Giving talk about type

[hrant]

Once in a while YouTube is worth the trouble! Thanks for making me laugh pretty hard.

The thing is, when you consider it's coming from Hitler, the bottom-line message might in fact be: chill, man - using all those crappy illegitimate fonts is A-OK.

hhp

[JamesM]

> for a public speaking class

Since some class members may not know or care much about typography, I'd suggest not getting too technical. You might want to look for a way to humanize the subject, such as telling an interesting story about a famous type designer, or a story about how advertisers use font choices to affect our view of their products. As Nick mentioned, keeping it visual might be a good approach. If you use PowerPoint, one tip — don't put your speech on the slides; just put visuals on the slides that illustrate what you're talking about.

[Karl Stange]

such as telling an interesting story about a famous type designer

Maybe not Eric Gill though, that might be too interesting.

[hrant]

Cassandre would make a nice story. He hung himself* because a font house turned down his design.

* On the night I was born. :-/

hhp

[PublishingMojo]

Noel Loomis was a typesetter, not a type designer, but he certainly had an interesting story.

[oldnick]

Oswald Cooper was an intriguing fellow…

[Té Rowan]

(looks askance at @Karl) 'Coz @Claire is Daily Mail?

[Karl Stange]

(looks askance at @Karl) 'Coz @Claire is Daily Mail?

Eric Gill's god forbid, a ten minute surmation of his life and letters would no doubt engage any audience but is perhaps not the most level introduction to typography and type design...

[Chris Dean]

@Claire Bibio: When asking for help on a bulletin board, be sure to cite it properly, lest your professor bust you for plagiarism. According to APA 6.0 the proper way to do this is:

Dean, C. (2012, October 27). Re: Thread title (Online forum comment). Retrieved from http://url of the thread

In this case, replace my name and date with the time and person who answered your question.

[PublishingMojo]

Eric Gill's notorious private life often distracts us from his artistic achievements, but he did not consider himself as a type designer first and foremost. In his lifetime he was highly acclaimed as a sculptor, and on his own gravestone he described himself as a stonecutter.

[5star]

That gravestone seems queer. It was manufactured after the passing of Mrs. Gill and not Mr. Gill(?).

n.

[oldnick]

Neil—

It would be difficult to carve your own gravestone after you died. Your confusion on the subject may well explain your idyllic entrancement with Capitalism…

[5star]

Oldnick, at the earliest that 'gravestone' was manufactured 21 years after the passing of Mr. Gill. I'll be the first one to admit to letting some deadlines slip ...but really oldnick 21 years???

Why wait for the passing of Mrs. Gill to give Mr. Gill his due?

Socialist cemetery?

n.

[oldnick]

Socialist cemetery?

How about “practical”: the gravestone only had to be carved once, and not necessarily in situ, where additions to epitaphs are normally added. Get a clue, wouldja?

[oldnick]

James—

Did I say anything different? I thought not but, evidently, I was mistaken…

[JamesM]

When 2 people are listed on a gravestone, typically it initially lists the date for the 1st one to pass away, and a blank space is left for the dates for the other one. Then it is revised years later upon the death and burial of the 2nd person.

[JamesM]

I was agreeing with your comment that the 2nd date was added later.

[5star]

When 2 people are listed on a gravestone, typically it initially lists the date for the 1st one to pass away, and a blank space is left for the dates for the other one. Then it is revised years later upon the death and burial of the 2nd person.

Thanks for the explanation, I did not know that.

n.

[hrant]

That was totally the most epic thread ever.

hhp