Book Review - Just My Type (Simon Garfield)

Life changing stuff.

For a graphic designer and a typeface-manic, I couldn't have picked a better book. This book changed my attitude towards any font that is non-Helvetica.

In the beginning there was only Helvetica, for me. Now, thanks to this book there is Frutiger, there is Underground, there is Gill Sans, there is Interstate. Now I can walk the street and look at every letter around me and feel like I am seeing stars (as opposed to looking for only Helvetica and Futura before reading this book).

The only qualm I would have with this book is that the writer's (or designer's) choice of fonts for the cover is a bit too flambuoyant. I almost didn't pick the book up seeing it on the rack. If the cover had the titles on simple Gill Sans or Futura or even Frutiger (or, need I mention, in Helvetica), it would have been perfect.

Also, the writer sounds a bit pretentious sometimes. But then, excuse the fellow, he is only a writer of books and not a type designer or even a graphic designer. I have to applaud him for even writing such a book.

I felt sad when I finished the book. I wished there was more.. Where do I go from there?

Well, wikipedia, here I come.

Branding - Margaret Howell

I've seen a lot of Margaret Howell on magazines and style blogs and I always think about how I like the understated style they all show.

Margaret Howell is a British designer who has been in the scene for a while, and that shows too, in the confidence that her branding stance takes. Nothing New Yorky about it. Just stylish; English almost traditional.

But her website isn't all patterns and wooden beams. I really like the branding. (Picture on top)

One of the few times that Gill Sans MT looks nice, really nice. I've never used Gill Sans because the 'R' and 'M' look a bit not so friendly. But this here is great.

Howell also use only black and white photographs.

Majestic - What The Doctor Said About Christmas

This is a free supplement work book for the series of 'What The Doctor Said About Christmas' for December 2011 at Majestic Church, Christchurch (NZ).