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Typophile › Script / Handwriting / Graffiti

My First Typeface

spinatra3 Jun 2004

Hi all, I've just found out about this place through looking for some type critism. The standard of type design here is incredible and makes me feel very humble.


I've been working on a face for a couple of weeks, on and off. I wanted to produce a graffiti style display font. It started out as graffiti style handwriting which I scanned but became more disciplined as problem and inconsistancies started to emerge. As I began to place the letters side by side, they didn't fit together, so the overall style gradually became more uniform. Any critisms are appreciated.
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spinatra3 Jun 2004#

http://low-res.co.uk/untitled_face.jpg

ric3 Jun 2004#

Hi, Frank!

I suppose you are keeping the spacing tight to maintain the feeling that one is looking at graffiti, right?

I like the curve of the "Y"...

And that's an interesting "E"! But I don't think I know enough to say whether you should keep it the way it is or modify it a bit... basically, you might want to open up the counter spaces just a wee bit. Same goes for the top of "C" and "G"... those parts will tend to "clog up" at smaller sizes...

Anybody else have an opinion on this?

hrant3 Jun 2004#

This is very "animalistic" - I like it.
Reminds me of some Excoffon stuff.
It's crying out for a heavy dose of optional alternates.

hhp

spinatra4 Jun 2004#

Thanks for the comments guys. Ricardo, yes I wanted the look of graffiti for my typeface so I kept the spacing tight on the example, although I haven't properly grappled with spacing yet. I understand the 'E' is different from the other letters in some ways, but I liked the aggressive look it had and decided to keep it. I will try and open up the counter spaces on the 'E', 'C' and 'G'. These were some of the toughest letters for me and I came up with many versions.

Hrant, I looked up Excoffon as I wasn't familiar with his name, but I'm certainly familiar with his work. I can see quite a few similarities with his 'Banco' typeface, thanks.

I'm not very clued up on the technical terms yet, by 'optional alternates', do you mean making for example 3 styles of the letter 'E'? I might have this totally wrong, please bear with me.

Cheers guys.

Frank

UK

TheMark4 Jun 2004#

Hey Frank

I just wanted to let you know that I really dig that E. It's real vibrant and alive - and gives the typeface...well a FACE! An identity if you like. Optional Alternates could be like those fonts that have alternates letters with ex shift + letter or shift + alt + letter. I'm not sure.... guys???

Cheers and keep up the good work

Mark // Freelanceren

DK

TheMark4 Jun 2004#

Hey Frank

I just wanted to let you know that I really dig that E. It's real vibrant and alive - and gives the typeface...well a FACE! An identity if you like. Optional Alternates could be like those fonts that have alternates letters with ex shift + letter or shift + alt + letter. I'm not sure.... guys???

Cheers and keep up the good work

Mark // Freelanceren

DK

hrant4 Jun 2004#

> do you mean making for example 3 styles of the letter 'E'?

Yup. Accessing them is a whole other ballgame though. Ideally you want an OpenType font that will choose alternates automatically while allowing custom user choices too.

hhp

mica5 Jun 2004#

The S is a little hard to distinguish to me, but I'm no type designer.

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