This week I was a little lost with what to write, as the script lettering is in no way an area I am proficient in. Thankfully, my lovely partner Kate was bursting with ideas so she’s stepped in to write this one!
“The 50s are commonly remembered as a classic point in time, filled with big and bold designs. From Rock n’ Roll to a Chevrolet Bel Air. It was a time to be bold and seek the future.
With its bold yellow, hot red text and accenting stroke, I see this LEGO box design with much the same confidence as the Bel Air. Grabbing your attention from a mile away then drawing in your curiosity for its unique details. Contrasting the strong to cursive fonts has the engine rumble before rolling on out for a Sunday drive with the family.
This script font reminds me of the classic brush script used on car badges from the 50s. In a time where people were racing to reach the future, an oblique scripted font looks fast. But fast isn’t fast enough when the oblique brush scripted font, on a diagnal, is in place. And the future is yours too, you’re coming with them.
How? The human touch. The 50s didn’t have hundreds of beautiful fonts and typekits at hand, but were notoriously good at hand lettering, seen more commonly at the time with brush lettering and sign painters. All commonly associated with hand writing, another human factor.
In this ‘oblique bush scripted’ font used for Mursten, the hand-lettered choice of delivery provides inconsistencies humans will perform while hand-lettering. Note the uneven brush weight between thicks and thins. For example, the u begins to thicken too soon while joining the r on its upward (thin) stroke. Not all downward strokes (thick) are even, some blot at the beginning of the stroke as seen in the u. This is a common (usually frustrating) trait when using a nib and ink for copperplate or script in this sense. The arching M on its stylised axis provoking a feeling of momentum, direction and speed. Introduced and finished off with sweeping, fast and sleek flourishes. These human touches, easily overlooked, voice a personable and trusting tone. Because you too are coming with them, to the future.”
Next week, the penultimate post. We’ve been through the system, we’ve tackled the Mursten. Lets rediscover the originals with the Automatic Binding Bricks!
[Original post and comments on Flickr.]