Styles, Weights, Widths; It’s All in The (Type) Family

This is about understanding the style of typeface. If you just start learning typeface, this is right for you.

Styles

The concept of coordinated type families consisting of different related typefaces or styles is a fairly recent phenomenon. The two most common styles are roman (upright) and italic (a different, slanted design). The basic shape of italics is a stylised form of handwriting. It took form in the Renaissance when Aldus Manutius looked for a space saving alternative to roman faces. Without going too much into details, originally italics were designs in their own right, unrelated to roman designs and used independently. Only by the sixteenth century did the italic assume its current role as emphasis, a variation on the roman design. Read more.....

The Book Cover Archive

Inspiration and great resource for book cover design. More at http://www.bookcoverarchive.com/

A Good Resource of Graphic, Typo Poster

we intend to become a good resource of graphic and typographic posters to serve all your research needs – either historical or inspirational.

or ideal is simple: feed and consume quality.

although posters may contain illustrative and photographical content, we catalog only those with notable graphical or typographical quality.
just because we love the pure form of graphic design – shapes, types and colors. More work http://www.typographicposters.com/

Interesting graphic sites

http://www.bitique.co.uk/ contain many graphic sites. They separate by categories.

Spaghetti is a Middle Eastern magazine featuring the best in contemporary graphic design, illustration, photo design, the new media, cor­porate design, advertising and typography.

Daniel Cassaro is a Long Island native and Graduate of The School of Visual Arts. He lives, works and trips the light fantastic in Brooklyn, NY. He is available for freelance work or to talk about early Wings albums. Take look his works more at http://youngjerks.com/main/

Vector Illustator Fonts

Interesting illustrator fonts. You can download it. http://www.justmytype.org/

Grid System

See the great resources about grid system. Here is a link The Grid System

PSA Posters Examples

Look particularly at the file labeled "punched out holes."
it has text around it that explains what the designers were trying to accomplish.
Take look more examples at http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/

Gen said
"I agree that, at least in the punched out holes example, experimental design uses visual links rather than " conceptual" ideas, but...we still have a lot of discussing to do (in class) about what concept in graphic design. re advertising, it's relatively easy. but, re graphic design, it’s still a conversation underway. do your best to relate your design to a visual idea from your topic, or better, an abstract concept that conveys the message using intellect, emotion, or humor.
don't preach, don't caution. encourage the viewer to see your point in a positive way."

New Assignment - PSA Posters

Your new assignment description
1. Design four (a series) PSA posters that I might see together or separately, wheat pasted on the street, or in the subway, etc.
2. choose your topic. Do not choose something i already know-- ie, no anti smoking, HIV/aids, starving children in Africa, no child left behind, stop world hunger, save the whales, dolphins, polar bears, etc.
3. Choose a topic that is interesting to you, that you'd like to share, and that is related to NYC, (may include any or all of the five boroughs).
4. use only typography and graphic elements. No illustration or photography.

FAVORITE TYPEFACES from Typo Blog (Gen's Class)

Original posted by TypoBlogger

The Fall 2008 Favorite Typefaces List: bureau agency fb, the thin ones; akkurat, the thin ones; akkurat mono; batarde; bello; bodoni BE; bodoni twenty six; bookman jf swash; cholla slab; cochin black italic (small); numbers; ehmcke; faux cra; filosophia; frys baskerville; garaje; garamond three/3; GEronto; gothic 720; gravur cond thin; ironmonger; caslon 224; veljovic; kettler; knockout; justice; mono; letter gothic; linoscript; meta mono; vectrex; normetica; perpetua; plantin; radio; simple; spira; sputnik; stymie; vineyard; cg poster bodoni

SERIFS: Modern no 20, Firmin Didot, ClarendonBT, Belizio, Caecilia, Caslon, Cloister Open Face, Cooper Black (looks 70's), Mrs Eaves, Miller Display, Garamond (italian, american), Geometric Slab 703BT, Giza, Carousel, ITC Caslon 224, Archer, Aachen, Big Caslon, Caslon, El Dorado Text and Display, Farnham, Poster Bodoni, ITC Grouch, Century Expanded, Bell MT, and Ziggurat.

SANS SERIFS: Locator, DIN, Foundry Gridnik, Knockout, Titling Gothic, Futura, Gotham, BTakzidenz Grotesk, Franklin Gothic, Helvetica Neue, Neutra Face, Univers, Bureau Grotesk, Type1451, Avant Garde, Bryant, Calvert, Helvetica, Interstate, Sauna, and Smokler.

OTHER TYPE THAT IS GOOD/FUN/INTERESTING: Fling, Fig, Engravers, FindReplace, Restraint (very ornamental type by Marian Bantjes), English Script, Bickham Script Pro, Woodtype (for that turn of the century look of posters), Poplar, Woodtype ornaments, FF Dingbats, Hot Metal Borders, Champion (heavy poster look, used by Paula Sher a lot), Communication (dingbat icons), Missionary, Cottonwood, Edwardian Script, Regaliz, and Vineta.

Top font of 2008

Original posted by Type Talk
The top font from Veer, MyFont, I love Typography and Font Shop. Please feel free to take a look and love to see more click on each picture will go to direct link.

Veer


My Font

I love Typographic


Font Shop

David Berlow specimen sample

This is another example of type specimen, but don't do the same direction as example. Try to do on your own direction. The example just give you an idea of function and what stand for. So think about concept first like do you this project for what?, what is the purpose of this project for yourself? and so on. However, don't come up with the answer cause of class project. Good luck.

Here is the link to the David Berlow specimen pdf.

Type specimen Q&A

Original posted by Ayca. Thank you

So let me explain the reasons for this assignment first:

• You will have a decent type example you would take reference from in future projects.
• You will get comfortable using some particular typefaces.
• (If you design it well) you might have a portfolio piece.

Q+A:
Q: Can we use lorem ipsum for the text face examples?
A: No, do not use Lorem Ipsum for your text. Instead, please find some text on the Internet or use your own, since Lorem Ipsum never looks like real text. Try to pick a text that's related to your magazine's subject matter.

Q: Can we use the same font for text as display? For example, if I choose Miller as my Sans Serif Display type, can I also use it for my Sans Serif Text type?
A: Yes, you may use the same typeface as "display" and "text". It would be good to see the same typeface in different styles. At the same time, you may find out that certain display typefaces go along well with different text typefaces. It's to your advantage to do this exercise with as many fonts as possible.
Ideally it would be best to set each typeface all both as "display" and "text", just like David Berlow did to see the relations between the different styles and point sizes of each typeface (see the image below where he experimented with the typeface FB Scotch).

Q: The decorative texts don't always have many options. How are we supposed to make an entire page of examples of the decorative one? Just use different weights or what?
A: Use decorative faces in different styles as display and that should be enough.

First assignment_type specimen

Hello Spring 09_course requirement

here' re interesting links to take a look

http://grainedit.com/ 50s to 70s design and contemporary design influenced by that era.

http://www.duffy.com/ minneapolis firm they do mostly packaging
http://swissmiss.typepad.com/weblog/ she posts really nice works.

http://www.baron-baron.com/flash.html Fabien Baron - new york based agency - identity, product, packaging, book, magazine, tv ad.( everything)

Michael Bierut talks about Why the Obama "Brand" Is Working

Let's be honest. Barack Obama is not on the verge of clinching the Democratic nomination because of his policy positions--whatever his most evangelical supporters might tell you. If policy was all that mattered this year, Hillary Clinton would've won five or six of the last 11 contests instead of losing them all. When it comes to specifics, there's simply not that much space between the candidates.

Obama's success owes a lot, of course, to his message--the promise to pass Democratic policies by rallying a "coalition for change." But watching Obamamania over the past few weeks, I've become convinced that there's something more subtle at work, too. It's not just the message and the man and the speeches that are swaying Democratic voters--though they are. It's the way the campaign has folded the man and the message and the speeches into a systemic branding effort. Reinforced with a coherent, comprehensive program of fonts, logos, slogans and web design, Obama is the first presidential candidate to be marketed like a high-end consumer brand.* And for folks who don't necessarily need Democratic social programs--upscale voters, young people--I suspect that the novel comfort of that brand affiliation contributes (however subconsciously) to his appeal.

Seeking expert opinion, I tested my hypothesis on leading graphic designer and critic Michael Bierut, who was kind enough to dissect Obama's unprecedented branding campaign--and show me how it's helping his candidacy. Excerpts:
Continue reading......
See more about Obama branding

Nice Malibu

From The Dieline. Please check out more....

With the growing popularity of street art, people are constantly transforming everyday objects into pieces of art. Curated by La MJC, liquor company Malibu is coming out with the Pop & Street Art Series, featuring unique bottle designs by Delta, So-Me, and James Jarvis. There will only be 100 individually numbered bottles for each design and sold exclusively at colette.

Before you ask for an infographic

Original post by Forum4editors

Chiqui Esteban, infographic journalist at Spain’s Publico, offers his ten advices for editors and writers who ask for a graphic to tell their story.

Publico is an youngest daily newspaper in Spain. It has been launched in September 2007.

Esteban is a well known expert on visual story telling. He has been a consultant to the Innovations Media Consulting Group. Examples of his works are available at News Page Designer website.

On his blog ”Infographics news” he offers an excerpt from a ”little handbook” that his team has written for Publico’s editors and reporters.

”Many of [these advices] are extensible to the general journalism, but sometimes we must make visible that infographics are journalistic products. At least, those on newspapers,” explains Esteban.

!!!Here just a list. For details!!! go to his blog.

1. Infographics are information, not decoration: Graphics are not to make pages more beautiful.
2. Information in the graphic gives the size of it: We must not make the layout and then ask for the graphic.
3. If you wouldn’t do it with the text, you can’t do it with the graphic: Data on graphics can’t be less rigourous than in the text.
4. Graphics are not made for those who don’t want to read: We don’t have smart readers who read the texts and fools who looks at the graphics.
5. Do not repeat the data on graphic and text: If you have nothing to tell apart form the data on the graphic maybe you don’t need a text.
6. Quality of the infographics depends on information and time: Information for graphics is like the screenplay for a film.
7. Say no to the big reports culture: It’s not unusual to have big mountains of papers with reports of some enterprise or institution. and they are usually full of little graphics.
8. Graphics must be visual: Graphics are not not texts + photos. Texts and photos are texts and photos.
9. Go for the good ones: Sometimes the big topic of the day doesn’t need a graphic.
10. Trust the infographic journalist: when an infographic journalist tells you to have the infographic smaller or even not making a graphic is not because he doesn’t want to work.

Perfection is Pointless: Tips to help The Creative perfectionist

From http://www.spoonfeddesign.com

A lot of highly creative designers have one big problem: perfection. Perfection is both unproductive and pointless. Why? If you spend all of your time trying to get your work exactly the way you envision it, you’re just wasting your time. For the most part, your final piece will be different from your original idea. Trying to focus on elements of your work that aren’t perfect is a bad way of working.

Here are a few tips/things to keep in mind to help you to stop your urge to be perfect:

1. Ask Other People’s Opinion

If you think your work isn’t perfect, you have to look at it in a different way. The best tactic for doing this is through other people. Go ask some other people what they think of your work. Take their advice or criticism into consideration.

2. You Don’t Know Until You Try

If you are continually putting something off because you don’t think it’s finished or perfect, just go for it. If your client isn’t satisfied, take their comments and make changes.

3. Trial and Error

You usually won’t get it right the first time, but don’t give up. Keep trying, and new ideas will come.

4. Get Inspired

If you are hesitant about a deign you are working on and you absolutely know you need to add something, then spend some time looking at other work for inspiration. You will eventually have an idea or find out what your design needs.

5. Focus on What’s Important

Instead of focusing on the tiny details that only you will notice, focus on the big picture. Think about the image your work is promoting, and ask yourself if your design expresses that image.

6. Only You Will Notice the Small Imperfections

This isn’t always true, but it sometimes may apply. Either way, it is still good to keep in mind.

7. Allow New Ideas

Sometimes, we will shut down a new idea because we think it isn’t perfect for a project. Well, just try it anyway, you may love it. If you don’t allow new ideas, you may miss out on some very big opportunities.

8. Remember Nothing is Perfect

I know that is a cliche, but it is totally true. You can achieve excellence but still not be perfect.

9. Be Positive and Optimistic

Having a positive and bright outlook will help you to overcome your urge for perfection.

10. Keep Goals

Instead of working to the design you imagined, work toward an overall goal for the job. Think of what you want to achieve, and work toward it. Don’t focus on the details too much, and be happy when you have achieved your goal. Also, setting deadlines can help with your goals.

11. If All Else Fails

If you can’t possibly get over the fact that your work isn’t completely the way you want it to be, take a break. Move on to a new project or just do something else for a little while.

Share Your Ideas

Please, we would love to hear them.

Vintage and Retro Typography Showcase

Here are beautiful examples of vintage typography find out more....