Surfing for lessons, inspiration, neon, terms, and the culture of typography: surf #5

Now we continue with an unusual mix of talents from urban neon artist to a typography lesson from noted typography trainer and expert, Ilene Strizver! We're almost finished on surf #6, so better get into this one right away!

Branding requires a balance between strategy and design.Type Terms You Need to Stop ConfusingType integration into illustrationThe Culture and knowledge of Type . . . Urban InterventionsUrban Interventions

Contemporary visual artist Olivia Steele really has it going on! We'll probably visit Olivia again for our "Designing Women" issues in March and April!

Olivia uses neon light, video, and a lot of vision in her masterpieces--truly an amazing career of innovation in the arts!

Full story : caligraphy in Neon

Type integration into illustration

Type, fonts and lettering are not always typeset--and you can find some really fun illustrated typography at Peter Donnelley Illustration

Peter Donnelley worked in the animation industry for fifteen years before establishing a career as a successful illustrator. Much of the work he creates today reflects this knowledge of design and colour as well as an interest in folk art, mid century and vintage printing. His style is flat and graphic , heavily textured and focused around strong personality, composition and rhythm.

Full story : Peter Donnelley Illustration

Various shots from Peter's design life

Branding requires a balance between strategy and design.

Mucca, ad ci-ci design firm in New York does really fine type and typography, but the cover for Print Magazine's February issue is the one that got our attention. "Type Today" is, as the title suggests, dedicated to fonts--Matteo Bologna, makes the case for custom type.

This is a very hot design firm in New York that is evidently so hot they don't need an "about" page in their web site! So we really won't know much about who these people are. So much for branding experts. We do know there's a lot of great work shown there and if you're buying great work you really don't have to know who did it!

Full story : Mucca

Print Magazine Cover

Local restaurant packaging and POP

The Culture and knowledge of Type . . .

TypeCulture LLC is an independent digital type foundry and academic resource owned by Mark Jamra. While their fonts are really superb, you'll be well served by their resources library.

Here are dozens of articles and essays that will enhance your knowledge and understanding of type and typography like no other site you'll find online! If you read all these, you'll know more about typography than almost everyone, including me!

Read this interview with Mark Jamra of Type Culture! http://creativepro.com/typetalk-mark-jamra-typeculture/

Full story : TypeCulture

Type Terms You Need to Stop Confusing

We get quite frustrated with new designers coming online who really haven't a clue, but then start tossing around these terms. LinkedIN is full of discussions by newby designers who are slightly confused.

Thanks to Ilene Strizver all those typographic terms that are either commonly confused with other terms, or are simply misunderstood in their own right--will be clearly explained. So when you run across someone tossing around these widely misused words, send'em here

Full story : Ilene Strizver-Stop using these confusing terms!

Is it readable? Or, is it legible?