TypeNotes – ISSUE No. 1
Wenn ihr Design, Typografie und Magazine liebt, die sich mit genau diesen Dingen beschäftigen, solltet ihr euch mal TypeNotes angucken. Dieses neue Magazin zeigt die Welt der Typografie aus der Sicht von Typedesignern, der in London ansässigen Type Foundry Fontsmith. Anlässlich ihres 20. Firmenjubiläums und der Liebe zur Schrift, gibt es eine limitierte Auflage von 3.000 Stück in ihrem Shop zu erstehen.
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Introducing TypeNotes, a new magazine dedicated to typography, design and those who love them.
Simultaneously dispelling the notion that typography is just for design geeks while also catering for font fanatics, TypeNotes is a new print magazine love letter to letterforms.
The inaugural issue of the publication from London-based type foundry Fontsmith is launched to celebrate the company’s love of type and the craft behind making it, as well as marking the studio’s 20th birthday this year. The publication explores all things type-based from a passionate and knowledgeable standpoint, drawing on the foundry’s in-house expertise as well as voices from across the creative industries worldwide.
The TypeNotes team is thrilled to have worked with Lance Wyman, APFEL, Craig Oldham, Hey Studio, Why Not Associates and so many more on this issue. Features include an in-depth exploration of type in film and television, how ad-land uses lettering to sell and persuade, an exploration of the legacy of Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase, icon designs through the ages, designing for cassette tapes, how typographers create optical illusions, photo essays, and so much more.
Delving into the minutiae of drawing type, the magazine also offers an in-depth look at type design best practice and the intricacies of drawing more unusual punctuation points – Fontsmith’s designers revel in the peculiar little pilcrow, and pine for a time when designers get to indulge in daggers and double daggers. Elsewhere, a specially created pullout explores how best to design for luxury clients, and examines how different high-end brands use their fonts (some, Fontsmith found, do so fabulously – some default to Arial.)
TypeNotes was designed by the brilliant folks over at The Counter Press, a small studio that specialises in thoughtful, typographically focused design. The concept was based around the idea of a traditional ruled notebook, with subtle nuances that hint at tradition and craft but with a distinctly contemporary feel. Among the Fontsmith fonts used throughout TypeNotes are FS Sally, FS Maja, FS Siena, FS Lucas, FS Elliot and FS Silas Slab, and the magazine is printed on Fedrigoni paper.
The Counter Press says: “Designing something primarily aimed at designers is always tough, they’re a notoriously difficult audience to please. And with so many great typefaces at our disposal, it would’ve been easy to get carried away, include too much and almost over-design it.
»Instead we wanted to keep it simple and let the content and type take centre stage, while also allowing the magazine to find its own voice and distinct personality. Ultimately the aim was to create something that was enjoyable to both hold and read.«
The magazine is printed in a limited-edition run of 3,000 copies, and each issue comes with a free typographic terms poster designed by Exeter-based studio Believe In.
Acting editor Emily Gosling is a London-based design and arts journalist and an editor at AIGA Eye on Design. She was previously deputy editor at It's Nice That and reporter at Design Week.
Jason Smith, Fontsmith founder and creative director, says: »TypeNotes is a collection of ideas about type and design that we hope will be something to keep and collect – a beautiful thing to hold in your hands, something you can sit and read and take in at a slower pace.«
»In many ways our business can seem old fashioned in today’s digital society. My first port of call for any new project is still very much the drawing board and sketchbook rather than the computer. My ambition is to share our little world of craft – what we do and what makes us think. Hopefully it will inspire you too.«
About Fontsmith
Fontsmith is a leading and established boutique type foundry known for creating fonts that are distinctively human and full of character. Founded in 1997 by Jason Smith, Fontsmith today represents a truly international team of designers working from a London studio.
The Fontsmith library includes an extensive collection of typefaces – elegant and traditional, contemporary and quirky – suitable for a range of applications. In addition the team designs and creates bespoke typefaces for global brands, as well as design and advertising agencies. For more information visit www.fontsmith.com.
Notes to the editor:
Publisher: Fontsmith
Designers and Art Directors: The Counter Press
Creative Director: Jason Smith
Marketing Manager: Tamasin Handley
Acting Editor: Emily Gosling
