I paid a very pleasant visit to the Neufville offices/plant in Barcelona ~2.5 years ago, and have a good contact there. However, if they own Gotika, they wouldn't want you making your own of it - and they certainly wouldn't help you do it! :-/

hhp

Hrant,

Thats the thing, I don't know any of this for sure, and I'll never know until I talk to somebody. In the other thread Dan suggested when I get done to present it to them, to see if they would release it. Just a little credit. I'm doing this out of love for the craft, Not in it for financial gain at all.

http://typophile.com/node/15087

meaning, i'd do it for free.

Eric

Well the thing is, it wouldn't matter if you did if for love of craft and not for financial gain. If they own the rights and have their own intentions or not, you are trying to replicate an existing type design... and apparently don't even have decent scans of the original. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they had approached you, completely different story, but likely (from what I understand) Neufville has its own plans.

Gerald

Hrant, Gerald,

This isn't quite accurate. Occasionally, designers will revive an un-revived typeface that a certain foundry has the rights to. After that designer shows the fonts to the foundry, the foundry will—on some occasions—license them and distribute them itself. This is what Eric is hoping for, I think.

It is quite costly for a foundry to revive a face like this on its own. (The money for Blackletter just isn't there…) But if a designer does it for them, it costs them nothing. It is a win-win situation, and I know designers who have gone through this before. So please don't say never, or assume the worst. Eric's intentions here are admirable, and this is the right path to take. If Neufville is not interested in the design, Eric may be able to release it through other channels under a different name—perhaps even with Neufville's blessing.

Discussion is always good.

Dan

With all due respect, I don't think you were paying attention to what Hrant and I said. Generically you may be correct; specifically, no.

Gerald

It is quite rare for a font house (especially an old-school one like Neufville) to pick up an unsolicited design, even if it's free - the main reasons being quality and suitability. The one case like this I remember is that guy who made a DIN clone, not knowing the issues (although DIN is admittedly a "public" design) and when he tried to sell it or something the FontFont people graciously paid him to take it completely over... and didn't even use it.

In Eric's case: he's a self-confessed beginner*, he knows the issues, and hasn't even fleshed out the whole design yet*, so here's what I would suggest: contact Neufville (maybe even arrange for a telephone call) and tell them there's a design you really really like, and you've sort of started on it, but realize they own it; you want to keep working on it, and see it released somehow; you offer to submit it to them when it's pretty much finished; they don't have to pay anything, and they can accept it or not, but what would be really nice is if they critiqued the work in progress so that it ends up to their liking and they'll sell it. If they say no, you stop (and maybe make something inspired by it). If they say yes, you work hard, and listen to them. The risk is that they'll say no at the end and you'll end up with a design that's dead in the water. But at least you would have learned a lot.

* Correct?

hhp

I have had some formal training in letterform design at PCAD, I know that means very little in a working environment, but yes, I'm a beginner. I'm nearly done ( at least to the point of critique) with my basic U&lc roman.

Fleshing out the design? As in the other thread, I'm still trying to find higher resolution scans, if not originals. My files are not the best.

A

Ok, so, what do you suggest be my next course of action?

Is this thread dead?

Eric

I think Christopher Burke is a likely contact. As I recall he relocated to Spain and is somehow involved. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. I no longer have his email address.

Gerald

He left Spain.

hhp

Eric, I think that it is dead until you call Neufville, and then report back to us on your progress ;-)

CanadaType has already revived Gotika.

Hey, that looks pretty good!

Sorry about that Eric… it has happend to me before, too :(

Did you ever get in touch with Neufville?

First, thanks for the heads-up John, and for the interest, Dan.

My turn for some cynicism.
Or just honesty?

It's missing some of the fine detail in the bowl to stem connections, some of the mid-weight crossbars are too heavy, numerals are different. ( just what I've noticed at first glance )

Neufville

I havn't had time yet, I don't know. Would it still be worth it? Doesn't seem so worth it now someone already did it, not like I would have finished, seems it's at least been out most of the year.

Eric

All is not lost. That's a great cartoon. Do you know Alvin Buenventura?

Gerald

Not familiar with him, and sadly i cannot take credit for the creation of the toon.

Whatta buzzkill. Never woulda thought this would be such a (insert icon), anyway. One last question. Maybe this is stupid, but I've never, i'm sure like a lot of midwesterners, called Europe (Spain)

I really don't want to let this die, I've got my heart set on it. ( the OFFICIAL GOTIKA ) . Just maybe some suggestions from folks on how to go about calling them. International relations is new to me. Is English pretty standard, no communication problems if I called? Maybe I'm just being a big chicken.

Like, what dept. would I ask for... You know, I just don't want to sound absolutely inept.

Anything is helpful. If not, i'll figure it out.

Thanks

As an aside, I was perusing Neufville's catalog, and Gotika doesn't show up, unless it's just the type they expect to release in the future? Check original post for PDF.

>Maybe I’m just being a big chicken.

Yeah, you are being a big chicken ;-)

Now cut it out! Make sure you get the whole international dialing code thing right. It should be in the front of your phone book. Then, after they pick up the phon, say Buenos Dias, and then ask politely if they speak English. I'm sure that they get English-speaking calls all the time. English is the language of European business now, with the EU and all. How many Swedes speak Spanish? Exactly. Nothing to be afraid about.

Then tell the person on the phone that you are type designer calling from the United States. You'd like to speak with someone to get some information on old German Bauer tyapefaces. I'm sure that they will connect you to the correct person, or ask you to call back later.

Then it is up to you. It isn't that hard, really.

I used to get the fear of God in me when I had to call up German institutions for the first time, and speak in horrendous German (while English is the international language of business, it is not the international language of bureacracy. Bureacrats must always be spoken to in their native language, if possible). But it always worked, and I soon got over it. Now I live in the midst of these crazy people. No one will hate you because you are from the midwest.

Oh, and another point... one of Reagan's things was never to speak evil of another Republican. Not such a bad idea, actually. CanadaType's fonts aren't bad. It isn't like they are some cheapo free font hacks: those guys are the ones to get annoyed at when they beat you to the punch on an old digitalization. CanadaType seems to be doing a nice job, in my opinion. Every type designer works differently, and everyone will interpret joins, etc. differently, too. The world is big enough for Gotika and Leather. And there are always other typefaces to be made anyway.

Eric, most people in the font biz, especially old-schoolers, will appreciate a phone call very much. English will most probably be fine. If not, say "pwehdoh ablar con el heffeh por fahvor?" ("Could I please speak with the boss?" - he knows English, I've had lunch with him :-). You might add "Estoy yamandoh desde los estados ouneedos." ("I'm calling from the US." - to put some pressure). If you're still faced with Spanish, it probably means the guy is out* - try again later (after saying "moutchas grahsias" - "thank you very much"). Oh, do get the time-zones right. And remember that in Spain they start the day late and finish it later, and take a HUGE lunch break, starting around 1PM in Barcelona.

* Just like that great Don Qixote song!

One last thing: don't just dial it.
Get one of those calling cards - much cheaper.

hhp

hrant, i just love yer anglicized spanish spelling. i think it'd be easier if you just wrote "¿puedo hablar con el jéfe por favor?" ah, the beauties of fonetik spelling.

> “¿puedo hablar con el jéfe por favor?”

And have the guy hang up on him for saying "peweedoo hablar con el djefe por fayvor?"?! When I first started practicing my Castillian in Barcelona, the slightest flaw in my accept would throw a wrench in the attempt, especially with older folk. I've noticed that when a person has only heard a clean version of a single language all his life, he has a lot of trouble with deviation. You should have seen some people struggle with my "azucar" and "servilletas" - it was quite annoying.

hhp

Two more things, I think. Who's the boss, so I know who to address, and how do you pronounce 'Imre' ...

thx

Wolfgang Hartmann.

"Imre": too German for me to be sure.

hhp

Im as in Tim, dim, slim, re – ray (based on the pronunciation of this number 9)
Tim