davidthedesigner

this made me smile #200*

Type City by Hong Seon Jang.

*200 smiles - that has to be worth celebrating!

things i've seen enough of, thank you very much #4

I grew up in the countryside (well at least my early years), so I always enjoy watching Countryfile on a Sunday evening.

But that second drop shadow on Adam's Farm: I hate that.

missed opportunity #1: streamline stencil

We've been having a bit of a clear out of the attic. And we've unpacked a whole load work samples. Including this font, which I designed in 1973 (and therefore all drawn by hand). It never got to see the light of day, though.

And to think I was living in Manchester at the time. If only I'd stayed there for the next 30 years I could have sold it to Oasis.

half belgian, half korean...

...and pretty amazing, I think you'll agree:

Typographic Insects, where each insect is constructed from a different font. Just a small sample of the work of Xavier Segers, aka The Last Dodo. Go take a look - you won't be disappointed.

(via the ever-reliable I Love Belgium)

what's gill got to do with it?

If you find yourself within striking distance of Holborn tube station this week, you should pop along and see Beauty in the making - reviewed here on the Eye blog. And there you'll find out exactly what Gill had to do with it.

But hurry, it's only on until Friday of this week - and note that you have to pre-book your place with eventbrite.

And while you're down Holborn way, play your cards right and Ben might even invite you to partake of a cup of coffee.

from 18pt albertus cap to univers 6pt uc

I had a cup of tea with Jim yesterday (he lives just along the road from me). And afterwards he showed me around his shed:

And that's just the type. Next time I'll photograph the presses.

i'm tempted to say...

...that this made me smile.

this made me smile #176

Give a big hand, if you will, to Alan Kitching:

(via HERE&NOW).

the drawbacks of being a designer #4

As you'll have seen (if you're paying attention at the back there), I was on out on the road yesterday morning. And as well as seeing Angie tootling by, I got stuck for a while behind a Waitrose lorry. And there was something that caught my eye. Something that wasn't quite right.

Can you see what it is?

Well I'll tell you: whoever had applied the vehicle graphics had managed to get the s in the logo upside down. And more to the point, it was bugging me. And it bugs me still.

You see, only a typographer would know that there was anything wrong. The rest of you don't know how lucky you are.

And if you don't believe me, this is how it should be:

popping up all over the place (but mostly in america)

I still haven't made any decision on what I might do about a print version of the 52 fonts, but it's nice to see that the project continues to have a life of its own. Just in the past week it's been quoted by Scott Miller at the University of California, San Diego and BiblioBuffet.

Any other countries like to join in?