Wednesday 2 June 2010

Further to my typographic obsession, I decided to set myself a challenge: To learn about at least one font each week, and type my finding here. Today's challenge: Comic Sans.

After blogging about Papyrus, fellow designers have said to me that it has its place, just like Comic Sans. So my objective was to find out what this is, as I HATE comic sans, but I then wonder if I have just 'learnt' to hate it? During my early teens, with my parents first PC, I loved it, I may have even used it for an essay in English about 'Robin Hood princes of Thieves,' oh dear.

So... it began in 1994, by a typographer called Vincent Connare, obviously designed to reflect 'comic book' lettering. It soon became so wide spread that http://bancomicsans.com/main/ was established in 1999.

To me it looks many things; unsophisticated, friendly and unauthoritive. During my investigation, I actually began to find it far less offensive as a logo than say a word document such as a work memo. It does have its uses, however it only works when it has been manipulated almost beyond recognition, or for something physical; for example I can actually see it working nicely for some children's style building blocks in letter forms.
Check out this awesome site to see some really creative uses:


and flickr for the worst:


General conclusion, just don't touch it unless you really know what you're doing. Or want to make an ironic statement.



Go here for grid inspiration

Friday 28 May 2010

Recently I have become obsessed with typography, looking around at fonts, trying to guess what they are and why they have been used. Whilst doing this I have noticed that graphic designers for the movie world, seem to LOVE Papyrus!




My recent visit to the cinema to Watch "Prince of Persia, The Sands of Time" had me pondering at it yet again as they used it as an introductory text. Why?! It's an OK font, but I would have thought graphic designers with such resources, which I could only dream of, would employ a typographer to design the ideal font? Papyrus is available to the masses, to me this is just lazy. The equivalent would be sending out my CV in Times, or comic sans. Eew.

However... it led me to find out a bit more about it (wikipedia). Created in 1982, it was hand drawn on textured paper. The aim of the typographer was to create something that looked like what he imaged English texts would've looked like if written on Papyrus 2000 years ago. So OK, something that needs to appear historical, (Prince of Persia, or Avatar - set in space but really about Indians) seems to be its calling. But still... I really think they should make a bit more effort. Even the Typographer Chris Costello, has claimed that it has been over used.


Tuesday 18 May 2010

Welcome to my blog!
I will be blogging on all things creative, film and graphics related, hope you enjoy.