Typophile - Huge window lettering? - Comments

Hey Jackie, thanks for such

Jennifer — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:41:28 -0700

Hey Jackie, thanks for such a detailed look.

The client liked it so much we’re adding 2 additional panels, and once they’re installed I’ll photograph and post the thing as it looks on the street.

I think many of your concerns about my choices will make sense seeing it in place. But some of the typographic things are also style decisions, yes? Like APA and MLA; no periods after initials are a decision to stick to out of a need for fewer extraneous bits.

to be continued ..

Not to be a party-pooper,

Jackie T — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:43:40 -0700

Not to be a party-pooper, but just the old typesetter in me - since this is a quote by M.J. Florczak

1. Should there not be periods after the M and the J as they might stand for a first and middle name - or was he/she like Grant whose middle name was S - no punctuation needed?
2. Since this is a quote - should we have quote marks around it?
3. Since MJ is the source - it should be a 1/m dash - with no space between the 1/m and the MJ

and while I’m on it - since the second line has all that white space, it should be alright to move the source of the quote up one line. If this is large for display, and you want to fill three lines, I’d like to recommend then centering the source. Just a design thing.

Otherwise, it’s done! And fine! And probably hanging up somewhere already. My comments are just comments...

I think what I’ve done is

Jennifer — Wed, 7 May 2008 16:18:47 -0700

I think what I’ve done is pretty underwhelming. All I really got this time was the process, there was no time to do anything remarkable.

That said, it gets installed tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll post and we can see if its at least apprehendable from a distance.

Give us a shot in situ,

jupiterboy — Wed, 7 May 2008 16:09:36 -0700

Give us a shot in situ, please.

Again, above.

Jennifer — Wed, 7 May 2008 14:49:18 -0700

Again, above.

(No subject)

Jennifer — Wed, 7 May 2008 14:47:54 -0700

Jennifer, Your file or link

dezcom — Wed, 7 May 2008 14:47:13 -0700

Jennifer,
Your file or link is broken.

ChrisL

Just sent the files

Jennifer — Wed, 7 May 2008 14:40:18 -0700

Just sent the files off:

Vonnes Black condensed. Chunky, space-conscious but clear, with some 1950-ish quirks. Proofed and taped up, passed the angled walk-by and across the street tests. Not the best thing I’ve ever done, not my favourite typeface in the world, but I can live with it here.

Here’s a snip.

thanks everyone for chipping in.

Sounds like a good plan

Jackie T — Tue, 6 May 2008 12:05:38 -0700

Sounds like a good plan Jennifer. Good luck and this thread will self-destruct in one minute.

Okay, so proof at 100% and

Jennifer — Tue, 6 May 2008 11:08:47 -0700

Okay, so proof at 100% and play with letterspacing. Yes it will be vinyl peel and stick.

The problem with something as easy to work with as Gotham or Trade Gothic is they don’t relate to the content in any way. But I hear you on the contrast point .. deadline approaching, still have to figure out who in this organization (#$*&^) will actually get on a ladder and whether it is in their collective agreement. Ahem! :)

thanks for your help.

As someone who plots and

adnix — Mon, 5 May 2008 20:29:47 -0700

As someone who plots and weeds vinyl lettering, please go for a nice sans like Gotham or Trade Gothic. A serif like Freight Micro in a bold weight would work if you are doing something in the 200-300 point range.

Just please avoid a Didot-like face. Those ultra delicate serifs are a bitch, even at large sizes. If someone asks me to weed the “Burberry” logo at 1 inch tall again, I’m gonna scream.

David

And don’t forget to

russellm — Mon, 5 May 2008 19:34:39 -0700

And don’t forget to squoosh everingthing by at least 75%.

(just kidding! Really... Don’t do it. :¬)

I presume the out put will be cut vinyl?

-=®=-

Over saturated colors too.

AGL — Mon, 5 May 2008 16:43:42 -0700

Over saturated colors too.

Please remember - the larger

Jackie T — Mon, 5 May 2008 04:30:20 -0700

Please remember - the larger the lettering - the more space needed between the letters. So when people pass by the window — they can read it.

You guys are great. I knew

Jennifer — Sun, 4 May 2008 18:26:47 -0700

You guys are great. I knew I’d get pointed in all kinds of useful directions.

Thanks for the thread links, the primer in street-scale design, and the pointers on x-height, width and small-size detail. And proofing!

Freight micro and apex new are indeed satisfyingly quirky ..

Huge window lettering?

Jennifer — Sat, 3 May 2008 21:23:31 -0700

I haven’t done much environmental design, so I’m not sure about this one:

I have to pick a typeface for vinyl lettering to go in a street-facing window. The art area is huge — about 6 feet by very tall — but the sentence has to be readable on the sidewalk and I don’t know, across the street?

The sentences, about one each per window, are memories about the history of an area in the city, winning contest submissions. They’ll also be part of an inside exhibit, and later a book. So history, first person voices, collective memory, lyric-poetry type stuff.

I like the feel of Filosofia and Mrs Eaves italics for this, even ITC Century roman — but the first 2 are definitely not strong enough for across the street viewing. I need something strong and quirky. With multiple weights?

Suggestions?