RKNet Blog... Thing

NotCot.org strikes again. This morning they posted a blurb about a book called Fifty Designers’ Current Favourite Typefaces. The book only costs 3£ and 100% of that 3 pounds goes directly to UNICEF to help aid victims - specifically the children - of the cyclone which happened in Myanmar (aka Burma) this past May.

It is put out by a design firm in the UK called Create / Reject. You may order the book directly from their website. There are photos of the interior of the book, as well as a list of all the designers who got involved. I can think of no more enjoyable way to lend a helping hand.

Lately I’ve gotten a really strong urge to learn how to screenprint, or silk screen as it’s also called. I’ve done some reading online, with MAKE/CRAFT magazine being particularly helpful. Still, as excited as I was I didn’t feel like I had quite enough information to really jump in and start buying screens and emulsion and inks.

Earlier, NotCot.org posted a link to a new book about screenprinting, called The Screen Printing Primer by Nick Paparone, Jamie Dillon. You can buy a signed copy directly from PrintLiberation.com for $25. Amazon also sells the book (unsigned) for about $16.

Print Liberation has some really pretty designs up on the site, featuring a lot of really elegant uses of typography. The book contains a few transparencies put together by them for people inspired by the book to get out there and do some experimenting right away, without worrying about the first big hurdle: what design could I come up with to print?

I’m really excited about this book. While it does take a little time, investment, and space to get started, I think that learning about the principles and the history could be a lot of fun and provide alternative ways to apply screenprinting that can be achieved without needing a whole big setup. But then again with some creative shopping and recycling, I’m sure there are ways to get around those issues, too.

Very cool project, very fun to see what’s come up most often on RKNet recently.

I was putting together a rather unexciting brochure, when I noticed that the capital Q in Arno Pro (Bold Caption) has a really elegant flow. Being familiar with the concept of typographical zoology, I decided to see what I could come up with. The tail-like nature of the letter of course lead me first to think of Felis catus, ye olde house cat. (A popular item on the internet these days, indeed.)

Enjoy!

Jeremy Pettis has a virtually unusable, but intriguing, site. There is almost nothing of value I can tell you about it except for the following facts:

• It features type designed around an animal for each letter of the alphabet.
• Each one spells out the name of the animal in the type design.
• Each panel links to its mirror on Flickr, but the description is still illegible.
• There is what I assume is a very stirring introduction to this project, but it is too small to read.
• Some of the type faces are brilliant. Some are just plain illegible, but still visually appealing as forms.
• The site scrolls horizontally.
• Another peek at the Flickr account reveals the following: “My Senior Thesis at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2007.”
• The Flickr account also reveals sketches generated during the early stages of the project.

Other than that, the only thing I can recommend is to visit the site and view for yourself. It’s a great artistic diversion, and the linked Flickr profile definitely has a lot more goodies and insight into the creator, but if you’re looking to find a legible copy of the introduction or the descriptions of each typeface, I’m all out of leads.

One of my favorite design blogs, I <3 Typography, linked to another really neat design blog today. More specifically, to The Book Design Review’s article on the author’s favorite book covers of 2007.

There are some really terrific ones in this post. Ones I found especially interesting:
Like You’d Understand, Anyway - Look For: The Escher-esque intertwined wrestlers.
One Red Paperclip - Look For: The simplistic obviousness of the non-verbal way the title is represented.
Fireproof - Look For: The seeming non-relation of cover to title, and the oddly chilling impression it leaves.
Darkness at Noon & The Yiddish Policeman’s Union - Look For: Obvious shoutouts to Soviet poster design.

Check them all out and if you’re actually able to narrow down a favorite, fill out the poll that author Joseph Sullivan has set up at the bottom of the post.