I recently finished reading Simon Garfield’s Just My Type: A Book About Fonts, a fabulous look at typography since the invention of the printing press. It’s good. While an entire chapter highlights absolutely abominable typefaces (of course, my arch-enemy Papyrus is high on the list), I’d rather try and focus on the positive. I’ve made a list of five typefaces that I really nerd out over.
P22 Johnston Underground – First and foremost, Johnston Underground is the font used for BBC’s Sherlock. To some this might not be the most newsworthy information, but well, I’m on Tumblr a lot, so you’ll have to forgive me for this one. Johnston Underground is based on Johnston Sans, which was developed for the London Underground. On my recent trip to London I couldn’t help geeking out over this sleek, clean beauty. Seriously, I am embarrassing to be around.
Gotham – This is one pretty baby. Employed by the Obama Administration during the 2008 campaign, Gotham is clearly a font that can hold its own. But I love it for more than that. Gotham should be celebrated for its numerous varieties. You’ve got your Gotham Thin, Gotham Book, Gotham Bold, Gotham X-Narrow Bold…I could go on, but I’ll just let you explore the Gotham universe yourself.
Franchise – Instead of discussing Franchise’s chic capital letters or juxtaposing rough, but clean vibe, I’ll just cut to the chase. The moral is that you have to dig through the clutter to find a typeface that fits the person you want the world to see. I use Franchise on my resume because I see it as an ideal fit for a document that showcases my work ethic, experience and personality. But hold your horses, think a bit and pick a font that represents you. Okay, lesson over.
Lobster – In the vein of Comic Sans, Brush Script and Papyrus, Lobster LT is criticized because it’s overused. I loved Lobster LT until I started seeing it everywhere. I know – I’m on a high horse. But I’m of the philosophy that the objective of typography is not to be noticed and praised, but to support communication. But today, as with Lavanderia, I’ll make a tiny exception because I just think it’s pretty. Lobster instantly feminizes in a fun, but stylish way. It’s obvious why people like it. Most recently, EssieButton, a well-known online beauty guru, has employed it as the chief font on her website and videos. I still have mixed feelings, but today it’s on my good list.
Trade Gothic – I’ve saved the best for last. When I look at Trade Gothic, I hear a heavenly choir singing its praises. Because it is glorious. Once again, I must force the blame on Hannah for introducing me to this san-serif masterpiece. As I strolled along the corridors of Washington D.C.’s Newseum this past week, I found my heart constantly aflutter as Trade Gothic’s beautiful lettering graces so many surfaces of that fabulous place. Have I mentioned that I like it a bit? I’ll just skip to the end then if we’re all in understanding about that. This little lady is ready for anything, so please download her and get to work.
Mischief Managed.
