RISE fall
The and
OF
PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY
1416 Marilee Dr
Parking Lot
A&D Building
RISE fall
The and
OF
PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY
Krista Perkins
TYPE THAT GIVES
THE IMPRESSION
of
S TA M P
a
As I start my journey with the push of a button, my dog on the leash, and my camera in the other hand the sound of the garage opening leads us to take our first steps. One foot in front of the other, looking all around trying to find something to inspire me. The first object I see with type on it, I snap a picture. I decide to erase it, knowing that a trash can cannot be the thesis of my book. Walking around the subdivision, I notice the most type was on water appliances that are either embossed or debossed. Little did I know that the place that I call home during my college career is an alternate world of typography.
Embossed and debossed type tends to be descriptive and simple, usually containing three or few words. The type I found most interesting around my subdivision was debossed type, which seemed to give the impression of a stamp. This type seems to live in the environment that it exists in. I like how you can run one finger over the letters, forming an entire word when you are through.
The legibility of debossed type is questionable. Many times when glimpsing at the type, it is hard to read, especially if it’s on a very light color. One thing about debossed type is the outline of the type tends be lighter than the impressed letterform.
Tim Herndon is my neighbor, friend, and the designer of the architectural structuring of the pipelines in my subdivision.
When talking to twin sisters Brittany and Alyssa Potter (who are also my roommates), they were intrigued to know that these photos were taken in our own back yard. The beauty of embossing and debossing is right under your nose, everywhere you look.
As my dog leads me back to our house, I take one last look around, sniff in the fresh air and walk in the garage. The click of the leash, the push of the garage door button, and the slam of the door, ends our journey at 1416 Marilee Dr.
TYPE THAT
exists
in
environment
our
Five days a week, 7 months out of the year, I walk to the Art and Design building.
I step on the break, put my car in park, pull the emergency break, and take the keys out of the ignition. I step out of the car, gather my things, close the door, and begin my walk on a windy, rainy day.
I continue my walk, staring at the water hitting the pavement. As I walk over a manhole, I notice a sewer between the cracks of two cars. The sewer and the manhole have a few things in common. First, they both have embossed type, and second they both have dirty rainy water running down their paths.
As I run my black and white plaid rain boot over the embossed type, I notice the sheen the water adds to the type.
DEBOSSED AND EMBOSSED types exist in our environment, but in a three dimensional way. Embossed type comes off more legible. When looking at the various type on water appliances, one can see the outlines of the text is darker than the letterform itself. One aspect that could be problematic for embossed type is when people walk over these various letters forms they tend to ware down over a period of time.
I end this journey of my walk with the shiny reflection of me in the double doors of the art and design building. I look up into the rainy sky through my clear umbrella, clicking the silvers clasps. My left plaid boot and my slightly wet right hand reach for the handle on the door. I continue my journey into the various shops, studios and classrooms which most people just call the “A & D building.�
ALL
WHY is it
sans serif?
I Think about all the places I’ve been to discover embossed and debossed, typography: my subdivision, the parking lot, and around the art and design building. One question I have is, why is all embossed and debossed type sans serif?
Is it because this type tends to be descriptive and small? Or is it because it can be used for detail and ornamentation? One conclusion we can make from sans serif typefaces is that it is clear and concise.
Characteristics that make a sans serif successful: classic
recognizable bold stands out without decoration shows importance modern present simplified direct and straight forward catches your eye easy to read
The crisp, clean, uncluttered lines of sans serif fonts are the favorites of many designers.
The things that I noticed during this project made me look at things in a different way.
Now I can finally say “ I have an eye for type.� When starting this assignment, I had no clue what I was going to photograph, but not knowing made it an interesting journey. Finally noticing the items that I pass everyday, would become very useful to me. Now on my everyday walk to class, or to the parking lot, or even the walk from Marilee drive to my front door, I notice the items that I never use to notice before. One never knows what will become useful to you.
Embossing is the process of producing various materials, designs, or patterns in relief by mechanical means. The material is pressed between a pair of dies especially adapted to its hardness and the depth of the design needed.
CREDITS The contents in this book are from an interview with my neighbor Tim Herndon, and my roommates/twin sisters Brittany and Alyssa Potter.
Web sites http://desktoppub.about.com/classicfonts/Classic-SansSerif-Fonts.htm http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Embossing
All photos in the book were taken off a Cannon PowerShot A530