LinoLetter 2006/10

Ghostly Scripts and Buried Treasure

! Welcome to the Current Issue of the LinoLetter !

Introduction:

October is filled with ghouls and ghosts, as well as things that go bump in the night. But every year, the tenth month comes to a happy end with Halloween and candy! This month, the Linotype newsletter team will take you out trick-or-treating a little early. First for the tricks-namely, how to deal with and differentiate between hyphens and dashes in text. Linotype’s Type Director, Akira Kobayashi, shows us how in his popular “Akira says...” column. Then for the treats – lots of great fonts! Our two featured typefaces this month, Rubber Stamp and Banshee, are perfect for Halloween parties and invitations: Rubber Stamp looks like it could adorn a pirate’s chest, while Banshee appears to have been written by a ghost. If these two fonts aren’t enough goodies for your Halloween basket, make sure not to miss out on our Halloween Value Pack, located in the "Don’t Forget" section at the end of this LinoLetter.

Have fonts of fun!

In this Issue:

Grungy all-caps goodness – a Rubber Stamp font called “Rubber Stamp”
Hauntingly good handwriting – Banshee
Hyphens, en-dashes, and em-dashes – Which mark is used where?
Prof. Ellen Lupton's tremendous online resource – Thinking with Type

Grungy all-caps goodness – a Rubber Stamp font called “Rubber Stamp”

Some typefaces have names that are quite descriptive. Not only do they hint at their appearance, but they also suggest great uses for themselves as well. Rubber Stamp is a good example of a well-named font. Created in 1983 by British artist Alan Birch, its forms convey all the immediacy, impact, and effect of a stencilled design or of rubber stamps pressed onto paper. With a corroded, rough-around-the-edges feeling, Rubber Stamp also gives an impression similar to the old, beat-up-looking typewriter fonts that were popular among designers during the 1990s.

Take Rubber Stamp out for a test drive; download the font now

Hauntingly-good handwriting – Banshee

The wind howled, the night grew long, and British type designer and lettering artist Tim Donaldson created this typeface, aptly named Banshee. A dramatic display face modeled after one of Donaldson’s hand-lettering styles, Banshee began as letters rapidly written by Donaldson with one of his homemade ruling pens. Its characters are firmly rooted in the tradition of classical chancery italics, but with a wicked twist: with ragged lines and counters, Banshee both realistically captures the irregularity of pen and ink on paper, as well as sending a chill down the spine of the reader. Use this type to lend immediacy to packaging, advertisements, posters, and invitations, whether for Halloween or any other appropriate event during the year. Few digital typefaces can match Banshee’s howl!

Check out Banshee now, before the lights go out

Hyphens, en-dashes, and em-dashes – Which mark is used where?

There are a number of horizontal marks on a keyboard and inside a font. What are the correct ones for which settings? “Akira says...” is Linotype.com’s typographic advice column, and this month we’re tackling the stress-inducing topic of hyphen and dash differentiation. Through a series of simple illustrations, all worries surrounding this topic will be laid to rest.

Click over to this month’s typographic how-to column, and find the answers to your typesetting questions today

Prof. Ellen Lupton’s tremendous online resource – Thinking with Type

Ellen Lupton, the typography professor and author from Baltimore, Maryland, has been the talk of several recent typography conferences (she even delivered the keynote speech ATypI conference in Lisbon last month). One of her newest books, Thinking with Type, is a comprehensive guide for students and professionals alike. Some of the juiciest details may be viewed online, along with several interactive games and animations.

The Thinking with Type book and website are two resources that are not to be missed!

Our Halloween Value Pack

For the Halloween Value Pack, Linotype has pieced together three text typefaces and two symbol fonts that are sure to offer unbeatable combinations for your Halloween design needs.

Five fonts for a frightfully fun Halloween celebration can be yours for just USD/EUR 75.00 (excl. VAT) – buy your copy today!.

Fonts by Inspiration

Linotype’s Expert Choices present selected typefaces that have been chosen for their level of quality and suitability in a number of various categories.

Let yourself be swept away by these inspiring fonts!

We hope you found this issue of the LinoLetter informative and useful. We highly appreciate your feedback at info@linotype.com

The next issue of this newsletter will be published and dropped in your mailbox at the beginning of November.

Your Linotype Online Team

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