All Things Typographic 12/09

From Ilene Strizver, founder of The Type Studio

Holiday greetings! Here's the latest scoop: -- TypeTalk: You ask, we answer -- Typeface as decoration: Thinking outside the alphabetical box -- Typembrya -- Homage to Velvet Touch Lettering -- Upcoming Typography Workshops -- Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH -- The Type Studio now on Twitter

TypeTalk: You ask, we answer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Q. Most design software lets me stretch and squeeze characters, but I'm not sure how far is too far. Are there acceptable parameters for distorting type? Check it out... Q. I'm bored with the look of digital fonts, even the ones that try to look grungy. Do I have other options? Check it out...

Typeface as decoration: Thinking outside the alphabetical box ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Type is usually meant to be read. But not always! With a little imagination, you can use many typefaces to create engaging decorative elements. You can apply your original ornamentation to just about anything, from greeting cards and announcements to posters, book covers and editorial spreads. You can also use decorative type elements effectively on the Web and other dynamic applications. Read on...

Typembrya ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This short film shows a typographic mutation of an ampersand, inspired by current biotechnology methods. Created by Oded Ezer, Typembrya is a personal homage to the Mother & Child logo, designed by the legendary Herb Lubalin in 1967. Take a look...

Homage to Velvet Touch Lettering ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Steve Heller's wonderfully nostalgic homage to the transfer type of the pre-computer (B.C.) era..."It was the wee hours of Monday morning some months back when my computer died while I was designing a brochure that had to be finished later that day. Without a computer what could I do? Dependency is a horrible thing. But rather than self-indulgently wallow in misfortune, I walked over to a flat file where I stored dozens of old press type sheets." Check it out...

Upcoming Typography Workshops ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every creative professional, including the most seasoned designer, can benefit from learning to communicate more effectively with type. This workshop will give you the expert-level typographic skills and aesthetics necessary to visibly improve your type. It will sharpen your eye and reignite your passion for typography. Typography for Print: The Finer Points Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) Boston, MA Friday, January 8 If you'd like to see Gourmet Typography come to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or any other city, let me know! Ilene

Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In today's competitive market, you need all the edge you can get. Whether you are a student or a professional, having strong typographic skills should be at the top of your list. Bring Gourmet Typography Training right to your company, school or organization! Workshops are customized for groups of any size and designed to fit your specific needs. Sessions are scheduled for your convenience - daytime, evenings or weekends. We will design a program customized for your particular requirements. ONSITE TRAINING: $300 off workshops booked through December. SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES: Special pricing, call 203.227.5929 Call with FONcall™ 203.227.5929 Connecting... Connected! Error: could not place call bug? Call with FONcall™ 203.227.5929 Connecting... Connected! Error: could not place call bug? for details. "I found your class to be the missing link in the field of graphic design. I have had type classes before and the content is mostly about the structure of fonts, word usage style and then how to see type as a design element. Very important classes, but not all inclusive. Having been in the field for over 16 years, I was surprised how much I learned and some of the practical information about what to do with fonts. Thanks again!" For more info, click here or call 203.227.5929.

The Type Studio now on Twitter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, I gave in to Twitter pressure. It's no longer your teenager's social networking tool, but a valuable source of education and information for students, educators and professionals of all kinds. Follow me at Twitter for the best of typographic rants, raves, reviews, and releases.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ info@thetypestudio.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~