Name that Font!
by Yves Peters and Tamye Riggs of SOTA (Society of
Typographic Aficionados).
Test your knowledge of serifs and swashes with this
typographic treasure hunt. Below are text samples set in twelve typefaces
currently available in digital format. Your assignment is to discover the name
of each font shown. Each phrase is a clue that will help you identify that
particular typeface. We've added an extra hint above each image for good
measure.
Google, a thesaurus, and free association are your friends.
Some of these glyphic gems are found in the far reaches of the internet, while
others may be as close as your operating system. Compare letterforms with the
type viewers available on most font foundry websites — these handy tools will
offer the physical evidence you need to ensure you've found the right type.
The first part of this quiz is easy — six of the world's most
common fonts are awaiting your examination. Be warned — the second set of
challenging characters may cause alphabetic anxiety.
Hint: Refer to Tamye Riggs's
article in this issue for links to online type samples. The words
in the boxes and the hints above them do help. Some hints refer to
the typeface name and some to the type designer.
These two contests were designed by Yves Peters, a
(typo)graphic designer, rock drummer, and father of three who trained
at FSI/MetaDesign Berlin and did a three-year stint as type
expert/technical advisor at the Belgian FontShop. His talent for being
able to identify most typefaces on sight, while utterly useless in
daily life, garnered him the prestigious role of moderator of the
Typophile Type Identification forum.
TypoNovice
Enter this contest.
by Yves Peters and Tamye Riggs. First prize is the book,
Stop
Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, second edition, by
Erik Spiekermann and E.M. Ginger; published by Adobe Press. Retail
value $30. Donated by
FontShop.
1) Think inside the box.
2) Is it Willie or Ray?
3) Lines and spines.
4) The
“Brown” identity.
5) Go to Helvetica.
6) Related to Jillette's
partner?
TypoGuru
Enter this contest.
by Yves Peters and Tamye Riggs. First prize is the two-book set with
included CD-ROMs: Indie Fonts and Indie Fonts 2,
both first editions, edited by James Grieshaber, Richard Kegler, and
Tamye Riggs; published by P-Type Publications. Retail value $80.
Donated by SOTA.
1) Concrete jungle?
2) Chuck's chum.
3) Not dry.
4) Related to Zsa Zsa?
5) Deep thoughts.
6) Muscular, en español.
