphries, London/Routledge Kegan
Paul, New York
1969 Techniques of Typography Lund Humphries, London/Watson-Guptil, New
York (reprinted 1981)
Academic awards
1996 Appointed Professor of Design, Curtin University of Technology
1995 Awarded Professor of Typographic Design, University of South Australia
1988 Awarded Professor of Typographic Design, Liverpool Polytechnic UK
1986 Awarded Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, Lancaster University UK
1956 National Diploma in Design (Typography) UK
1956 City & Guilds Full Tech Certificate (First Class Hons) Typographic Design, UK
1953 Intermediate Certificate in Art & Design, Leicester College of Art and Design
Professional qualifications
1993-01 Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia
1969-01 Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers UK

6. Contact details
email: cal.swann@westnet.com.au
Web
http://independent.academia.edu/CalSwann

7. Book design
My main interest these days is in writing and designing
books, which have more lasting values than most
commercial graphics. This started with Techniques of
Typography in 1969, followed by Language and Typography
in 1991, both published by Lund Humphries in London.
Threads is an autobiography of my growing up time and
going to art school, published in 2011.

8. Book design
I co-edited a book for a twenty year
history of Jazz Fremantle, which I then
designed to have a slightly scrapbook
feel. 2012.
Clockwise from top: Ben Matthews; Bluesology;
Bronwynn Sprogowski
100
JAZZ
Fremantle
TWENTY YEARS OF
package later in 1991, which turned out
to be particularly memorable for those
who stayed in one of the large upstairs
bedrooms. A rainstorm and years of
accumulated guano on the roof caused
gutters to overflow and rainwater to run
down the walls.
Sue and Norma soon discussed starting a
jazz club in the hotel, to showcase
different bands at monthly Wednesday
night concerts. Together with a group of
enthusiasts, they invited some interested
and well-respected local musicians to join
them in forming a committee. These
included Lew Smith, Barry Bruce, Ross
Nicholson and Bob Anderson. They felt
that the club should promote a wide
variety of styles and promote jazz music
in and around Fremantle.
R
LETTE
NEWS
rs
holde
ntle office
Jazz Frema
er
9384 8350
Libby Hamm Lew Smith
Patron:
3491
827
nt/enquiries:
an 9330
0416 838
Preside
Goodm
Stynes
ry: Tony
Secreta Secretary: Pamela
7803
nt
an 9330 956 067
Assista
0422
Ken Batem
Treasurer:
Arch Currie 599
Membership: Hill 0418 938
Terry
Sound:
antle.com.au
antle.com.au
info@jazzfrem
Email:
azzfrem
6959
e: www.j
tle WA
Websit
1269 Freman
PO Box
on
Pamela
NG
ngs:
Booki
le by TEXTI
Table
gs are availab
Bookin
827
0416 838
PRO
IL 2012
218 APR
GRAM
It was an exciting time, and very much
hands-on, with supporters pitching in to
help form the new club. The inaugural
meeting was held on the 10th of June
and a committee was formed one week
later, on the 17th of June.
Starting a new club was not always easy,
but it was often fun. Discussions to
decide on things like a club name, aims,
with
Concert logo, events, etc (and later, a constitution)
Benefit quintet
Solaris
Hammer
were often held away from the bar area
Libby
weekend
n-Easter
in one of the back rooms of the old hotel,
No sessio
8 Apr
with the
Newton
tet surrounded by grand furniture.
d quar
Victoria
15 Apr Graham Woo
and
Band
ft Big
Swingshi
22 Apr singers
Dave
et plus
k quart
Sue Bluc
29 Apr Brewer
Chelsea
J Gibson
Newton
Many people enthusiastically gave their
time and support, working together with
a common goal for the new club.
Sue and Ron dealt with the practical hotel
details such as providing food for the
proposed musical events. The enterprising
Sue bought many metres of bargain price
fabric and sewed curtains for a stage
backdrop, and put an old piano into use.
Norma encouraged people to help in
various capacities, mainly from the Sweet
and Hot fans who continued to come to
their Sunday sessions.
The first club session was held on the
night of Wednesday 12th August 1992,
and was listed as a ‘getting to know you’
night, with music by June and Lew Smith
and the Apple Band, The Gumnut
Stompers, Bob Anderson’s Jazz Friends,
and others. About 30 musicians gave
their time voluntarily, and played to a
large audience of between 140 and 150
people. It was a great success, and some
of the audience signed up as members.
The next session was a tribute to the
music of Duke Ellington, arranged,
presented and narrated by Lew Smith and
101
11
his Ellingtonians, with George
Franklyn (tpt), Roger Whyte
(pno), Bill Crooks (double bass),
Barry Cox (dr), Lew Smith (reeds
and flute) and June Smith
(vocals). This was followed by a
vibraphone night with Garry Lee
and Alan Lee, Women in Jazz, and
an Eddie Condon tribute night with
the Lazy River Jazz Band, with the
club’s first interstate guests – Clare
Hansson from Brisbane on piano, and
Barbara Foulds, a vocalist from Sydney.
Other features of the club’s early days
were the extra social events and outings.
On one occasion, the committee went to
have dinner at The Sicilian Restaurant,
where there was such a long wait to get a
table that they drank all the wine they
had brought with them while standing in
the queue. It was a funny night. Events
that the club members were involved in
during these early days at the Orient
included a jazz weekend at the
Ravenswood Hotel on the Murray River,
and the first of the club’s many annual
bus trips to the Jacaranda Jazz Festival at
Houghton’s winery.
Sadly, Ron and Sue parted company at
the end of the year, and when it was
realised that the Orient would get sold,
the committee started to look for a new
venue - the first of many moves.
Sue Bluck
Wilkins
Victoria
ISSUE
1 Apr
1994
17 JANUARY 9 1994
Douce Ambiance Richard Price (violin), John
Green (g), Matthew Bateman (b/vocal),
Norm Burroughs (d) with special guest
George Washingmachine (violin)
JANUARY 23 1994
‘Picnic at Rod Coker’s in Banjup’
Grady Lovelle Heptet – led by vocalist Grady
Lovelle, David McGregor (tpt), Chris Grieve
(tbn), Lyle Davidson (t/s), Mark Shanahan(g),
Paul Pooley(b), Michael Pigneguy(d)
SEAVIEW TAVERN South Terrace, South
Fremantle 4pm to 7pm
(On Every Second Sunday of each month)
ntle memb
Sundays
tle meets weekends)
long
Jazz Freman
ing some
Club
(exclud
at the Navy tle
4 – 7pm
Freman
Street,
64 High
club)
(any jazz
Admission
members er
events)
$10.00
special
non memb
apply for
$15.00
prices may
(increased
Membership $30.00 double
single
$20.00
Libby Hamme
r
Graham
Swings
Band
hift Big
Wood
red by
Sponso
MAY 8 1994
Danny Moss Quartet led by Danny Moss
(t/s), Barry Cox (d), Billy Clowes (p),
Murray Wilkins (b)
MAY 15 1994
Vocalist Elizabeth Sanderson with Chris
Grieve (tbn) and rhythm section including
latin percussion specialist Wency De Sousa
MAY 22 1994
Lazy River Jazz Band led by Vince Holmes
(vocals/g), John Healy (vocals/b), Lloyd
Napier (cornet), Jim Cook (reeds),
Bill McAllister (tbn)
MAY 29 1994
Vocalist June Newman & Garry Lee (g/vibes)
plus rhythm section
22
JUNE 5 1994
JazzWest is a 20-piece aggregation of
tutors, graduates and outstanding students
from the Conservatorium – led by
trumpeter Pat Crichton – also featuring
vocalists Sue Kingham and Libby Hammer
JUNE 12 1994
Divided Self Quintet featuring vocalist
Marnie Kent, Adam Robinson (vocals/p),
Shane Mancuso (a/s)
ership
Jazz Frema
Mike Nelson
of this enterprise are numerous. Apart from
the Fremantle arts culture, there are the
sicians who made it possible and in so doing,
lar outlet for professional music, contributing
med high standard of jazz education and
e Perth area.
Gypsy Swing Band; Lew Smith; Barry Cox;
The Anning Family: Toby, Sam, Kim
Murray
zz Fremantle from 1992 to 2012 in notes and
ears on is an appropriate moment to celebrate
of a relatively small bunch of jazz enthusiasts
nture, and whose volunteer efforts maintained
jazz in Fremantle.
Jeremy Greig; Victoria Newton; Glynn MacDonald;
Right: Sue Davis and Norma Penning, at the Orient
Hotel, 1992
Far right: Sweet and Hot at the Orient 1992
Right centre: Cheryl Feeney and Maxine Byass
Bottom right: The Orient Hotel
10
TWENTY YEARS OF JAZZ FREMANTLE
pilation of articles, memories, photographs
ttings, contributed by many club enthusiasts.
lete list of all the bands and musicians who
usic in the twenty years of Jazz Fremantle.
Clockwise from top: Laura Bernay; Hank Marvin
Previous page: Leon Cole, Don Bancroft
A History of Jazz Fremantle 1992–2012
lishing Group
JUNE 19 1994
Jazz Jokers present ‘When Swing Was King
– a tribute to Benny Goodman and Lionel
Hampton’ – Lew Smith (reeds/vocals), Garry
Lee (vibes/g/vocals), Paul Binns (string bass/
electric bass), Norm Burroughs (d)
JUNE 26 1994
Perth Jazz Orchestra is an 18-piece band led
by Gary France
23
JULY 3 1994
Leon Cole’s ‘Sweet & Hot’ led by Leon
(cornet/vocals), Dennis Bryson (reeds),
Don Bancroft (bass), Bob O’Bray (vibes),
John Green (g), Norm Burroughs (d) and
vocalist Jan Geoffrey
JULY 10 1994
Grady Lovelle Heptet led by vocalist Grady
Lovelle, David McGregor (tpt), Chris Grieve
(tbn), Lyle Davidson (t/s), Mark Shanahan
(g), Paul Pooley (b), Michael Pigneguy (d)
120
Top: WA Jazz Guitar Society members: Ray Walker,
Dale Boaden, Cliff Linton, Ian McGregor, Hank
Marvin, Gary Taylor. Centre: June and Lew Smith
Bottom: Lazy River Jazz Band with Barry Bruce,
John Healy and Vince Holmes
121
18
FEBRUARY 6 1994
Sweet & Hot Featuring vocalists Denise Dale
and June Smith
FEBRUARY 20 1994
‘The Lady and The President A Tribute to
Billie Holiday & Lester Young’ featuring
vocalist June Smith and Lew Smith (reeds)
plus rhythm section
19
MARCH 6 1994
Vocalist Annie Neil and the Alan Pithers Trio
MARCH 20, 1994
20
APRIL 3 1994 (Easter Sunday)
Helen Matthews Quartet led by vocalist
Helen Matthews featuring Graham Wood
(p), Murray Wilkins (b), Gary France (d),
Simon Styles (reeds)
APRIL 17 1994
Grady Lovelle Heptet led by vocalist Grady
Lovelle, David McGregor (tpt), Chris Grieve
(tbn), Lyle Davidson (t/s), Mark Shanahan
(g), Paul Pooley (b), Michael Pigneguy (d)
APRIL 24 1994
Leon Cole’s ‘Sweet & Hot’
(Now on Every Sunday 4pm to 7pm)
21
MAY 1 1994
Vocalist Denise Dale with the Ron Kegie
Connection
Goldmine Male Vocal Quartet comprised of
Wayne Senior, Ray Walker,
Joe Tattersall, Paul Reynolds, all vocals
40
41
Top: Birdland with Mike Nelson and Jim Cook;
Above: Graham Wood, Helen Matthews;
Glen Walsh, Ray Walker
Right: Ben Vanderwal
Below: Matt Jodrell and June Smith

9. Poster design

10. Journal and book design
Design Education
1996
Proceedings
DIA National Conference on
Digital Issue 2002

11. Coordinated graphics

12. Designs for the Design Institute of Australia

13. Miscellaneous journal covers

14. Miscellaneous journal covers