posted
I've been working on a new Becker font, and while it is hard to judge its worth from just an image, any thoughts or opinions?
I'll withhold my own comments for a bit ...
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
just what i was looking for for a glass gold piece...!!!
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well you know I love it. Is there such a thing as a bad Becker alphabet? Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
boy--you guys are a lot less critical than I am!!! There are things I like here, and some things that didn't turn out quite like I expected. I tried to stay authentic to the period and the style, and that I think is what messes with me.
There will be a freeware version, of course, in a few more days.
mike
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Gene, You created a very useful font, because the thin strokes are weighty enough to be legible from a distance. Most type fonts with extreme thick to thin stroke weight proportions, like "Broadway" or "Bodini", are not very mutch use to a sign designer. Good look! and Good Luck! Mark Baty
-------------------- Mark Baty Mark 1 Studio 1980 SE Leeann Drive Waukee, IA 50263 Posts: 45 | From: Waukee, Iowa | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've yet to use this on a sign, but as Mark said, Bodoni is kinda worthless because of the small serifs.
I actually picked this font for the "bodoni" like serifs and hopefully they are the right thickness. I had to invent the lowercase, lifting from as many sources as possible, the numbers too. the lowercase actually came out pretty good.
I hope this will be a "go to" workhorse font around the shop, but only time and layouts will tell.
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Great alphabet except the "K". That knee on it looks out of place even tho it always works on the "R". Maybe make the character wider or else move the junction of the upper slash upwards so the angle is steeper, then the bottom slash could join without that bump in the middle. Just me I guess.
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
I love both the K and the Q. I'm thinking this would be more of a display type alphabet, not used for lots of small copy. I think it would be quite legible using caps and lower case.
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Nice, Michael . . . fills a void in that style of serifed letter, in my opinion . . . Mark Baty's comment seems to resonate the most. (Howdy Mark!!) Graham's comment has some merit also re: visibility . . . but I think it could be worked around . . . how many Q's do we actually use day to day . . .??
Most of us love getting chances to freshen up our styles with new fonts . . . whether it falls out of favor in time is unimportant . . .
Just out of curiosity . . . which letters bug you?
-------------------- Jay Allen ShawCraft Sign Co. Machesney Park, IL jallen222@aol.com http://www.shawcraft.com/
"The object of the superior man is truth." -Confucius Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
The K and Q messed with me quite a bit. I worked on the K until it looked right, but kept it completely authentic to Becker's K. Still, for my taste, it is a little odd, but I can live with it.
As for the Q, I tend to agree with Graham. I may have to think on that one. Maybe an alternate K needs considering too?
Jill is right about the lowercase. It works just fine, maybe even better than the uppercase.
the number 2 also messes with me, but I was told by my font partner to leave it alone.
My biggest worry, though, is that the serifs will be too small. I think so far we are safe. We'll know the truth once I start giving out the freeware version.
[ September 22, 2009, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Michael Gene Adkins ]
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
I have always been partial to fonts of yesteryear, many distintive fonts that were used and modified for display advertising on signage.
I have a great old book that belonged to my dad when he was in the letterpress printing business, titled: Specimen Book and Catalogue 1923, by the American Type Founders Co.
-------------------- Len Mort Signmaker1.com 11 Juniper Drive Millbury, MA 508-865-2382 "A Good Business Sign, is A Sign of Good Business"(1957) Posts: 811 | From: Millbury, Ma | Registered: Dec 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I love the K and the R don't touch them! they have class and style and individuality and they are the letters that set this font apart from the rest. Nice!
-------------------- Dan E. Kearfott KEARFOTT GRAPHIX 312 W. 8th St. Gibson City, IL 60936
Success comes in "Cans", Failure comes in "Cant's" Posts: 121 | From: Gibson City, Illinois | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
hahaha ... I have put together an alternate K and 2 alternate Qs, but they will be in the extended range, accessible via character map. The R remains untouched. Final kerning tonite. Will try to post alts I just mentioned sometime tonite or tomorrow.
Font will be ready for use and abuse by the morning. Will try to get it on my site for freeware download as quick as possible. Hopefully it will fulfill the need I envision for it!!!!
thanx to everyone for your comments!
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Michael . . . I don't object to the #2 . . . but . . . while it may be a visual thing/optical illusion, the bottom leg of the 3 seems to extend farther past the top stroke on the left . . . on the 5 it seems shorter than the top stroke . . .
Is it just a visual thing?
-------------------- Jay Allen ShawCraft Sign Co. Machesney Park, IL jallen222@aol.com http://www.shawcraft.com/
"The object of the superior man is truth." -Confucius Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
the ampersand was not done when graphic was first posted ... here it is (very simple and clean and bodoni-like) along with alternate treatments of K and Q.
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
the 5 and 3 were authentic to the time-frame, and you aren't imagining anything ... it does mess with the viewer quite a bit, I agree, but I'm sooooo tempted to just leave it as is ... unless I hear a ton of complaints ...
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
After the time you put into these . . . NO . . . not worth it, Michael.
That's to the point of nitpicking - but I sensed you wanted to know all - both glaring concerns and nitpicky little inconsequential issues like the stroke length . . .
Only designers look that closely . . . and your choice to keep true to Alf's original is the proper thing to do.
(You've seen Billy Pickett's copied book of ARB fonts, right? He got them all from the archives at ST. What a guy!!)
Think I'll put this font to use . . .!!
-------------------- Jay Allen ShawCraft Sign Co. Machesney Park, IL jallen222@aol.com http://www.shawcraft.com/
"The object of the superior man is truth." -Confucius Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would keep it period-correct, that's one of the things that make it enjoyable to me. Yes it is a bit quirky, but we are all so used to computer-perfect everything that anything different jumps out to us. I like when that happens. And still treasure my binder from Billy.
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ahhh ... so more than one of you guys has Billy's "binder," eh???
SOT got the copies from him and sent copies to me.
My most treasured Becker piece, however, is the original magazine with a full page ad advertising the release of his 100 alphabets.
I've also got a copy of the 100 alphabets itself.
Plus, there is one other Becker treasure lurking out there that I've managed to luck into, and no one has this one!!!, which is kinda the reason I'm jumping back into getting some more Becker's done. But I'm keeping mum on this one for awhile. I promise you, however, when you see it, you'll be amazed!!!
Stay tuned, kiddies!!!
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Kudo's to your font work and leave the 'Q' alone, it is what it should be.
Jack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
Jill the ripper has already threatened me about the Q-!!! Any changes will be in the extended range of alternate characters only ... the original K, Q, plus the wonky but cool 5 & 3, stay exactly where they are.
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sorry, personally I don't care for the alternate letters. Seams you are trying to make the design something it is not. Doing what you did to the second Q, seams you would have to do the same to the middle bar of the E, then the whole alphabet becomes a whole new design. Changing the K makes it lose its quirkieness. Then you would have to change the R, and it would become toooo bulky. But then who am I to judge.
-------------------- Bill'n'Annie Davidson Heathcote, NSW, Aus. my Aussie wife, a Toohey's Old, my Holden Ute, Retired from the rat race! Posts: 309 | From: Heathcote, NSW, Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
My only concern with the Q is if someone who's business starts with a Q decides their sign is too hard to read because the standard Q tends to look like an O from a distance.
But, hey ... that's why they are just alternates and why I left all the original letters intact! And you should ALWAYS feel free to judge when it comes to my fonts, especially if I ask for an opinion! I never, EVER claim to have all the answers! But I am happy that everyone appreciates this font's "quirkiness."
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic