Original or a copy — Typophile archive

Novak11 June 2011 · 16:22

Hi,
I have found a very interesting case which might be interesting.
There is a free font which is based I gues on one of Berthold's fonts. One of graphic designers from Poland is claiming to design a new typeface as his Ph. D. thesis.http://translate.google.pl/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=pl&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=pl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.polskalitera.pl%2F&act=url
Looking at the project closely it seems to be a modified copy of Berthold's font - Laudatio BQ Light designed by Friedrich Poppl.

There is a big discussion on Polish graphic designes blog. http://translate.google.pl/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=pl&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=pl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fstgu.pl%2F2011%2F05%2Fapolonia-czy-arogancja%2F&act=url
Is it original or a copy? What is your opinion?

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Rasendyll

There are some clear differences between the two, and in many cases I'm not sure I don't prefer Apolonia's treatment, so I certainly wouldn't simply dismiss it as a copy. To what extent inspiration was drawn from Laudatio I'm not sure, nor am I familiar with the particular university's precise requirements around original work in a PhD, but I certainly see it as a different design with merit which goes beyond Laudatio.