The heading typeface
September 24, 2009
This is my current typeface for headings, Nadine.
I like it. It’s flamboyant and elegant. I can see what Brennen means about kerning, though. And it wasn’t free.
Now, I’m not totally set on a script typeface for headings. If I do use a scripty one, I’d like it to be as flamboyant and elegant as Nadine: not grungy, as many handwriting fonts are. Additionally, it has to look English.
There is a foundry called Suditpos, who also do beautiful script typefaces. Of these, I like Miss La Gatees, which has the flamboyance and elegance:
Mr Canfields, for similar reasons:
Herr someone-or-other, for different reasons:
And Belles Artes, which is like like handwriting and more like an Art Deco typeface:
Talking of Art Deco typefaces, I’d use one of those for a heading, if I could find a good one. It needn’t be a script typeface. It must look English, though: some fonts scream “New York” or “Germany”, and they’re not right.
This font, Smart Frocks, isn’t quite good enough, but I like the style.
I’d welcome some opinions.
September 24, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Ah, that explains it. You just have bad taste, Graham.
September 24, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Hilarious though that is, of course, it would be nice to have more details. Picking fonts isn’t something I’m great at, so tips would be good.
Graham
September 24, 2009 at 5:23 pm
I prefer the last one, looks nice, easily readable and gives off a certain 1920-30 flair feel to me.
September 24, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Thought I would add, if you are wanting a script typeface I much prefer the “I think this is lovely” font. It is a bit wider, easier to read at a quick glance and does not force me to stop and spend a few brain cycles to compute prior to continuing to the next bit of text. I love script fonts, but am highly annoyed by ones that are difficult to read…without a reason to be that way.
September 24, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I’d go with Mr Canfields myself.
My second choise would be Miss La Gatees.
I like Bellas Artes too, but I don’t feel it is close enought to the vibe I think you are going for with this.
September 24, 2009 at 7:20 pm
In case it helps – you can go to http://www.identifont.com and find fonts similar to a specified one, or answer a load of questions to track down ones that are a certain way.
I like the Gatees one best for readability, though somehow it seems it’d be a contrast with non-lovely subject matter.
September 24, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Gatees is pretty, but it’s also very fem. This game has murder in the title, and while i understand it is the restrained english style of murder it should have SOME balls.
May i suggest (after a very cursory search) the following:
http://www.veer.com/products/typedetail.aspx?image=RMT0000167
http://www.veer.com/products/typedetail.aspx?image=UMT0000191
or my fave of the lot…
http://www.veer.com/products/typedetail.aspx?image=CTT0000239
September 25, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Thanks. That last one’s gorgeous.
Graham
September 25, 2009 at 5:57 am
Graham, I’d like to post about what I do and don’t like about each of the typefaces, but I just had a jazz guitar duo gig at a gallery opening 2.5 hours away. I’m beat.
In the meantime, could you look at these English travel posters from the 1920s and see if any of these typefaces strike your fancy?
http://www.enjoyart.com/england2.htm
Notice the heavy, heavy use of Gill Sans and Gill Sans-inspired typefaces. You can’t get more English than that.
@Kevin, the Alize Regular (http://www.veer.com/products/typedetail.aspx?image=CTT0000239) is gorgeous. It’s too bad there isn’t a matching roman.
September 25, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I love those old London Transport posters. Dunnotar Castle is beautiful, too.
I’m also looking at some 1930s menus, such as this shipboard menu or this menu with a Toast List.
We should definitely explore this Gill Sans-based option. I can think of two issues, though.
Firstly, those fonts won’t go with the fleurons I’ve got at the moment. I’m not sure what to do about that: I like the fleurons. If I do abandon them, I notice those menus, above, use very simple dividers and devices instead.
Secondly, it’s essential that it doesn’t look like a railway timetable. Those posters are great, but solidly aimed at the middle classes. This is an upper class game, so I personally think it needs to be much more menu-like.
I’m confused where to go with this. Brennen, could you perhaps do another post, so we can explore the Gill Sans thing?
Graham
September 25, 2009 at 11:32 am
Sorry, I was just poking fun. None of the typefaces you like mesh with the period and many of them are hard to read. Why do you want your headers to be hard to read?
I second Gill Sans! You could choose an especially dowdy version, which would still be luminously clear but convey some bookishness and early century sensibility.
September 25, 2009 at 11:45 am
If you wanted to go with something more period-appropriate, like in the posters Brennen posted, I’d consider Chalet London 1980 in all caps (despite the year attached). It’s a lovely sans font that’s very professionally put together, and the capital Rs are lovely, which is good for a game whose title has so many.
If you’re still all about the swooshiness, I’d reiterate what I said to you earlier and get someone to hand-letter it. The problem with script fonts is that they either look too sterile and mechanical, or else they are unreadable. In some cases, both.
September 25, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I’d like to explore those Gill Sans-esque fonts, definitely. Chalet London is too expensive, but beautiful.
Graham
September 25, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Graham, I’ll talk about Eric Gill’s masterpiece when I’m finished teaching guitar lessons this evening. Give me about 9 hours or so, and I’ll be right on it.