Change of Face / journal / hicksdesign

14/08/07

Change of Face

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had a chance to do some housekeeping on Hicksdesign. Implementing Matthew Tretter’s genius new approach to Vertical Centering, updating the portfolio and improving images like tree footer on this page (that were a bit too slapped together initially). I’ve also been considering a redesign, which I’ve since abandoned, but elements from that are sneaking in. There’s still a lot I want to do, but I’ve had a couple of emails asking about the change in corporate typeface, so I thought I explain that.

For a while now, I’ve been unsatisfied with my use of Chalet Paris 1970, the curvular font used previously on Hicksdesign. Instead, I’d been looking for something that would be unashamedly ‘British’ in feel, without relying on Gill Sans. I purchased the DF Ministry family to use as a body face in all my documents, but still felt I needed a stronger identity for headings and the logo.

P22 London Underground Sample

In the end, I went with ‘London Underground’ by P22. It’s a faithful reproduction of Edward Johnston’s original typeface, developed in 1916, rather than the ‘New Johnston’ redesign conducted in the late 70s. It retains the character of the original, which I felt was lost a little in the later redesign. While there were a few sans-serif faces back in 1916, they were rare, and the I still find it hard to imagine that such a radical typeface was created during WWI.

I’d always lumped this typeface along with Gill Sans, for being ‘too obvious’ a choice, but I’ve changed my mind, and I’m really happy with it!

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Mathew Hoy said 273 days ago:

Loving the new typeface you’ve chosen. I’ve been paying lots of attention to type lately (especially with the new highway font dealie article @ NYT). Really like those lower case Ls.

Tom said 273 days ago:

I’m a big fan of the London Underground typeface, and I know what you mean about Gill Sans. I think Gill was inspired by Johnston’s original anyway (he worked with Johnston on the original).

So how come you weren’t tempted with ITC Johnston? Is there a difference?

Anyway, great choice I say!

Karen said 273 days ago:

The new fonts look really good, and thanks for providing the links. I always love taking a look at the fonts in more detail and perhaps even buying – you should be on commission :-).

Matt Munsey said 272 days ago:

I may have to pick up this font. I am always a sucker for a good sans-serif font, and this is a really good one at that. I second the lower case Ls. Good choice Jon.

Mike Rohde said 272 days ago:

Jon, beautiful choice in font. It’s nice and human, a little quirky, and fits very well with your mark. I feel that the font also suggests “Britishness” in the very best way possible. :-)

Uncle Asad said 272 days ago:

Sort-of on-topic: I don’t know if you still care about people running 10.3, but for those who visit using a browser that uses the OS to decode Windows icons (Camino, Safari, OmniWeb), your new site icon looks particularly awful thanks to the limitations of the Windows icon decoder in 10.3.

Barry Bloye said 270 days ago:

New Johnston has always given me a warm, nostalgic feeling, although I think that’s linked to family associations. My Grandad worked for London Transport and my Uncle for whoever was running The Tube at the time, and it brings back vivid memories of the mugs and stationary I’d see around their homes when I was growing up.

Elliot Jay Stocks said 269 days ago:

I’d be interested to know why you abandoned the redesign, Jon. I saw the proposed site via the link you posted on Pownce, and while I thought that it was a work in progress and would perhaps benefit from some refinement, I’d love to know why you scrapped it entirely. A separate post, perhaps? :)

Alexander Micek said 269 days ago:

The new typeface looks fantastic! I noticed you mentioned DF Ministry – I recently purchased DF English Grotesque and couldn’t be happier. I didn’t realize that Device Fonts received attention from real designers (for reference, I’m a fake designer :).