Can’t remember anymore how often we had to explain the user interface of InDesign to our customers. It’s our top 1-support question. Yes, all the magic of OpenType fonts is very well hidden in a sub-submenu of a palette. Every time we explained the menu, their reaction is the same: ‘WTF, that little thing?’. No wonder that the majority of the font users is not aware of the possibilities of OpenType fonts. Even worse, they often think the small caps are missing because they can’t find them. After more than a decade of OpenType magic, it’s about time that Adobe (but also other developers) improves the OpenType user interface within their applications. Maybe it helps if every Adobe employee is obliged to wear the “triangle plus stripes”-t-shirt until that is fixed?

OpenType features need to be as easy to understand and apply as the Bold & Italic buttons in good old MS Word. Here is one simple suggestion for a possible UI-improvement. But we need more suggestions, so start sketching. Please make and share your OpenType interfaces, and let’s strive for a better UI.

[slides from our “It’s so technical, so let’s tell it with a comic story”-presentation at Kerning Conference earlier this year in Italy. ]

Today in “Stuff you can’t find on the internet”: printed collectors items. How cool is that, receiving an email 16 years later? Recently we received an email from Minotaurus – specialized and antiquarian bookseller in Amsterdam – that they discovered a handprinted magazine from Bas in their store: Typotentie A. Honestly, we forgot about this magazine already. So we should thank our local bookshop for preserving some labour intensive specimens. Chapeau for their unscrupulous administration.

Typotentie is hand printed typographic magazine, combining various printing techniques, hand bound, published in a tiny edition. It was our early mini-adventure in self-publishing while studying. Originally intended as a non-regular typographic publication, Typotentie got already stuck at the second issue. The cover of issue B has already been printed, the interior paper is cut and prepared, but a lack of space for setting up the printing press after moving caused a sad ending of this magazine. A sorrowful destiny in true DIY-spirit.

If anybody is interested in a Korrex proofing press, let us know. The press is stored, unused, waiting for new adventures. And if you are ever in Amsterdam, visit Minotaurus bookshop at the Sint Antoniesbreestraat 3d in the city centre of Amsterdam. They still have a copy of Typotentie A in stock, as well as many other books on typography, bookbinding, book history and poetry, as well as many hand printed, bibliophile books. It can’t be stressed often enough how luxurious it is that such a bookshop exists. Take that, internet.

Storm in our inbox today. Storm The Indestructible. Storm The Disbeliever. Storm is the one-and-only Dolly impersonator. Remember Storm from winter 2008? Storm is still going strong. Storm bro, Dolly says woef.

For those who want to learn to design type:

• You can study the type-basics on typeworkshop.com. You can read this pdf and try to gain knowledge.
• You can learn from tons of online resources these days, lucky bastards.
• You can read dozens of good books on type.
• But the most precious treat is time for practicing. Quit the internet, shut down your computer, switch off your phone, put your books back to the shelf. Silence and concentration. Get paper and some tools (pencils, pens, whatever), and start sketching, drawing, writing. It’s the best way to learn and discover your own direction. Do it.

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We love local culture. Sinterklaas means sweet stuff. Found in our archives (around 1999?): apparently we bought 25 chocolate letters to do what? Spoiling our stomachs with 6 kg of chocolate for a nice piece of typography. Pff, what were we thinking?

Hand drawn envelope in our inbox today. Emails should be send with the same dedication.

When the Type Directors Club of New York asked 65 designers for a contribution for their upcoming book ‘Celebrate 65’ – celebrating 65 years of TDC –, we were happy to have a nice opportunity to apply our cutting hobby. We just love to cut letters out of paper. Scissors are one of our favourite writing tools.

For the number 35 you only need one single cut in a rectangle.

Now, try that with all integers up to 100.

As simple as possible.

Enjoy.

Wanna impress your friends at the next party with this proto shirt? Helsinki is World Design Capital 2012. Sami made them a shirt.

We gonna give away some shirts. 100% free. 100% XXXXXL. If you wanna have this shirt, let us know why by mail (before 31 Dec). Best answers win.

Hello theeere! :)

I’ve just received my brand new 8 faces magazine, and im very pleasant to announce that i got the best possible combination for the “Je t’aime” in Liza.

I believe I need to send you guys my flyer, right?

Will it be delivery anywhere? Even in Brazil? :O

I couldn’t tell you guys how excited i’m. :D

Juliana

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The 3rd issue of 8Faces included a typographic lottery. Two-bloody-thousand different Je t’aime cards have been spread, only one is perfect. Win, win win. Since then the Twitters was on the go. But despite all twitpics, instagrams, flickrs, yfrogs and picless tweets, the winner hasn’t reported himself yet.

There seem to have been some distribution problems with the magazine, maybe the golden ticket is firmly lost at the office of a Brazilian postman? Caramba. Does that man actually know the golden ticket yields a bottle of champagne?

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