1010-13 Art & Creative tidbits

In this edition of Art & Creative tidbits we look at the Emzen font, a new Modern Slab * Unexpected Line Breaks and Missing Fonts * Reviving Caslon * Eight Tips for Type on the Web * Fuenzalida FuxFont * and Ken Peters comments on “Designers” … plus more!

Fred Showker's Creative Tidbits blog postings In this edition of Art & Creative tidbits we look at the Emzen font, a new Modern Slab * Unexpected Line Breaks and Missing Fonts * Reviving Caslon * Eight Tips for Type on the Web * Fuenzalida FuxFont * and Ken Peters comments on “Designers” … plus more!

Emzen font : Modern Slab

Anja Emzen created this interesting and highly usable typeface design … according to Anja …
      This is a font I created while studying at The Graphic Arts Institute of Denmark. My idea was to create a modern slab serif that has a touch of elegance and softness to it. I was inspired by the idea of mixing different styles of typography. After sketching the letters by hand I created the font in FontLab. The font is still work in progress.
READ THIS REPORT Full story : www.typographyserved.com

Unexpected Line Breaks and Missing Fonts

This is Part 1 of Ilene Strizver’s “Typesetting Mysteries” … Ilene writes:
      The advent of digital typesetting has, for the most part, been a boon to graphic designers everywhere in terms of speed, convenience, and control. Unfortunately, along with its advantages occasionally come some sneaky snags that can create speed bumps in an otherwise productive and gratifying workflow.
      Two typesetting tribulations are ‘demystified’ in this first installment of an ongoing periodic series. Over time, we intend to shed light on the most common of unpredictable and seemingly inexplicable occurrences in digital typesetting:
READ THIS REPORT Full story : Ilene Strizver for ITC

Reviving Caslon

I didn’t realize that Caslon needed a “revival” — We love Caslon … note our ampersand logo. It’s a wonderful font, and there are plenty of versions available as OpenType. So, this article asks
How much should a revival of a typeface look like the original?
      The author William Berkson writes:
Well, just as with performing an old song – an analogy Matthew Carter has made – there is something you have to like in the original in order want to revive it. And you can’t depart from the original too much, or you lose the charm of the old song that appealed to you in the first place. But if it is too much like the old versions, it might be stale and dated, irrelevant. So what do you keep and what do you change? And change in what way? That’s the challenge every revivalist faces.
READ THIS REPORT Full story : William Berkson –

Fuenzalida FuxFont

FuxFont is a condensed neutral look typeface, in three weights, light, regular and bold, and two versions, regular & italic. With Fux you have access to an extended ligature set, small caps, old style numbers and stylistic alternates. This gives you a lot of possibilities that hopefully will fulfill many of your typesetting needs. Designed by Rodrigo Fuenzalida … with a little help from Herb Lubalin’s Avant Guard
      modern condensed

See his considerable collection of cool works
READ THIS REPORT Full story : www.rfuenzalida.com

Serif extends graphic design software distribution

Serif, a UK-based developer of desktop publishing and graphic design software, has partnered with France-based WinSoft International to introduce localised versions of Serif titles to the Middle East and other regions.
     
READ THIS REPORT Full story : ameinfo.com

Ken Peters says: Designers deal in ideas.

Designers deal in ideas. They give shape to ideas that shape our world, enrich everyday experiences, and improve our lives.
     
Where there’s confusion, designers fashion clarity; where there’s chaos, designers construct order; where there’s entropy, designers promote vitality; where there’s indifference, designers swell passion; where there’s mediocrity, designers imbue excellence; and where there’s silence, designers lend voice.READ THIS REPORT Full story : Special thanks to Chris Coyier and ‘QUOTES on DESIGN’

How Analog Rituals Can Amp Your Productivity

As a society, we are engaged in a constant pursuit to be more productive. For the most part, this is a good thing. We want to work smarter. We crave efficiency. Time is our most precious commodity, and productivity tools help us spend it more wisely.
      Over the past few years, I have observed all sorts of methods for productivity. One consistent surprise is the role of monotonous rituals and what could be described as “analog drudgery” among the especially productive. For such accomplished people, I am shocked by the apparent lack of efficiency in their daily routines.
READ THIS REPORT Full story : The 99 Percent

Last edition: Creative Tidbits

Don’t forget … we encourage you to share your discoveries in the creative world of art, typography, graphics, illustration, photography, sculpture, signs, signing, logos, business graphics and visual communications. Just discuss it in the Design Cafe, or pop out an email to DTG