The tg Font Collaboration Thread

[Gare]

Here’s the deal, just because we could debate this into oblivion, I’m making up the structure and the rules to get us collaboratively to a goal. I appoint myself, because I say so. So there. ;)

We are going to collaborate on a typeface. The font is going to be a trace-off—with lots of room for creativity and personal skill—from the Celebrated Burgeon Stamp Collection of 1924 or so. They are truly nice designs, representative of both the Art Deco and Art Nouveau eras, with a little Arts & Crafts on the side. Barbara Bouton contacted what’s left of the heirs of the company, they blessed us liberating the designs; actually, I think the conversation went, “1929? We could care less…”

So having secured the rights to scores of designs, I’m putting PNGs, high res, together, and will give the first 6 people who offer to trace the designs off their own PNG. If you’re truly, really, honestly, childishly unhappy with any of the designs, feel free to swap them on this thread with another artist.

Be aware of at least two things here: we’re looking for the artist’s intent in your restorations to Xara file format. So if a line is a little off, make it symmetrical or straighten it, for the good of the glyph’s design. These ornaments were made without the assistance of a computer or Xara. Now, some of the pages were curled, and had water warping, so work around it. Also, it might help to use Xara’s Photo filters to up the contrast so you can see what you’re doing. Also (also), some of these patterns were designed for the rim of ceramic dining plates, and therefore the design has some arc distorting instead of being nice and tidy along the verticals and horizons. For extra, extra points, and a general sense of well-being and accomplishment, try to un-curve such an ornament.

I’ll get to the size I need them submitted a little later: volunteer right now and at the moment I have two PNG pages, with the other 4 to come.

Then we’ll need people with TrueType or other font editor to do the compiling work and the coding. I’d go with Type Tool if not FontLab because the project file format is the same and we can share. So I volunteer, and could use some help.

Ready, Steady, FONT!



—g