I combined my love of type and Boeing projects to start on a new slanted, rounded sans face called Skyliner, which I drew a big chunk of on the plane, and I’ve already started building it in TypeTool. I’ve also been inspired to selling my extra iPod (they’re giving them away with laptops again) and my Intuos 3 (I never use it) so I can buy FontLab. And of course talking to everyone—especially Nick and Delve—gave me food for thought regarding my thesis.

But what was really inspiring was coming back to town and finding out that my awful type professor quit and been replaced by one of my favorite professors. I have quite literally been dreaming about that happening, so these events coinciding with Typecon is so awesome that I’m tempted to find religion.

after seeing the Veer presentation

I feel a distressed script coming on...

Froggy Roadkill!

ChrisL

I have quite literally been dreaming about that happening, so these events coinciding with Typecon is so awesome that I’m tempted to find religion.

Perhaps the religion found you. ;-)

And you should start buying lottery tickets.....

after looking at the photos on flickr I will make a font called

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Much of the blackletter made me want to revisit Ironweaver, something I posted here years ago. It’s not a new project really, but I do think ’inspired’ would be an appropriate word.

The amount of grunge/rockband poster stuff on the program was a bit excessive for me. I was really zzzzzz-ing and bailing on that stuff. The Dog duo was a bit full of themselves.
On the other hand, the wonderful Mayan history and Mexican typography was inspiring though. Bill Hill was a fabulous presenter and Spyros Zevalakis gave a passionate presentation on his Greek type and signage.

ChrisL

All your links to Ironweaver are dead, Brian. Remind us!

Stephen,

Didn’t realize the images were lost. I’ll rummage around tonight and see what I can find.

(I know I still have outlines, just maybe not the specific images I posted.)

Stephen,

I’ve reposted my Ironweaver images on its original thread, if you (or anybody else) would like a look.

Chris (Dezcom), if you mean full of themselves in a self deprecating way, then I understand what you’re saying. I enjoyed the rock scene since it was a good picture of a Seattle staple.

I have to admit I thought the Modern Dog stuff was fun, but it seemed more like graphic design than typography, if that makes any sense?

I was really impressed with the variety of work coming out of Mexico, and as always at the sheer number of up and coming type designers out there. It’s a really exciting time to be involved with type, as the tools and formats have really opened up a seemingly endless world of possibility to a wide range of people....

Cheers,

T

I agree on Modern Dog, but I think they were a good way to kick off the event. Maybe others could suggest their pick for keynote from the speaker line up, or elsewhere?

My thumb was down for Modern Dog. To me they came across as snide and not really interested in connecting with or relating to their specialized audience. Is the keynote a portfolio review or job application? Too often keynote speakers have no ideas or message to share with their audience. I thought Tim Girvin, who did essentally the same thing, connected with us and tailored his presentation to the audience better than Modern Dog. He actually likes type, actually does lettering.

Re: Original question: Where do I start? It will take me a year to even get my notes transcribed and my impressions synthesized. It’s like spring rains making the rivers swell. ;)

Well, nothing I’ve heard so far has made me feel bad about skipping opening night. I’m pretty sure that I was better off with the burlesque over at the pink door.

I enjoyed the way Marian Bantjes showed her work, not just highlighting great stuff but showing a variety of pieces and explaining why she felt that they were or were not successful.

Not that I want you to feel bad, but you missed the Typophile Film Fest, James.

Carl - I loved Tim Girvin’s talk.

Girvin’s talk was one of the only things I really missed. I went home to change out of my hideous suit that I wore to meet the mayor’s flunky. And James, I need you to feel bad for missing the Film Fest. It was AWESOME and you are a LOOZER for missing it :)

There were too many different presentations on grunge typography, honestly. First the Modern Dog, then Pete McCracken, then Art Chantry, then that annoying PBS guy, THEN a panel with the three worst of the bunch.

I could have lived with just Art Chantry because he was talking about type and his approach to type. The others were regaling us in how cool they were and had attitudes that didn’t match with the rest of the conference.

I don’t know how I forgot to mention Veronika Burian. I didn’t realize there was such a fantastic history in Czech typography! Thanks, Veronica, for showing the most indredible work of the conference.

ChrisL

“full of themselves in a self deprecating way”

Joe, actually, I meant full of themselves in a negative way. They just seemed arrogant to me. They didn’t even try. I agree with Carl, they were just snide.

ChrisL

And James, I need you to feel bad for missing the Film Fest.

I keep trying, but that was a really good dinner, and the trapeze girl let me wear her boa during her act!

I wasn’t inspired to create a typeface, but TypeCon did inspire me to do a completely typographic poster for my little theatre company’s next show:

In general, the conference — as it did the last time I went — made me recommit not only to solid typography throughout my graphic design work but also to just have fun with type.

(I was also inspired — by the TC materials as well as by some of the rock and theatre posters that were shown — to get away from full-color printing in favor of how I used to do things, one- or two-color on great paper. Now the hard part is affording it!)

That’s nice work Chesh. It was great to meet you, BTW.

Thanks, Marc! I really enjoyed meeting you, too. Plus I will never forget this exchange, during Modern Dog’s presentation:

Michael Strassburger (to the voice in the darkness who won Modern Dog’s type id contest twice and then corrected an erroneous id by someone else): “Wow, you’re a super type geek!”

Marc (the aforementioned voice in the darkness): “Um, that’s why I’m here...?”

That may be my favorite moment of all at TypeCon.

Totally. I loved that. We’re not ashamed of our geekiness. We’re kinda proud of it!

“Um, that’s why I’m here...”

I’ll vote for that moment, too.

ChrisL

I think it’s kinda geeky the way pro athletes obsess over the minutiae of their diet, training, stroke, hair and tattoos.
Just hit the ball, dude.