Derek Birdsall
Recent articles about Derek Birdsall
In memoriam: Martin Lee (1941-2025)
Issue 108, Spring 2025
Richard Smith pays tribute to a print production maestro who understood graphic designers as well as he understood printers and printing
Powered flight
Issue 88, Summer 2014
For fifteen years, Pegasus, an international biannual corporate magazine designed by Derek Birdsall, led a charmed life.
Devil in the detail
Issue 83, Summer 2012
Careful, even-tempered typographer by day – wild art director by night? For John Morgan, both the typographic detailing and the grand gestures are essential to each project’s unique ‘atmosphere’. By John L. Walters.
Typographic footnotes for the future
Issue 45, Autumn 2002
This heavy little compendium is a mixed bag. It’s accurately self-described on the cover as…
Understanding silly books
Issue 54, Winter 2004
Turning Python’s TV humour into cold print required some very serious graphic design
Pre-postmodernity
Issue 50, Winter 2003
Does a small book from nearly 30 years ago encapsulate a ‘golden age’?
Naked words
Issue 82, Winter 2011
Type-only book covers – whether deliberately austere, functional … or shouting loud from the shelves – have always had a place in publication design.
‘Type-only Penguins sell a million’ shock
Issue 54, Winter 2004
Penguin uses design to revitalise its back catalogue with Great Ideas and a revived Reference Library
White space black hat
Issue 9, Summer 1993
Derek Birdsall harbours a secret. It has given him 30 years at the top. If it works, he says, use it again
Recent blog posts about Derek Birdsall
Noted #71
3 November 2015
Graphic design, Posters, Type Tuesday, Typography
TPTQ Arabic; Frank; FS Brabo by Fontsmith; Typomad 2015; New Perspectives in Typography; The Eric Gill Series
Typotheque’s Peter Biľak has announced the launch of TPTQ Arabic, a new type foundry dedicated…