type that moves me—part 2

The following categories make me swoon, type with: layered or hidden meaning, dimensionality or texture, pushed boundaries of legibility, geometric and pixel rooted, and lastly, expressive.

a word about experimental type

I found the essay by Bil’ak, Experimental Typography, Whatever that Means, a little...well, narrow in view. Maybe a more honest evaluation would be, his point of view is an excellent argument for the overly analytical variety, yet not especially encouraging for the free spirit.

I did, however, appreciate his comparison of an experiment within the context of science, verses type design. I may say this with my jaw slightly clenched, but the capability to produce something more than once and measure the results could obviously benefit the designer. And I also agree that the phrase, It’s just an experiment, is occasionally a passive gesture to avoid responsibility for a possibly undesired outcome.

Carson describes an experiment as something he hasn’t tried before; I exhale with comfort at this definition. Yet, the author mocks Carson’s all-too-simple mind; some outcomes of possible experimentation have already been documented in history and therefore the experiment could not possibly be considered valid. Really? I guess historical ignorance could be embarrassing if an already discovered something had been claimed as suddenly discovered. But sometimes I enjoy experimenting solely for the personal experience. Who cares really if it has or hasn’t been done before if the benefit of the experience is the goal?

type that moves me

a modern night, take 1

So, Jane said to me with mild desperation mixed with anticipation, can you do it? Basically she needed it yesterday. I was sick as a dog last week when she asked, but so incredibly thrilled. Jane was not a fan of the first design of the original artist. Oh, and the board meeting is on Tuesday, oh lordy.

This is my first attempt at A Modern Night at the Folly. My problem is, I get too attached, right away, even. The people at the board meeting were not a fan of my emerging night. Why is it cut off anyway? Maybe I could slip them a clip of the movie Helvetica when David Carson says not to confuse legibility with communication; just because it’s legible doesn’t mean it communicates. (Preach it, bro) The non-formally trained genius is in tune with the emotional interpretation and translation of design.

In case you’d like to know, the sultry girl in the background is Jane Gotch. (I picked these photos out of several hundred from last year’s performance)