Silk-Screen Prints, Ellipsis, and Akiyoshiʼs Illusions | Nguyen Gobber #3
Dec 19, 2022 3:17 pm
Hey!
For this issue, we put together a wide range of things from limited edition silk-screen prints and inspiring typeface compendiums to AI-driven conversations with the moon and a trippy website from a Japanese psychology professor.
Youʼll also learn how to avoid the most common (micro-)typographic mistakes so you wonʼt leave an unprofessional impression.
Donʼt hesitate to forward this issue to your friends or share your thoughts with us by replying directly to this email.
Enjoy reading!
Hoang & David
NEWS
“NEVER STRAIGHT FROM A TO B” AT INTL 2022
In Glasgow, online, in a book … and at your place?
Our poster was selected from 9514 submissions in the International Poster Competition. It got exhibited in Glasgow, is still shown online at Olympia Gallery and the Poster World app, and can be found in the International Poster Book.
To celebrate, weʼre selling a limited number of silk-screen prints of this yearʼs print run. The posters are printed with white and (transparent) silver on 70 × 100 cm black paper.
OUR TYPEFACES IN GOOD COMPANY
Typodarium, New Aesthetic, and Bizarre Typefaces
We picked 3 publications from 2022 that showcase our typefaces and make a perfect Christmas present for a design-savvy friend (or yourself).
Typodarium 2023 is a 365 day type calendar, featuring our typefaces Farmacia, Hofmann, Kiosk, and Monopol.
New Aesthetic 3 is a book showcasing experimental type designs including Hofmann (also as a poster artwork).
Re-imagine Bizarre Typefaces is a compendium of … well … bizarre typefaces showcasing our Hofmann and Kiosk.
INSIGHTS
COMMON (MICRO-)TYPOGRAPHIC MISTAKES TO AVOID
These mistakes leave an unprofessional impression
This is for everyone who writes as part of their job, may it be for a research paper, for a business website, or for an invitation to an event. Design students and junior designers might also get something out of this. Only experienced typographers are allowed to skip this part. ;)
1 – The Correct Apostrophe
I'm a typewriter apostrophe. ✗
I′m a prime symbol. ✗
Iʼm a correct apostrophe. ✓
The correct apostrophe is shaped like a “9”.
These mistakes mostly happen because your keyboard canʼt be trusted. The key youʼre probably pressing to get an apostrophe (ʼ) has a prime symbol (′) on it and produces a pseudo-apostrophe (') called “typewriter apostrophe”.
This is a remainder from earlier days when makeshift solutions were needed for the limited character sets of typewriter keyboards.
The typewriter apostrophe ('), just like the typewriter quotation mark ("), was created to represent a range of similar marks and symbols, but itʼs not in a single case typographically correct.
2 – The En Dash to Write Ranges
9:00 - 17:00 ✗
9:00 – 17:00 ✓
When writing down ranges like time frames, a section of pages in a book, or similar, only the en dash (–) is correct.
The hyphen (-), which is often falsely used, is only the right choice when joining words (one-way ticket) or separating syllables (hy-phen).
3 – The Ellipsis to Omit Words or Letters
A ... is missing. What the f ... ? ✗
A … is missing. What the f…? ✓
When fully or partially omitting words, the ellipsis (…) is used and spaces are set according to what was omitted.
Although the ellipsis is made up of three dots, it is not three periods (.) in a row but its very own punctuation mark. To omit full words, a space is set before and after the ellipses (a … word). If only a few letters of a word are omitted, thereʼs no space set between the remaining letters and the ellipsis (some mis… letters).
You can test your new typographic skills by finding the mistake we purposefully hid in this issue. Good luck!
SELECTED PROJECTS
BEYOND CONCRETE
A book on the building practice of the future
The FHNW School of Architecture worked with us to design their latest book on the current environmental challenges of building and possible strategies to deal with them. Many of the aspects the book deals with are reflected in the design we crafted together with Bosco Ferreira.
V#38 Magazine
A special issue with Vorarlbergʼs young writers
The literature association of Vorarlberg approached us for the design of a special issue of their literature magazine on the topic of illusion. We created a publication with vibrant colours and hand-drawn optical illusions alongside wonderful texts by Vorarlbergʼs upcoming talents.
OUR FONTS IN THE WILD
LUCIFER FOR GOOGLE FRIGHTGEIST
Spooky search trends set with spiky serifs
Every year Google showcases the most popular Halloween costumes based on their search data. In this yearʼs iteration, the design studio Use All Five chose Lucifer to create a frightening web design.
MONOPOL KOMPAKT FOR TALK TO THE MOON
How about a little lunar chat?
Talk to the Moon is a project by WeTransfer that delivers an AI-powered experience through which you can have a conversation with the moon. It was created for a public festival celebrating youth countercultures in the UK.
FROM OUR ORBIT
Akiyoshi's Illusion Pages
An old-school website full of dizziness and wonders
What a treasure of a website we stumbled upon when doing research for the V#38 magazine. Akiyoshi Kitaoka, the father of the famous optical illusion “Rotating Snakes”, curates an online collection of countless fascinating illusions.
SOMEDAY BY WEVAL
A music video you can lose yourself in
The Irish artist Páraic Mc Gloughlin created this impressive music video for Wevalʼs song Someday. Itʼs an almost overwhelming array of shapes and patterns from our everyday surroundings synchronised to mesmerizing soundscapes.
NEED HELP?
Youʼre working on something valuable and important that unfortunately doesnʼt look so? We can help you by crafting a compelling, professional appearance for your endeavour. → Get in touch!
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