CHAIR

 

I thought that this was such an interesting idea! A chair made out of typography - not only this, but the actual characters of the word that describe it, make it! There are two "r"s, but that seems to be the only drawback.  I don't believe that this is a typeface I could find the name of, but rather that it was designed with the intent of the being useful.

Inspiration

I found these typographic illustrations on the same website from which I found the content for my illustration blog this week - (Yulia Brodskaya). I'm really fascinated by them. In general, I like designs with 3D type, but these two stand out to me especially because of the sense of space they create and the activity within their letter-forms. There is not a particular typeface used in these designs, as they were illustrated.  Each of them have sans-serif and serif characteristics.  To be honest, I don't know what the one with the S, H, K, Y, etc. says - any guesses? Obviously the message is not crucial to my judgment at the moment. I like how the letters in "kelly"have some straight edges and some curved.  I like to be surprised by different letters within a font - anything too predictable has its use for application, but is boring.

type the sky

Initially, I thought this image was a very cool photo project.  True, it was, but even further, it was created with the intent of making it a typeface!  It was created by Lisa Reinermann.  It has in deed been published by the German Type Foundry Slanted, titled "Type the Sky."  I thought this idea was particularly interesting because the artist had to look very hard to find all of the letter forms in the tops of sky-scrapers.  I'm sure there aren't many extra characters included in the font set considering the method of creation! I particularly like the "s."  

go back

Yucel - Workbook 32

This is an example of a clever typographic solution because the type represents the concept of the message. It is easily understood even though it's written backwards. I have to tilt my screen at a certain angle in order to see the text underneath which reads, "you just passed happiness."  The font of the logo element is handwritten, without serifs (unless you count the arrow), and in all caps.  I believe the font of the text below is Helvetica.  I'm not sure what this design was used for.

Skate 3

I had a short obsession with the Skate3 video game, which features the ability to create graphics and send them to the game to put on your character's clothing, skateboard, etc.  The graphics creator they use is terribly limiting, though, and they do not allow you to upload any files.  Obviously these aren't comprised of a typeface, but rather created through the use of combining simple shapes.  My name was Tit-E-Bishop - don't ask, it was a random idea? It definitely made for a funny game.  Despite all the drama surrounding my identity, I got a lot of compliments on our team's logo, so I thought I'd share it.

who doesn't need mosleep?

 

I like the subtlety of the bed, which is implied by an "m" with a short x-height atop a rectangle.  I like how mosleep is all one word; it's catchy and fun.  I haven't had any luck identifying the font used for this logo, but it is a square 90 degree angles throughout and is sans-serif.  I believe the type and pictorial element of the logo were probably developed at the same time, since they work together.  This word-mark serves an advertising purpose.  I came across this logo online, but do not have the website somewhere readily available.  I'll update when I find it.

Graffiti

work above by Peste, found in Graffiti Women Street Art From Five Continents by Nicholas Ganz

These pieces are incredibly visually interesting, while still remaining legible.  The color combinations utilized in each piece above are well thought out and successful.  I like the way the artist has made her name stand out by creating drop shadows and elements in both the foreground and background of the composition.  I would be curious to see what one of her designs would look like atop a non-painted wall.  I like how she's controlled most of the elements in the design including the background surface color, but I would also like to see what her work looks like with less control. 

Project 2

Client: The Independent Media Center

The independent media is a grassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice in the Champaign County area.  They produce an independent newspaper called the Public i.  They also broadcast on a local station, WRFU 104.5 FM and allow members access to hosting their own radio show.  Within their complex, they also have a stage where many concerts, artistic installments, and dances are held.  They have production studios, art studios, a library, and meeting spaces.  Within the IMC you will also find sub-organizations such as Books for Prisoners.  The IMC is dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream media does not.

All natural

 

I love how the text visually mixes in with the swirly lines of the woman's hair in this design.  I believe that the swirls are acting as serifs and that the typeface would therefore be characterized as serif. The design was used for a campaign promoting natural hair styling among African-American women, so the type serves a purpose in advertising.  The design is fun, trendy, and fresh. The type really does mimic the natural qualities of hair, which makes it all the more effective!

Favorite logo

This week, I scanned a hat which I bought some years ago, almost completely because of the logo.  I hadn't ever heard of this brand or seen this logo when I saw this hat and I immediately fell in love with it.  After looking around the store, I learned that the "F" stands for famous.  With this information, the logo appeared even more compelling, as it was skillfully designed to include a star, something associated with the famous by synonym and imagery.  Even though the F is embroidered on the hat, it really jumps out at you in an unexpected way.  This logo is very recognizable and therefore serves a function in advertising.  I believe that is a decorative font that was designed specifically for this brand's logo.

AdLeIaVdE

I came across this tricky image on an internet forum - you can see though, that it originated from internetbumperstickers.com.  I don't know who Schrödinger's cat is but I'm certainly questioning whether he's dead or alive.  This image is quite captivating to me and while it looks simply made, I'm sure its creation involved fine craftsmanship.  Who knew that the words dead and alive could have such an intimate relationship...

As usual, I used one of the handy font identifier websites to try and identify the typeface and found that it is likely Aura.  Aura is a sans-serif, modern typeface, similar to Abadi Condensed Extra Bold that in this case, is being used in a way that is playful and interactive. I included a sample of Aura below. I think the purpose of this design is to get a reaction.  No matter what the intended message within the text, an English-reading viewer is going to be perplexed by the dead/alive part.  The choice of using black and white was perfect for this design, as it allows viewers to easily recognize the contrasting statements.  Some of the letters are not fully represented, but each is still easily recognizable.

Aura

Contemplation & Meditation

Beyond Earthly Sensations of Lifestyle Envy: Omnipotent Brand Mandala

Moving From the Physical to Spiritual: Transcendental Brand Awareness Mandala 2003

 I found these image in a book called Barnbrook Bible-the Graphic Design of Jonathan Barnbrook.  It's kind of hard to tell, but this image is comprised of tiny little logos and characters.  So once again, I don't have much to work with as far as identifying a single font used in the design.  I can clearly recognize that the Mobil logo exists within this design, so  I will analyze that.  Of all of the results I found on Whatthefont, the Mobil logo looks most like Standard CT Bold.  The hole in the b is not quite circular enough, though.  The font is a sans serif.  It is easy to read and recognizable, as it is used for advertising.  Blue is used for all of the letters except for "o," which is red.  Though I haven't thought of this before, I would guess that this could be used to represent a gas tank.  The logo color combination also ties the company to patriotism.

Mobil Logo

Standard CT Bold

Upon realizing that this image was made mostly of type logos, I was fascinated by it.  It is made to look like a mandala.  Some years back a group of Tibetan Monks came to the Krannert Art Museum and made a sand mandala live for people to view.  It took them something like a month to complete, I believe.  Anyway, the intricacy and concentration demonstrated was unforgettable.  After they completed the mandala, the finished product was displayed for a very short time before they dismantled it and poured all the sand away.  I think that their perspective on life and art in particular is so interesting and inspiring.  If you like this concept, you should go play around on Buddha Board's website.  I'm curious whether the artist was implying something deeper about American culture within this piece.

Kabel Book

Founded in 1927 by Rudolf Koch, Kabel was and continues to be a popular typeface with international recognition.  Rudolf Koch was born in 1876 in Germany, where he worked as a type designer, typographer, calligrapher, and teacher until his death in 1934.  The name, "Kabel" celebrates the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable.  Its construction was influenced by ancient roman letters and geometric shapes, but brings a unique human quality, which attracts viewers.  Kabel, is most recognized by its angular stroke endings, which are prominent in letters "e" and "g."  Linotype categorizes Kabel as a circle, sans serif typeface, which they claim are best used to "represent sleek movement, dynamism, or the future."

Visual play on words

Communication Arts online content from creative exhibit -

What's in a name? book design

Publications, Consumer

The fourth title by PatrickGeorge, What's in a name? is a collection of graphic and illustrative interpretations of 100 boys’ and 100 girls’ names. Visually-represented, quirkily-implied or revealed in a realignment of their letters, some of the names are spelled out and others are tantalizingly obscure but all are treated with humor and fun.

Peter Scott, designer/illustrator.

www.patrickgeorge.biz

 

I absolutely love the designs done on and within this book (from what I can see).  The writer/ illustrator seems to have a good grip on humor, as you can see in their portrayal of the names Adam, Grayson, and Ivy.  It's also clear that there is not only one font used throughout the book, but I still tried to find out what font was used for the title.  I was unsuccessful at finding the exact font but it is comparable to Mento, Scout, and Churward Brush.  It is a sans serif typeface and is used in combination with illustrations.  For this reason, it functions as a clean, easy to read font in combination with pictorial elements.  

I'm hoping to find a copy of this book somewhere because it's fun to see designs like this! Some of the relationships between the names and illustrations may take a minute to understand, like many jokes (or people), but who can't appreciate the bit of satisfaction that comes with understanding.  Unfortunately, my name [Natalie] is probably drawn with a picture of a Gnat + alie, if it's in there at all.  I'd be impressed if it were something different, and will surely give props if that's the case.

I found the artist's website which contains more images from the book, if you're interested:
http://patrickgeorge.biz/index.php/gallery_names