Stroke weight
March 7, 2011 5:47 PM Subscribe
We love typography. Don't try to deny it. We love it deconstructed. We love asking questions about it, and hearing people talk about it. We’ll even play games about it.
I've had the iPhone font game for a while – great way to practice yet another skill that will never, ever pay off.
posted by Rickalicioso at 5:53 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by Rickalicioso at 5:53 PM on March 7, 2011
One of my most exciting moments in publishing was a long time ago when my boss, who had a lot more experience than I did at the time, said "You're a typographer" and asked my opinion on something. I'm not sure it was really true, especially at that point, but it was a memorable moment. Nerd out. [flashes Helvetica gang sign]
posted by theredpen at 6:03 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by theredpen at 6:03 PM on March 7, 2011
*Plays with hands trying to figure out what the Helvetica gang sign is...*
posted by TochterAusElysium at 6:05 PM on March 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by TochterAusElysium at 6:05 PM on March 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
I made a dorky little H with two fingers on one hand and one on the other. I'm sure my cats were super impressed. I should probably walk away from the computer for the evening . . .
posted by theredpen at 6:11 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by theredpen at 6:11 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you love typography, you may be interested in the new release from Ligature, Loop & Stem:
Lesson Plan Second Flight.
posted by SNACKeR at 6:18 PM on March 7, 2011
Lesson Plan Second Flight.
posted by SNACKeR at 6:18 PM on March 7, 2011
Flashes Papyrus gang sign.
It looks a lot like the I in Papyrus.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 6:32 PM on March 7, 2011
It looks a lot like the I in Papyrus.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 6:32 PM on March 7, 2011
I've had the iPhone font game for a while – great way to practice yet another skill that will never, ever pay off.
I got my first (and last) design internship in party by saying "I can identify every font used in your promotion materials and where you've used modifications. The logo text is a custom job."
posted by The Whelk at 6:40 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I got my first (and last) design internship in party by saying "I can identify every font used in your promotion materials and where you've used modifications. The logo text is a custom job."
posted by The Whelk at 6:40 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Today I learned the font used on Jeopardy, is the same as the Capcom logo - ITC Korinna.
posted by inedible at 6:55 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by inedible at 6:55 PM on March 7, 2011
Flashes Papyrus gang sign.
If this were The Warriors, Papyrus Gang would be The Orphans.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:06 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
If this were The Warriors, Papyrus Gang would be The Orphans.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:06 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm with the Bookman gang. (hell, I think I'm the entire Bookman gang; most of the originals joined the Clarendons when they thought we were going Microsoft. Word.) Our gang sign isn't easy, you have to do a little 'swash' thing with fingers on both hands.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:37 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:37 PM on March 7, 2011
When I try to do the Helvetica gang sign, it looks suspiciously like Arial.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:07 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:07 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Font Game costs money now? Goddamn app store.
posted by girih knot at 10:11 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by girih knot at 10:11 PM on March 7, 2011
Since we're all here I'll go ahead and share some of the type-related things I love.
First, there's this, of which I have the letterpress version framed and hanging in our living room. It's a nice conversation piece. He also has one of the Roman Coliseum that is really quite lovely and I'm still trying to convince the Mrs. that we need it...
Then there's Comicraft, whose display fonts I stare at constantly, trying to come up with legitimate reasons why I need to buy them (I'm not a designer by trade), like so I can make kickass birthday cards for my loved ones.
I check Myfonts.com's specials page every day or so, and have purchased a few pretty interesting fonts of the years at bargain prices.
Next we have Mark Simonson, whose Filmotype series is just spiffy.
Then there's PampaType, whose Borges typeface is my absolute favorite book design family. That is, if I were, er, designing a book of, say, Awesome Stuff and Cool Things, I would totally use Borges.
I bought this $10 ampersand pack a while ago and it's wonderfully quirky and useful.
For Helvetica lovers, there's Helveticons (a little rich for my blood, and I prefer FF Bau to Helvetica anyway).
They may be super popular and kind of overused, but Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones really do have some great stuff. I've been lusting after Gotham Rounded and their Shades Package for some time.
And personally I'm a huge fan of Futura Bold (used heavily in Field Notes notebooks) but I think Armitage would be a wonderful alternative and I'd love to see it used more often (yes I'm aware they're not in the same genre of typeface).
If you're baffled by all this, Typography for Lawyers is a wonderful place to begin, even if you aren't a lawyer.
posted by jnrussell at 12:15 AM on March 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
First, there's this, of which I have the letterpress version framed and hanging in our living room. It's a nice conversation piece. He also has one of the Roman Coliseum that is really quite lovely and I'm still trying to convince the Mrs. that we need it...
Then there's Comicraft, whose display fonts I stare at constantly, trying to come up with legitimate reasons why I need to buy them (I'm not a designer by trade), like so I can make kickass birthday cards for my loved ones.
I check Myfonts.com's specials page every day or so, and have purchased a few pretty interesting fonts of the years at bargain prices.
Next we have Mark Simonson, whose Filmotype series is just spiffy.
Then there's PampaType, whose Borges typeface is my absolute favorite book design family. That is, if I were, er, designing a book of, say, Awesome Stuff and Cool Things, I would totally use Borges.
I bought this $10 ampersand pack a while ago and it's wonderfully quirky and useful.
For Helvetica lovers, there's Helveticons (a little rich for my blood, and I prefer FF Bau to Helvetica anyway).
They may be super popular and kind of overused, but Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones really do have some great stuff. I've been lusting after Gotham Rounded and their Shades Package for some time.
And personally I'm a huge fan of Futura Bold (used heavily in Field Notes notebooks) but I think Armitage would be a wonderful alternative and I'd love to see it used more often (yes I'm aware they're not in the same genre of typeface).
If you're baffled by all this, Typography for Lawyers is a wonderful place to begin, even if you aren't a lawyer.
posted by jnrussell at 12:15 AM on March 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
When I try to do the Helvetica gang sign, it looks suspiciously like Arial.
Just make sure all your cut offs are horizontal.
posted by Mcable at 6:15 AM on March 8, 2011
Just make sure all your cut offs are horizontal.
posted by Mcable at 6:15 AM on March 8, 2011
If you love typography, you may be interested in the new release from Ligature, Loop & Stem: Lesson Plan Second Flight.
Thanks. I've been needing something to put up on my walls, and this is as good a start as any.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:17 AM on March 8, 2011
Thanks. I've been needing something to put up on my walls, and this is as good a start as any.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:17 AM on March 8, 2011
We even love it animated.
Good typefaces are like good wines: they are best consumed sparingly.
posted by willhopkins at 10:15 AM on March 8, 2011
Good typefaces are like good wines: they are best consumed sparingly.
posted by willhopkins at 10:15 AM on March 8, 2011
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posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:50 PM on March 7, 2011