Meet Margaret Calvert, the unsung hero of British road safety and wayfinding, whose impact on British drivers and ducks alike is nothing short of extraordinary. With a studio filled with road signs, modernist chairs, and her trusty drawing tools, Calvert's creative process is a testament to a bygone era of design. In a world devoid of computers and an abundance of Pantone options, she still draws by hand, using colored pencils, ink pens, and gouaches, a nod to a simpler time when graphic design was just called commercial art.
Calvert's influence extends far beyond the confines of her studio. Her iconic Calvert typeface, designed in 1971, has become a familiar sight across the Tyne and Wear Metro, with its black M on a yellow background becoming a graphic landmark in the north-east. This contemporary version of a slab serif, initially rejected for being 'too English', has since become a symbol of clarity and elegance, even earning praise from the grumpy William Morris.
Calvert's fascination with typefaces and lettering began at a young age. She recalls drawing on the floor with a pencil, creating houses with chimneys and families standing in front. Her love for life drawing and the way a letter's form can be likened to a skeleton fleshed out in different ways has stayed with her throughout her career.
As she approaches her 90th birthday, Calvert's design and teaching career, spanning over 60 years, has solidified her status as a national treasure. Her work on road signs, alongside Jock Kinneir, has made Britain's roads safer and driving more enjoyable. The lucid, legible, and elegant signage system, officially implemented in 1965, has become a house style for Britain, embracing modernity to enhance everyday experiences.
Calvert's contributions to familiar warning pictograms, including the silhouettes of a careering deer and cantering horse, are inspired by Eadweard Muybridge's photography. She even features on the sign for children crossing, as a girl with distinctive bobbed hair leading a small boy across the road. Her work is a testament to her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to create designs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Calvert's impact extends beyond the UK, with her work featured in exhibitions and documentaries. Her book, 'Woman at Work', is a fascinating exploration of her life and career, as well as a history of postwar graphic design in Britain. The cover, a playful alteration of her famous 'men at work' pictogram, showcases her wit and attention to detail.
Calvert's teaching career at the Royal College of Art, where she encouraged critical thinking and exploration beyond graphics, has left a lasting impact on her students. Her ability to identify excess baggage that hinders ideas has made her an influential figure in the design world. Calvert's legacy is evident in the Transport font, now used on the UK government website, a testament to its legibility and enduring appeal.
Despite her unassuming nature, Calvert's work is a testament to human-centered design, making wayfinding and transportation systems more accessible and enjoyable. Her process, as she describes it, is a harmonious blend of head, heart, and hand, focusing on improving things for the better.
