Sunday, January 27, 2008

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back



So admittedly not strictly type, but I couldn't help share this little beauty from the brand-spanking new L-trains in NYC.

We've now got digital route information signs giving riders information about 'next stop', 'connecting routes' etc...

What I love is the legend at the bottom right that shows you the little digitized wheelchair icon, and how it equals the drawn wheelchair icon, and then how that equals "Accessible Stations". Isn't an icon an inherent failure when we need a legend to show a more clear picture of the exact same icon and then to also actually spell out what that icon means as well?

(ontop of that the LED wheelchair is red while the picture of the LED wheelchair is orange...)

(unofficial) NYC Villatype Challenge




So you know those beautiful punched-tin prism letters? These beautiful pics are taken a 10 minute walk from my house.

Help prevent a type-crime from being committed, you know then that building is rented out that sign will be trashed immediately.

I see the initials of many villatypers in there...


(ps they're held in by philips screws)
(pps of course I would never condone any illegal activity)

Platform 3B

Here is a sort of hidden gem on the go train platforms. I think they used to be all painted over, but now the paint is coming off.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Type from Leslieville







So I took the last photo for the cool van AND the street name.... Who doesn't love Degrassi junior high!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Buffalo

I went to Buffalo yesterday for the WNYBAC fontlab workshop put on by Richard Kegler of P22. The workshop was great, I am now inspired to work on my typeface with a bit more skill and knowledge.

I planned on taking some great shots of type in Buffalo before I took the bus back to Toronto but I ended up catching an earlier one out... and the light was fading... I only managed to take some drive-by shots, none of them really turned out except these two. Maybe on my next visit.


Sorry, this doesn't do justice to Buffalo, there was some great stuff, I just couldn't get it from the highway.


Happy to be home!

blue birds and moo cows


last Sunday at brunch I had to get a picture (shot by Anthony) of the creamer and s&p shakers (no, not because of my last name) I love diners and the cultural curiosities found inside. Please send me shots of type found in diners, I definitely want to put together a collection (perhaps in the villatype zine)


This shot was just about a block away from the diner, great name and I love the din-like type with the counter of that D missing (except for the G, it doesn't look right, too wide or something... and the setting is all wrong, but besides that...)

Friday, January 18, 2008

Dunlop Observatory Park




















Immediately south of David Donlap Observatory in Richmond Hill is the David Dunlap Observatory Park, which is essentially a scale model of the Solar System. (The first image is from Google Maps.)















The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and ars are in the circle above. Pluto is way off at the end of the walk way.











































Saturn is the dot in the middle of the large circle














The DDO is a Richmond Hill land mark that deserves to be preserved

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Jenn Lawrence on Etsy


One of our super awesome contributors, Jenn, has started an etsy shop. She makes these amazing collages with found vintage newspapers. A great way to showcase old newspaper type.

Jules Vernacular


Here is one of the best found type blogs I've seen. It was sent to me awhile back from Russell (thanks!) and I forgot to post it.

I've put it in the sidebar as well.