poltr1 | Because I'm such a fonthead.....

Little things bother me. Like when letters and numbers are turned upside down or flipped vertically on signs. I just happen to notice these things.

We have a graphic image on the website I work on that has a neat typeface. ("Font" and "typeface" aren't completely interchangeable; "font" implies a size whereas "typeface" does not.) I tried to find out what it was; it looks very British. I thought that it looks very similar to the typeface on the signs on the London Underground, and did a little digging. The typeface on the signs is called Johnston, after the designer. (An alternate name is "P22 London Underground".)

But it's not quite right. The V doesn't end in a point; it's flattened. So back to the digging. I came across Gill Sans, and that was the typeface I was looking for.

The new packaging and labeling on Twinings Tea also appears to use Gill Sans. (Which means the tea with the old labeling gets sold to Big Lots, where I can buy it cheap: a 50-pack of Twinings English Breakfast Tea costs $2.00. Bargain!)

I'll notice things like whether or not the top of a 3 is rounded or flattened, if a 4 is open or closed, or if a W looks like two Vs smashed together and if they overlap.

Many SF shows owe some of their look and feel to typefaces. Where would Star Trek be without Microgramma Extended, and Next Gen wiithout Crillee? Babylon 5 used both Serpentine and Stop typefaces.

But some typefaces are suitable for headlines and/or signs only; I wouldn't want to read paragraphs of text in some of the typefaces I've seen.

I love looking at typefaces. I have a two-volume set of typefaces at home. The set was rather expensive, but it's a great resource.

Site of the day: identifont.com has an excellent typeface collection. Put in a typeface name and it will show you a sample of what it looks like. It also lists typefaces that have a similar look.