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Ed Benguiat has passed away, just shy of his 93rd birthday. In memory of his generosity to me and so many other younger designers, and in honor of his extraordinary talent, let me show you a neat trick he shared with me when I was 18. →
Somehow I’d wheedled my way into doing a talk at a design event. I was making a big fuss about the challenge of turning romans into italics, which I was still discussing with someone afterwards, when this guy walks over. →
He doesn’t interrupt, but he does take out of my hands the limited edition keepsake calendar that someone has given me, and he uncaps a Sharpie, and he starts to draw on it. Bit of a conversation stopper! →
He patiently draws an elaborate diagram — and I mean, it’s flawless, it’s like he’s tracing something that’s already there — and then he explains. “So you can’t just slant a roman to make an italic, that’s right, but that’s only half the story. →
“You can start by slanting it horizontally, and then you slant it vertically. Doesn’t always get you all the way there, but it’s a good start.” I kind of just stared. “Sometimes you can rotate it.” More staring. “I’m Ed Benguiat. Good talk.” →
That was 32 years ago, and I still do this, and I still think of Ed *every* time I draw an italic. And I’ve never stopped thinking about kind he was to share this real secret of the guild with some kid. That was Ed. →
So here’s to the memory of the talented, perspicacious, no-bullshit, and above all generous Mr. Ed Benguiat. Spend some time with his work, and you’ll learn a lot — I certainly did. Ed, we’re gonna miss you. —JH