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Octavo Redux: The much revered International Journal of Typography to be brought back to life

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the publication of eight issues of Octavo, International Journal of Typography, was an important act of graphic authorship. Since then, the legendary journal – which was designed by creative studio 8vo – has acquired mythic status and original copies have long been (almost) impossible to find. Until now, that is.

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Octavo Redux book cover with silver typography on vibrant red background, showing repeated circular design elements

With your support (there's a current Kickstarter campaign), it will soon be possible to see and own all eight issues, and enjoy them in a proposed new book entitled Octavo Redux. Designed and edited by two of Octavo's original makers, Mark Holt and Hamish Muir, it will resuscitate the incredible type unicorn.

Within its 384 pages, Octavo Redux will feature all the covers and spreads from each original printed issue of Octavo, reproduced at actual size (1:1). Providing essential insight into the pre-computer design process – when 'discussions' with typesetters were conducted via bike messengers, red pen, highlight parkers and Tipp-Ex. In the words of Holt and Muir: "Octavo Redux is as close as you can get to the originals without holding them in your hands."

As described over on Kickstarter: "Octavo, International Journal of Typography, was a ground-breaking event in the evolution of graphic design. It was a stinging riposte by a group of British designers to the complacency and traditionalism of the UK graphic design scene. It was a maverick gesture that challenged the prevailing graphic formalism of the '80s and '90s.

"It sought, above everything else, to foreground typography as a solution in itself. It did this at a time when illustration was the dominant mode of graphic expression. And if all eight issues of Octavo prove anything, they prove that typography can be as expressive as image."

Eight spread pages from the original Octavo issues showing diverse typographic layouts and design treatments from the 1980s and 1990s
Spread from Octavo Redux showing translucent pages with typography and layout designs, alongside reference cards displaying type specimens and design details
Open pages of Octavo Redux showing typography layouts and text with dramatic shadow cast across the white paper
Two open pages from Octavo Redux displaying various typographic specimens, reference numbers and labels arranged across cream-coloured paper with "Highway codes" text visible in turquoise
Two pages from Octavo magazine opened flat showing typographic experiments and specimens with various letterpress stamps and proof marks arranged on cream paper
Page spread from Octavo journal showing "Semantic Composition" article with dense text columns and yellow and pink editorial highlighting marks
Pages from Octavo Redux showing typographic layouts and text from the original journal issues
Open pages from Octavo magazine showing typography layouts with "Spring term 2nd General" heading and repeated "DIADAMSEZ" text on the left side
Pages from Octavo magazine showing typography design with "Methodology" text visible on the left page alongside columns of article text and design specimens
Spread from Octavo showing black and white typographic layouts with geometric shapes and text blocks displayed on white paper alongside a blue-covered design publication
Layout spread from Octavo Redux showing large bold typography with numbered sections 86.1, 86.2, 87.4, 87.3 and smaller text columns, demonstrating the journal's distinctive typographic design approach
Grid of eight pages from Octavo Redux showing the journal's cover in red and various interior spreads featuring typography, photographs and experimental layouts with coloured overlays
Octavo Redux book cover with bold grey typography on a vibrant red background featuring the journal's title and faint circular design elements
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