This was used on a Prince LP in 1981. The question is if this font was custom made. As no one seems to recognise it, can I assume this is indeed the case?
Probably very good assumption as by now someone would have identified it I am sure. It may never have been a "font" as such but a collection of drawn letters.
i'll admit that i've looked into this a bit, but not extensively. my guess is that you are correct. you could start maybe with something like Broadway Compress to create the customization needed. (just a quick pick... i'm sure there are other places to begin).
Thanks for your replies. My other assumption is that this is an actual font, but that it is so ugly no one ever used it since, and no one ever made an effort to digitise it. I'm still hoping this turns up in a 70s book with fonts.
By the way, I don't need to to recreate the font, I just want to know its designer/name and if it was custom made.
Note that Fontographer (the first digital font editor) was released in 1986. Coupled with the fact that before the digital era font publishers rarely released such sloppy (and in certain aspects unorthodox) work, the chances of this being a font are indeed low. However, your sample is an alphabetic setting... Did you assemble it yourself? If not, it might be worth tracking down the person who did.
As for finding the person who did the original design: if it's not a font, it was probably done by the same person who did the LP cover.
I did indeed assemble the alphabet myself. I only miss the Q and Z.
The letters were used on an album and on a 12 inch. No designer is listed unfortunately.
Some LP cover expert should be able to uncover the original designer. BTW is it possible Price made those letters himself? A biography might reveal a mention of him liking to doodle letters in high-school... The Letters Formerly Not Known To Be A Font. :-)
I wouldn't be surprised if it was designed by Prince. Also, there were ways back then to make your own "fonts" if you had access to a stat camera, an X-acto knife and some patience.
No doubt Prince was involved. But he wasn't the one to draw the letters, or do the actual lay out.
I am researching the artwork of Prince's albums, and this font has been one of the puzzles that has been bugging me for some time. For now I will consider it to be custom made for this project.
While I have your attention, Prince's album from 1980 features this font.
Again, this may or may not be custom made. Does anyone have a clue?
People have suggested it is the Lemiesz, but this is not the same.
Dick, do you agree? And if so, would that stop you from suggesting fonts by Rakowski, at least until you can do some research concerning the given font?
Huppeldepup, just for some context: Some people -especially on Typophile- would avoid using a tainted font (or even one that's probably tainted) even if it's highly tempting!
Your questions do not replace the need to answer mine.
1 & 2. Huppeldepup brought up Lemiesz (which is by Rakowski) and I think that was a good opportunity to help a new member appreciate how some Typophile members view this place. That's not hijacking. BTW, don't assume I know any conventions; I'm not assuming you do.
3. I'm not accusing anybody of anything, and I gave no opinions on the matter. Why don't you confront Jodie concerning her clear-cut accusation?
My answering of your questions does not replace the need for you to answer my own questions.
looks like he's doing well at ripping off some well-known fonts. just seeing the stolen Stencil is enough for me
Assuming you're referring to Rakowski's Lintsec font, it looks quite a bit different than ATF's Stencil typeface (Gerry Powell, 1938). Do you believe it to be a ripoff of a different stencil font?
That's funny--back around 1990 or so I used to go to this computer store in Savage, MN, and they had boxes of disks full of "shareware" fonts, sold very cheaply. I bought a bunch of them, thinking there might be something usable on them (very little). Looking at the fonts Rakowski did, nearly everything on those disks was his. Huh.
2 Mar 2013 — 4:48am
No one?
This was used on a Prince LP in 1981. The question is if this font was custom made. As no one seems to recognise it, can I assume this is indeed the case?
2 Mar 2013 — 6:00am
Probably very good assumption as by now someone would have identified it I am sure. It may never have been a "font" as such but a collection of drawn letters.
2 Mar 2013 — 6:02am
i'll admit that i've looked into this a bit, but not extensively. my guess is that you are correct. you could start maybe with something like Broadway Compress to create the customization needed. (just a quick pick... i'm sure there are other places to begin).
2 Mar 2013 — 7:05am
Thanks for your replies. My other assumption is that this is an actual font, but that it is so ugly no one ever used it since, and no one ever made an effort to digitise it. I'm still hoping this turns up in a 70s book with fonts.
By the way, I don't need to to recreate the font, I just want to know its designer/name and if it was custom made.
2 Mar 2013 — 7:17am
Note that Fontographer (the first digital font editor) was released in 1986. Coupled with the fact that before the digital era font publishers rarely released such sloppy (and in certain aspects unorthodox) work, the chances of this being a font are indeed low. However, your sample is an alphabetic setting... Did you assemble it yourself? If not, it might be worth tracking down the person who did.
As for finding the person who did the original design: if it's not a font, it was probably done by the same person who did the LP cover.
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 7:23am
I did indeed assemble the alphabet myself. I only miss the Q and Z.
The letters were used on an album and on a 12 inch. No designer is listed unfortunately.
2 Mar 2013 — 7:29am
Some LP cover expert should be able to uncover the original designer. BTW is it possible Price made those letters himself? A biography might reveal a mention of him liking to doodle letters in high-school... The Letters Formerly Not Known To Be A Font. :-)
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 8:19am
I wouldn't be surprised if it was designed by Prince. Also, there were ways back then to make your own "fonts" if you had access to a stat camera, an X-acto knife and some patience.
2 Mar 2013 — 8:39am
No doubt Prince was involved. But he wasn't the one to draw the letters, or do the actual lay out.
I am researching the artwork of Prince's albums, and this font has been one of the puzzles that has been bugging me for some time. For now I will consider it to be custom made for this project.
While I have your attention, Prince's album from 1980 features this font.
Again, this may or may not be custom made. Does anyone have a clue?
People have suggested it is the Lemiesz, but this is not the same.
Thanks again.
2 Mar 2013 — 9:05am
That must a distortion of some mainstream sans font from that era (again, not digital). How did people do such distortions pre-Photoshop?
BTW, what do people here think about David Rakowski's collection of fonts on DaFont?
http://www.dafont.com/david-rakowski.d30
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 9:12am
looks like he's doing well at ripping off some well-known fonts. just seeing the stolen Stencil is enough for me.
2 Mar 2013 — 9:35am
Dick, do you agree? And if so, would that stop you from suggesting fonts by Rakowski, at least until you can do some research concerning the given font?
Huppeldepup, just for some context: Some people -especially on Typophile- would avoid using a tainted font (or even one that's probably tainted) even if it's highly tempting!
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 9:53am
Hrant:
1. What's that got to do with Prince?
2. You hijacked the thread. Start a new Thread with a new subject - you know the conventions.
3. You're making the accusations, you do the research -- that's harder than just giving an opinion.
2 Mar 2013 — 10:14am
Your questions do not replace the need to answer mine.
1 & 2. Huppeldepup brought up Lemiesz (which is by Rakowski) and I think that was a good opportunity to help a new member appreciate how some Typophile members view this place. That's not hijacking. BTW, don't assume I know any conventions; I'm not assuming you do.
3. I'm not accusing anybody of anything, and I gave no opinions on the matter. Why don't you confront Jodie concerning her clear-cut accusation?
My answering of your questions does not replace the need for you to answer my own questions.
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 10:05am
Lemiesz is from Publicity Gothic, a BB&S face from 1916.
2 Mar 2013 — 10:23am
well, if someone posts a font that looks exactly like stencil and only anagrams the letters, it's pretty obvious.
2 Mar 2013 — 10:30am
Dick, do you think when it's an obvious case of plagiarism, you shouldn't suggest it?
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 11:45am
If you don't know and agree to the conventions of online forums then you shouldn't be allowed to make a public statement.
2 Mar 2013 — 12:45pm
Whether that's true or not, my questions stand, and your silence speaks volumes.
hhp
2 Mar 2013 — 3:36pm
Assuming you're referring to Rakowski's Lintsec font, it looks quite a bit different than ATF's Stencil typeface (Gerry Powell, 1938). Do you believe it to be a ripoff of a different stencil font?
For more info on David Rakowski and his fonts:
http://home.earthlink.net/~ziodavino/album1_009.htm
http://www.myfonts.com/person/David_Rakowski/
http://luc.devroye.org/fonts-28542.html
2 Mar 2013 — 5:22pm
That's funny--back around 1990 or so I used to go to this computer store in Savage, MN, and they had boxes of disks full of "shareware" fonts, sold very cheaply. I bought a bunch of them, thinking there might be something usable on them (very little). Looking at the fonts Rakowski did, nearly everything on those disks was his. Huh.