I take it from your use of the past tense that you're looking for a type designer who drank him/herself to death?

No, not per se drank him/herself to death... just someone who loved to drink and was known for that.
(Or if you know someone who is still alive, that's fine too! :))

Are you offering yourself, Nick?

I know one. He died a couple of years ago but I would not like his legacy to be that he was an alcoholic.

"for my project at school I need to find a typedesigner who was famous/notorious for his (or her) abuse of alcohol."

This quote sums up the state of design education in Belgium. Discuss.

No, I'll wait another 1½ hours before my G&T. ;^\

There's a fine line between enjoying alcohol and abusing it. Where that fine line is drawn is somewhat dependent on a person's ability to metabolize alcohol.

Luckily, I inherited my dad's liver. He's 75, drinks a lot of wine and stronger spirits (gin is his favorite, followed by bourbon), and is quite healthy, but I have yet to see him drunk in the "alcoholic" sense. However, I am not a type designer.

A type designer once wrote to me the following, which I like to quote from time to time: "As long as there is alcohol, I don't have a drinking problem."

☺

Say Nick, why wait? No matter where you are on our planet, it's 5PM somewhere.

I'm waiting 'till 4.30 - so maybe I am an alcoholic?

No one has responded to this thread thinking it's a job offer yet.
Evidently there are no alcoholic type designers.

Foster Brooks, but he (hiccup) never touched a font in his life :-)

Dean Martin was often "typecast" as a drunk ;-P

Wasn't René Albert Chalet pictured with a brandy glass on occasion?

Hemingway's books were typeset and he may had a glass or 2 in his life.

While we're on the subject of spirits, and considering that we should all try to get into the holiday "spirit," what is everyone's favorite?

I prefer bourbon, and like the Old Rip Van Winkle line the most. In terms of adult beverages that have a lower Proof, I tend to drink California red wines.

Has anyone tried Amarula?

Ken: Alas, assorted health issues prevent me from imbibing but I occasionally allow myself a Dutch, German, or Slovak beer ;-)

I knew this is turning out an interesting thread :-)
Scotch Single Malt for my part. When it comes to drawing type i prefer a good Bordeaux.

Herr Zapf was once quoted as saying one must have a glass of wine to get the proper slant when doing italic!

Loosely translated of course!

Gerry Leonidis said the same about learning lowercase Greek

According to Gerry, the authentic Greek lower case is permanently sloshed :-)

You might want to contact these guys:

http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/paratype/drunk/

I know a lot of them, sadly. But they are not famous or maybe just famous in their street :) And some of them are more alcoholics then designers (calligraphers especially).

During studies, I never thought that I'd be involved in fonts and somehow I considered that I'd have to have some neurotic problem to be a good calligrapher or typedesigner :)

Perhaps it is because punch-cutting depends on a steady hand that there are few type designers with that particular distinction.

As far as I know, this wasn't a problem of Goudy's, but given the saltier true version of the "stealing sheep" quote, I suppose that his biography would be one that is worth researching. Then we have Eric Gill, who, it is now learned, had rather worse weaknesses. I suppose if we really want to reach, we could even be suspicious of Beatrice Warde's choice of metaphors.

But really, typographic history appears to be, for the most part, rather staid, with very little in the way of scandal-sheet fodder.

"You know what real type designers do at 11 o'clock", http://www.typeradio.org/loudblog/index.php?id=10

Gill Did It!

Just show up at a TDC salon and stand near the wine table…

Guess I should chime in with the Norwegian aquavit, with my nationality and all, but I'm more of a whisky and pipe person.

"Calligraphers especially?"

Tourdeforce... you need to... well diplomacy keeps me from telling to go f**k yourself for that stereotype! Maybe it is just Serbian calligraphers that are drunks!

And I know that that is not true... maybe you are just prone to making stupid statements.

Notice the rosy cheeks in my picture... just had a couple of beers :-)

Gill Did It!

That’s not exactly specific.

hi there,

how is that:
i once saw Kurt Weidemann drinking half a liter of austrian beer while giving a presentation of his work in front of approx. 100 people.
- was pretty impressed!

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

isn't known as a typographer, but he did design/print posters & drink himself to death. Not sure if your teacher would accept this.

for my project at school I need to find a typedesigner who was famous/notorious for his (or her) abuse of alcohol.

Maybe you should change your project to (writing on?) a type designer who was famous for being an ax murderer.

Or, to examine the other side of the blanket, a type designer who was secretly a superhero.

That would be much more dramatic, and just as interesting.

Sorry Glotte I cannot help you there. But being from Belgium you must be proud of Herge, creator of Tintin and his alcoholic friend Captain Haddock, who used to shower colorful curses on those who cross him. Or did not, as in this case. The photoshopping is on the house- enjoy and outlive this strange school assignment.

Oh and here are three alcoholic types bold italic, bold, and extra bold:
http://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detail/90420573/Hulton-Archive
They were typecast (thanks Dezcom) as in the Frans Hals painting "The Laughing Cavalier"
http://www.oceansbridge.com/paintings/artists/h/hals_frans/oil-big/the_l...
...but I doubt they helped design this font:
http://www.ffonts.net/Cavalier.font

>That’s not exactly specific.

Lol
neither are any of the other charges against Gill!
So why not!?

Vladimir, I'm going to save that image onto my desktop for future use!

When your instructor for this class first walked in the room, did he say,
"Hello, my name is Martin and I am a Typoholic."

Just what are the 12 steps in typoholism Chris?

One of the inspirations for Fontesque was the furniture in a room in an old military building in Quebec City, an officer's club. All the chairs are distorted, some with legs of different lengths, others with a short arm on one side and a large on the other, and so on. It's like you're tipsy before you even start drinking.

However, as with much substance-inspired art and design (although music is somewhat different), it's only the inspiration that occurs when high, the execution is done straight. There are some forms of art that can be done with shaky hands, but I don't think making glyphs is one of them.

>Maybe you should change your project to (writing on?) a type designer who was famous for being an ax murderer.

Griffo, was famous for murdering his son-in-law with a metal bar. Maybe the booze made him do it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Griffo

>...I don't think making glyphs is one of them.

What about the old saying, "Just one... to steady the hands"?

>Griffo, was famous for murdering his son-in-law with a metal bar.

There is some disagreement on the translation of this. P. Lantin, in his book "Rampaging Drunk Killer Typographers: The Early Years, 812-1888", claims the true translation is that Griffo murdered his son-in-law "in" a metal bar.

I personally prefer a nice local seasonal beer for Yule, usually Jóla-Kaldi. Bells! Who needs burnt drink (fortified spirits) when there's beer to be had?

That is heavy, David ;-)

Tak Theunis

>...There are some forms of art that can be done with shaky hands, but I don't think making glyphs is one of them.>

Typoholics Cantholdamouse

By the way this article describes the spirit duplicator for printing papers at school etc. The students used to put the freshly-printed exam papers to their noses to sniff the alcohol. Hmm my monitor is odorless!:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_duplicator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9huSs0g67c#t=01m35s

Haha great clip sniff sniff, is that why they called it Ridgemont "High"? The teacher looks like my Arabic teacher in the 1950's.

Robert Brownjohn wasn't a type designer but he was a typographer/graphic designer who drank a lot and was addicted to drugs

this typographer was drunk on 2 bottles of whiskey at Harrods

http://dashperiod.tumblr.com/post/2323918799/fuck-off-harrods-done-by-a-...

That's hilarious Vince!

--
Most likely, in the days of lead type, those typographers with enough brain cells left unaffected by the lead to appreciate a buzz drank milk instead of beer.

;o)

Type designers have always been drunk with power.

@ Ross,
Robert Brownjohn wasn't a type designer but he was a typographer/graphic designer who drank a lot and was addicted to drugs

The alcoholic doctor in the village I grew up in was said to steady his hands with some oxygen and a dose of morphine... Maybe you're on to something there, Ross.

oh I like to drink a lot, and would like to think I'm known for it.

several of my fonts were inspired by booze.
and I like to encourage other people to drink more, too.
my best font is called Liquorstore.

problem is I don't do any interviews with students anymore.
because I am much too busy drinking.
i'm just here because I saw "alcoholic type designer" was
trending on Twitter and wanted to get in on that action.

a yeah, vince, that Harrod's piece is awesome.

LOL!!! Love it, Chank!

Chank that was truly inspiring! Time for a pint.

Chank is truly inspiring, and clearly is filled with the (or "a") holiday spirit. ☺

I'll drink to that!

Our bezzie, Chank, he drank and drank
to keep his spirits high.
With a Liquorstore and a fair few more,
he's inspired - but hardly dry.

Sounds like a poem from a man who has toasted a stein before ;-)

Oh, I do like an ale or lager now and then. We do have a few good'yins here in Unpronouncable-volcano-land. Mind, I am doubly-disqualified from this Wanted, since I'm far from alcoholic, nor am I a type designer. At least I don't think my few sketches in an old exercise book count.

thanks for the rhymes, Té!

i'm gonna switch from beer to scotch now and go see if I can spell my name in the snow...

#cheers, y'all!

Té, do you mean like this one?:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dezcom/4524004401/

Also, Chank is from a part of the country which gets as cold and snowy as yours. I hope he can "Write" quickly before his pen freezes ;-)

I don't know if this is basis for alcoholism, but I do my kerning pairs as hangover therapy. Since I already feel like shit, I might as well kern with it.
It's better than just stare at the tv.

LOL!!! Great one, Tomi :-)

There once was a kerner from Suomi
Which rhymes with his first name,"Tomi"
Now wait just a bit -
The poor guy's feeling like shit
Why bother him with all this baloney?

I think I have earned myself a glass of cheap "Mercian" wine.
And cheers to chank - neat community type design on your website.
Khyappy Kholidays to all!

Giggle Translate strikes again, dezcom... :-D

@Reynir: Let me in on the joke?

"... some farms have been *moved* ... [a] volcano is not *in danger* ..."

A suggestion for wording:

"Eldsumbrot undir Eyjafjallajökli á Íslandi"

"Frá því hefur verið greint at nokkrir bæir í Fljótshlíð hafi verið rýmdir en eldgosið skapi ekki hættu í byggð"

Thanks, Té!

Well; I'm drunk right now, and I'm re-designing my new Grumpy font. How's that? In Helsinki right now we get sunlight for 5h 47 min (up north they have none until late february), and we have some two feet of snow here (and more coming), so go figure…

One of my bestseller fonts in T-26, Tension, was created drunk; I've made a crappy serif font, and after looking at it with critical eye, and fortified with plenty of red wine, I started stretching stuff:

Alcohol Rules!

Tension looks really really good (but I do not like the 'cobweb' effect in the e), and I am sober as a judge as I say it!

I wonder whether the OP (aka Glotte) got the information he was seeking…

<....I wonder whether the OP (aka Glotte) got the information he was seeking…>

in any case we have to thank him and his teacher for starting this spirited thread.

I'll drink to that! ☺

Cheers!

In an attempt to stay on topic, has anyone here ever tried Blade Gin?

For Christmas I enjoyed a special treat - excellent Puerto Rican rum Ron del Barrilito
Feliz Navidad!!!

No gin or rum here, but did get a glass of egg nog, one of glögg (mulled wine), a Tuborg Christmas Brew and a Saku. Very mellow, that I was.

So far, all I drank was some lovely espresso made from my new espresso machine Christmas present ;-)

Plenty of red wine, my first ever egg nogg (pretty much liquid Crème brûlée), jaloviina (that's a favourite Finnish tipple; brandy mixed with grain alcohol), rhum and vodka. And yet: http://typophile.com/node/77514

I spiked our eggnog yesterday with some Maker's 46 (bourbon), and am enjoying it straight right now.

Non-dairy eggnog:

3 cups white rum. (dark works too)

Enjoy.

Merry Christmas, folks.

@russelim Non-alcoholic non-dairy eggnog:

3 cups

Cheers, and a Merry Christmas it was too.

or 3 eggs ;-)

Eggs?????

:o)

I'm all for minimalism, Vladimir, but there has to be a limit to it.

Are you working on any fonts or just drink? :)

OK OK back to work in 2011, but first some eggnog

Let me just finish this last PBR and you can do the report on me

@nicolemarie
What is PBR? The letters have a P shape in common. BTW great website

PBR aka Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. A weak, watery tasting beer quite popular in the 50s and 60s with farmers and workers. Recently adopted as "very cool" by hipsters everywhere.

Pabst Blue Ribbon was the first beer to make me sick back in my youth ;-)

After that, I went back to OC&nFe

[Old Crow & an Iron]

Just gotta send out a little more Liquorstore love...
from fontsinuse on the Egotist nameplates: http://fontsinuse.com/the-egotist-network/
and from the Mpls Egotist: http://www.themplsegotist.com/editorial/2010/november/30/egotist-briefs-...

Also, found out after I named Chunder that it's an Aussie word for vomit. So there's that.

Here's a quick and easy cocktail recipe:
Get some good scotch.
Pour it on some ice in a short glass.
Enjoy.

Scotch on the Rocks sounds better than Long Comfortable Screw Against The Wall. That name sounds downright Sunnyhellian to me.

Get some vodka. Spoil it with orange juice. That's a Screwdriver.

Pabst? Am I glad I'm not a 'hipster'. Sounds about as hip as longjohns on a sunbather.

@Té: It is just bad beer. Other than the cool story about the typeface it spawned, it is as hip as dishwater poured into flat beer ;-)

Well, I knew of Pabst from a lovemaking-in-a-canoe joke.

I once knew a typesetter/pressman who claimed alcohol was the best cure for lead poisoning. Whenever the levels in his blood got too high, he'd take a vacation, retreat to his country house and drink himself silly for a couple of weeks until "all the gunk was out".

Then again, pressmen are rather notorious drunks.

Just celebrated New Year's in Japan - with some Hennessy brandy I've been hoarding.
H e N ness Y => HNY => Happy New Year to you all!
@jmontalbano I see thanks for the explanation - there was quite a list of acronyms for
PBR

http://ministryoftype.co.uk/words/article/marisco/

Of a type designer and liquor, slightly off topic insofar as the type designer in question is not an alcoholic.

Matthew Carter tells the story of a time he was flying from the UK to the US and stopped in the duty free shop at Heathrow. He spied a bottle of Scotch whose label was printed using one of his types, so he bought it. As he exited the shop, a woman holding a clipboard asked him to take a market-research survey. When she asked him why he chose that particular brand of Scotch, he answered, "Because I designed the type on the label," and watched as the researcher puzzled over her questionnaire for a check box that corresponded to that answer.

LOL!!!

Funny. Well I did not design the type or the label, but I was happily surprised to know that this wine has my name on it ! Tastes good too.

And she puzzled and she puzzled 'till her puzzler was sore...