Filosophia history

[hill_reaper]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

Hey there!

I'm a new and learning designer just taking my first typography class. It is something I am really enjoying.
As part of my class, I was assigned a typeface to study and do research on and present as my final project. The face I was given is "Filosophia." It is a beautiful one and I know it was developed by Zuzana Licko of Emigre Fonts in the 1990's. I also know that it was inspired by the classic "Bodoni." Outside of that, I have found very little information on Filosphia itself.

Does anyone know of any books that include information about it or its history? Are there any groups, or communities dedicated to Filosophia? How about any valid websites?

Thanks for the help!

[eliason]

You might find more success in your search if you use the correct spelling - it's Filosofia! ;-)

[hrant]

Get a hold of the old issue of Emigre magazine where it was premiered. (BTW, I happen to have a letter-to-the editor about the font in a subsequent issue, but I forget the issue number, and it's too deep in the garage to bother looking for. :-)

One thing I've heard about Filosofia (correct spelling) is that Licko offered it to some large OEM font supplier (it was either Bitstream or Monotype) for inclusion in a future version of Windows, but was turned down. But that could just be a rumor, so you'd need to do the research... and hope the right people tell you the truth. Maybe now that Licko is retired from type design (?) such details -or denials- will flow more freely.

hhp

[hill_reaper]

Thanks for the correction! Yes I have searched previously with the correct spelling without luck

[hill_reaper]

Thank you!

Do you have a suggestion of where I might come across a 1996 copy of their magazine?

[hrant]

A good design library.
Wait a second, you're just east of Sacramento - drive over there! And definitely try to scrounge an interview with Licko. And report back, eh? Just maybe don't mention my name... :-)

hhp

[John Hudson]

Hrant: One thing I've heard about Filosofia (correct spelling) is that Licko offered it to some large OEM font supplier (it was either Bitstream or Monotype) for inclusion in a future version of Windows, but was turned down.

I've not heard that story. Just possibly it is a confusion arising from Filosofia being the basis for asking Microsoft to register the 'Unicase Forms' OpenType Layout feature. That was accepted, of course, but support for the feature in apps has not followed (it will be available for webfonts with CSS3 though).

[hrant]

Could be. When did that happen? And when did people start realizing that the actual implementation was lagging?

hhp

[John Hudson]

I can't remember exactly when we registered the {unic} feature, but my guess is around 1998-99. Implementation lag has been a perennial complaint for a lot of OpenType Layout features for the past 15 years. In the case of a feature like {unic} though, support is less likely than most because, in a traditional desktop word processing or page layout app it is the sort of thing that needs UI real estate, but there are, what, two typeface families that use it?

[JamesM]

> Do you have a suggestion of where I might
> come across a 1996 copy of their magazine?

Your local public library may be able to get a copy via interlibrary loan.