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steveb · 13-04-2007, 09:50

I've been surprised a few times by requests for help in identifying fairly common fonts. I made a little list of about twenty typefaces which I think it would be good for a designer to learn to recognize, if only to make life easier. Of course, becoming familiar with all the variants of each typeface (condensed, italic etc) helps too.

Here are my "essentials" in no particular order.

Futura, Univers, Helvetica, Arial (yes, you have to learn the difference!), Gill Sans, Palatino, Garamond, Eras, Kabel, Avant Garde, Rockwell, DIN, Frutiger, Times, Eurostile/Microgamma, Optima, Rotis, Olive, Bodoni, Peignot

John Good · 13-04-2007, 11:11

try yourself at typophile, I bet you're not so good as you think

steveb · 13-04-2007, 11:22

Yah! It's not a competition though, is it, when you have to match a bit of type in a logo or summat and have to waste another half hour going through two thousand misnamed fonts in Corel's handbook or through ancient Letraset catalogues!

I wasn't trying to make some kind of snide remark either, John - simply saying that putting names to the faces of familiar friends is a timesaver. I've always been the guy who people come to to ask about identifying fonts at my workplaces and apart from being happy to help, I got a bit of professional respect too.

But I had entire words or sentences to work with, not enlarged fragments of one glyph like on the site you posted!

John Good · 13-04-2007, 11:30

then maybe you could sharpen your skills at the beginner level ?

Herr Kurm · 13-04-2007, 11:41

add Palace script and Times new roman to the list, recently I only see those friggin typefaces

steveb · 13-04-2007, 11:53

John - they seem to be having a competition to see who else knows utterly irrelevant and obscure typefaces. And that's exactly NOT what I'm trying to get at. If it helps, I regularly score 8/10 of the Arial vs. Helvetica test. arial or helvetica? | a quiz from iliveonyourvisits.com

Mr Kurm - those script fonts are cuntish too. Palace and Wedding are two which get lots of use in Finland in women's magazines. I suppose they think it looks romantic or feminine instead of weak and unimaginative!

Herr Kurm · 13-04-2007, 12:05

Palace Script is actually a cheap Exmouth ripoff, Ive replaced it recently when my clients dont believe me

steveb · 13-04-2007, 12:57

Was your last weekend's poem in Exmouth? Whatever - someone said they couldn't read it. I also find script unpleasant to read, at the borderline of legibility. I remember my very first typographical argument in about 1968 with an elderly relative when I said that the print on our table placemats was almost impossible to read. He launched into a diatribe about how handwriting had deteriorated over the years (this was in England) and that Palace script represented the highest ideal of handwriting. Of course, he was being faithful to what he'd had to learn as a child in about 1910. I said it was difficult to read anyway. What a precocious child.
It's still almost illegible and should be used only on wedding invitations!

Herr Kurm · 13-04-2007, 13:12

nope, it was Chopin script and I´ve seen it printed - its pretty nice. On screen it is shitty tho.

steveb · 13-04-2007, 13:15

Yeah, what can you do with 72 pixels. I thought it looked OK for what it was. Shall we do it again this weekend?! Oh, let's! lol

Herr Kurm · 13-04-2007, 13:34

I am planning to get shit drunk this evening and staying like that to Monday - fucking around with letterpress six hours a day for a week has taken its toll. Most of the fucking typefaces havent been digitized and some letters are missing etc.

steveb · 13-04-2007, 14:24

That's offal. What was the name of the Scottish pub near the town centre? I must go there next time I come to Tallinn. Hey, I could wear my kilt!

13-04-2007, 09:50	#1 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	Do you recognise these typefaces? I've been surprised a few times by requests for help in identifying fairly common fonts. I made a little list of about twenty typefaces which I think it would be good for a designer to learn to recognize, if only to make life easier. Of course, becoming familiar with all the variants of each typeface (condensed, italic etc) helps too. Here are my "essentials" in no particular order. Futura, Univers, Helvetica, Arial (yes, you have to learn the difference!), Gill Sans, Palatino, Garamond, Eras, Kabel, Avant Garde, Rockwell, DIN, Frutiger, Times, Eurostile/Microgamma, Optima, Rotis, Olive, Bodoni, Peignot

13-04-2007, 11:11	#2 (permalink)
John Good + Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tropical Networks Posts: 1,605	try yourself at typophile, I bet you're not so good as you think __________________ Fonts are like cologne: A bad choice speaks louder than a good one. Justin Feinstein

13-04-2007, 11:30	#4 (permalink)
John Good + Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tropical Networks Posts: 1,605	then maybe you could sharpen your skills at the beginner level ? __________________ Fonts are like cologne: A bad choice speaks louder than a good one. Justin Feinstein

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13-04-2007, 11:22	#3 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	Yah! It's not a competition though, is it, when you have to match a bit of type in a logo or summat and have to waste another half hour going through two thousand misnamed fonts in Corel's handbook or through ancient Letraset catalogues! I wasn't trying to make some kind of snide remark either, John - simply saying that putting names to the faces of familiar friends is a timesaver. I've always been the guy who people come to to ask about identifying fonts at my workplaces and apart from being happy to help, I got a bit of professional respect too. But I had entire words or sentences to work with, not enlarged fragments of one glyph like on the site you posted!

13-04-2007, 11:41	#5 (permalink)
Herr Kurm bloody peasant Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 2,697	add Palace script and Times new roman to the list, recently I only see those friggin typefaces

13-04-2007, 11:53	#6 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	John - they seem to be having a competition to see who else knows utterly irrelevant and obscure typefaces. And that's exactly NOT what I'm trying to get at. If it helps, I regularly score 8/10 of the Arial vs. Helvetica test. arial or helvetica? \| a quiz from iliveonyourvisits.com Mr Kurm - those script fonts are cuntish too. Palace and Wedding are two which get lots of use in Finland in women's magazines. I suppose they think it looks romantic or feminine instead of weak and unimaginative!

13-04-2007, 12:05	#7 (permalink)
Herr Kurm bloody peasant Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 2,697	Palace Script is actually a cheap Exmouth ripoff, Ive replaced it recently when my clients dont believe me

13-04-2007, 12:57	#8 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	Was your last weekend's poem in Exmouth? Whatever - someone said they couldn't read it. I also find script unpleasant to read, at the borderline of legibility. I remember my very first typographical argument in about 1968 with an elderly relative when I said that the print on our table placemats was almost impossible to read. He launched into a diatribe about how handwriting had deteriorated over the years (this was in England) and that Palace script represented the highest ideal of handwriting. Of course, he was being faithful to what he'd had to learn as a child in about 1910. I said it was difficult to read anyway. What a precocious child. It's still almost illegible and should be used only on wedding invitations!

13-04-2007, 13:12	#9 (permalink)
Herr Kurm bloody peasant Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 2,697	nope, it was Chopin script and I´ve seen it printed - its pretty nice. On screen it is shitty tho.

13-04-2007, 13:15	#10 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	Yeah, what can you do with 72 pixels. I thought it looked OK for what it was. Shall we do it again this weekend?! Oh, let's! lol

13-04-2007, 13:34	#11 (permalink)
Herr Kurm bloody peasant Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 2,697	I am planning to get shit drunk this evening and staying like that to Monday - fucking around with letterpress six hours a day for a week has taken its toll. Most of the fucking typefaces havent been digitized and some letters are missing etc.

13-04-2007, 14:24	#12 (permalink)
steveb 389 ppm and rising Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Järvenpää, Finland Posts: 5,475	That's offal. What was the name of the Scottish pub near the town centre? I must go there next time I come to Tallinn. Hey, I could wear my kilt!

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