Charlotte, liking it more and more

I recently set up a logo icon with Rotis sans. Despite the unconventional ampersand, it looks good in this particular application. I would have preferred a font with a deeper set of variations but, as I said, Rotis was the most complimentary font for this icon.

I am teaming it with the Charlotte family. The chiseled serifs are contemporary and go nicely with the Rotis in the logo.

Try it. I think I got mine from fonts.com.

Will orange survive?

Not so sure the new client is going to go for the orange. Some concerns about competing with a tenant's sign that has a big patch of tomato red. This is where the client wins out for the sake of expediency.

They want a thicker panel than the powder-coated steel I wanted. Budget concerns. Not that they can't afford it. It's a nice building—they are just cost averse.

I suggested this substrate the signbuilders use. Handles like wood but holds up better in weather, lasts longer and has no grain. It take finishes well. I don't know the name of it but I am sure any medium scale sign builder can help with it.

Finegan Thompson's new project

Had a very successful meeting with a client yesterday, regarding signage for their new office building. In Jackson, buildings are big if they are about 100' x 200' so this one accommodates about six tenants.

The signs include the outside upper level guide, inside guide and the address lettering on the main building.

I used orange, a color I love and have trouble getting much response to. We'll see how they like it after considering the design and font choices.

I put the sketches, both pencil and digital, on heavy black board so they would be easier to manage on site. Earlier, I took photos of the building then superimposed the designs on the images in Photoshop®. The images I used and the presentation took place exactly the same time of day so the presentation had that much more impact as it had a "What you see is what you get" element.

Baby Teeth, font of the 70s

While helping my daughter think through a design she was doing, I, out of the blue, thought of a font from my past, Babyteeth. This was back in the days of Letraset rub-down lettering. Take a look at Babyteeth here and let me know your thoughts.

The project is for a consignment store specializing in sporting goods. It includes sporting stuff as in Sports Authority or similar stores but is dedicated to the high-end Patagonia, Mountain hardware-like equipment.

The name is 2nd wind and it occurred to me that using something entirely un-windy might spur some ideas about pos-neg or superimposing images or designs.

Unfortunately, the font us not readily available under that name and the Typophile site lists another font as a substitute.

On a roll

Check out marikas_art on Twitter. He was following me for some reason so I checked him out, after I blocked him I added him as a friend. He seems just to post links to art, graphic design, galleries, Youtube videos and music. I have only clicked on a few links but I find them interesting and see a common link of the sublime to the ridiculous. Judge for yourselves.

The state of fonts

Interesting bit of flotsam on the best-selling fonts at Fontshop. It was comforting to see some standards, Neue helvetica et al. And interesting to see Bank Gothic, V.A.G. rounded and Sinaloa—stuff around when I was just discovering typography. Google reviews of Avant Garde and see the various takes on it's appropriateness. I like Meridien which waasn't listed in the best-selling but I always thought was a nice face. My brother is a type designer. Check out his sight and fonts at nobodoni. Keep learning about type—it is central to graphic design.

the Designer as a person

Of course few (the few who actually visit this blog—yes, I am fishing for comments and reassurances) of you might have noticed I have been steadily slacking off on posts. I have struggled with bipolar disorder most of my life and in the past months it has been nearly intolerable. I am swinging into mania as I type and at least it feels good to have some energy. A little later I will expound a bit on the emotional state of designers and the process—the good, the bad, the positively ugly.

Thanks for your patience.