Comments on: I Like What I Like http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112 About an ex-Brooklyn boy making good making books Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:23:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: admin http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-709 admin Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:23:43 +0000 http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112#comment-709 I guess we just went to different schools together on this one, Jane, because I'm in total agreement. Maybe one of the reasons I hold on so tenaciously to the notion that a book's design, from typefaces to page makeup, shouldn't be a distraction to the reader is because I grew up such a voracious reader and never wanted to be interrupted when I was into a mystery or a baseball player's biography, my early favorites. And Cheltenham, indeed all the Old Style types, with their muted contrast between thick and thin strokes always go easier on my eyes. Transitional and Modern typefaces' sharper difference between thick and thin strokes never fails to make me stop and notice them, thereby interfering with the flow of my reading. That alone is reason why I almost organically lean to the Old Styles and newer turns on Old Style types. I guess we just went to different schools together on this one, Jane, because I’m in total agreement. Maybe one of the reasons I hold on so tenaciously to the notion that a book’s design, from typefaces to page makeup, shouldn’t be a distraction to the reader is because I grew up such a voracious reader and never wanted to be interrupted when I was into a mystery or a baseball player’s biography, my early favorites. And Cheltenham, indeed all the Old Style types, with their muted contrast between thick and thin strokes always go easier on my eyes. Transitional and Modern typefaces’ sharper difference between thick and thin strokes never fails to make me stop and notice them, thereby interfering with the flow of my reading. That alone is reason why I almost organically lean to the Old Styles and newer turns on Old Style types.

]]> By: Jane Mackay http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-697 Jane Mackay Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:17:55 +0000 http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112#comment-697 I'm with you, Stephen. I'm partial to Old Style typefaces. I like the ITC Cheltenham, particularly the italicized versions. So often italics are difficult to read or just plain unpleasant to look at, but (on the screen at least) the ITC C's itals are lovely to look at and easy to read. I'm not a designer, but I know what I like to look at for long periods of time. I want the words to enter my mind without the distraction of an obtrusive typeface. I’m with you, Stephen. I’m partial to Old Style typefaces. I like the ITC Cheltenham, particularly the italicized versions. So often italics are difficult to read or just plain unpleasant to look at, but (on the screen at least) the ITC C’s itals are lovely to look at and easy to read.

I’m not a designer, but I know what I like to look at for long periods of time. I want the words to enter my mind without the distraction of an obtrusive typeface.

]]> By: admin http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-660 admin Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:09:36 +0000 http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112#comment-660 It's interesting how different people have different tastes in types. So I take it that you generally prefer Transitional fonts like Baskerville or Modern fonts like Bodoni? What are some more recently created typefaces that you like to use? It’s interesting how different people have different tastes in types. So I take it that you generally prefer Transitional fonts like Baskerville or Modern fonts like Bodoni? What are some more recently created typefaces that you like to use?

]]> By: Joel Friedlander http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-658 Joel Friedlander Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:34:47 +0000 http://tianobookdesign.com/blog/?p=112#comment-658 Very interesting post, Steve. I've never liked Cheltenham, apparently for the exact same reasons you do like it. To me, the lack of contrast in the strokes made it look boring. And the serifs and "oddities" in the letterforms give it a very awkward, blocky look. De gustibus non disputandem I guess. It had a vogue in the late 70s and early 80s, but I haven't seen it used much recently. Thanks for the background. Very interesting post, Steve. I’ve never liked Cheltenham, apparently for the exact same reasons you do like it. To me, the lack of contrast in the strokes made it look boring. And the serifs and “oddities” in the letterforms give it a very awkward, blocky look. De gustibus non disputandem I guess. It had a vogue in the late 70s and early 80s, but I haven’t seen it used much recently. Thanks for the background.

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