Thursday 29 October 2009

hoefler and frere jones


examples of serif fonts created by H&FJones




hoefler and frere jones

Since 1989 H&FJones have been designing type. Over these years they have created type solutions for some well known publications such as Rolling Stone magazine, Harper's Bazaar, The New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Esquire.Hoefler and Frere-Jones were also the first type designers to be recognized by the National Design Awards, being that their Gotham typeface was recently selected for the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower, the building on the site of the twin towers site.

after 20 years of designing type who can blame Jonathan Hoefler & Tobias Frere-Jones for being ridiculously in-depth with their research and analysis of typography for each and every typeface they design. hoefler and frere jones have a similar approach then to Bibliotheque, if you recall the quote from the designers at Bibliotheque
"Our design methodology is based on analysis and research"
both design groups have the same ideology towards typography. that it be functional, clean, clear exact and beautifully crafted.

Hoefler & Frere JOnes are intense about typography. there intensity, to anyone who isnt of the same mind, could seem extreme and unnecessary, but to them, it is fundamental in creating great typefaces.

typography can be approached in many ways from M&M's extremely hand made textured approach right across to these guys and there intense desire for typographical perfection. Each is completely valid and each have very similar production methods in terms of setting rules

and abiding by there desires regulations.


Throughout these six degrees of separation i have taken a journey through 6 design companies connecting them through the ways in which they approach and design type. Each company is different, they each have their own ideals and ways of working, and each of course have their own styles, but what runs through them all is they all go through some kind of research. Wether that be spontaneously photographing random pieces of interest and then analysing these images to create themes and shapes or whether the research is far more structured such and bibliotheque and H&F Jones.


(above) are the photographs taken on a H&F Jones typographical walk through New York City to collect research for their typeface Gotham which is bases on American architectural sinage
the 2 above and 2 below are artboards created for archer typeface.
Sweet but not saccharine, earnest but not grave, Archer is designed to hit just the right notes of forthrightness, credibility, and charm.


No comments:

Post a Comment