LoremIpsumLoremIpsum Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 This topic was imported from the Typophile platform Any recommendations for fonts that work with Optima? Its kind of a tough one because Optima is half serif and half san serif. Link to comment
aluminum Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Optima doesn't have any friends. Link to comment
LoremIpsumLoremIpsum Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah, no kidding. I wish Optima wasn't such an a** and more fonts liked him. Link to comment
typerror Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Optima works well with Palatino, also by Zapf. The amazing thing about this whole group (Optima, Palatino, Michaelangelo, Sistina, Kompakt, Gilgenhart, Phidias Greek, and ultimately Aldus) is that they ALL work together. I do not have any problems with Optima, other than overuse, like others. It functions very well, and now that they have expanded the face to include condensed versions and additional "approved" weights it will endure... even if it displeases other type designers. Yeah, it's easy to trash, by some, (a lot of times I think that is nothing more than gang mentality) but it has endured for 50 years : ) Michael Link to comment
Nick Shinn Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I wish Optima wasn’t such an a** and more fonts liked him. Well, if she wasn't so butch... ** For contrast, would a wiener font work? Link to comment
paulstonier Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Michael, I believe you forgot to mention Melior… Avenir and Scala actually work pretty well, too. Rochester Institute of Technology occasionally pairs Optima with Univers. Link to comment
Dunwich Type Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I agree with Michael, Optima is great if used as intended: a titling face alongside Zapf’s classic book faces. Link to comment
typerror Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Melior does not belong in the same group. It is not, like the others, based on pen/brush forms. Rather it is based on the super ellipse. It does not have similar interior shapes. Zapf designed the aforementioned to work in tandem. Michael Link to comment
typerror Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Or rather... he was on a decade roll of consciousness that fit together. Michael Link to comment
paulstonier Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Good to know. Thanks. Link to comment
fguimaraes Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Does anyone else like it as a text face? I actually really like reading extended copy set in Optima. (No, really. Why... are you laughing? Stop it!) Link to comment
speter Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Several of Zapf's books are set in Optima, and I think it works quite well (especially the old metal version). Link to comment
Yehan Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Optima? for text? Okay..maybe the metal version, which probably isn't as anemic as it's digital sibling... but really??? I'm curious to see a sample. Link to comment
Joostmarcellis Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Personaly i think the optima doesn't work, so why would it work with other fonts Link to comment
paulstonier Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I also find Optima to be quite pleasant as a text face, but it has to be used well. Which, often means using a large amount of leading. Link to comment
William Berkson Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Note that Optima Nova beefs up Optima a bit; it may work better in text than digital Optima--has any one used it? Link to comment
Yehan Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 No moolah:P But in all seriousness, anyone out there who has it? Could you kindly set a block of text and upload the PDF? Link to comment
fguimaraes Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 No moolah either; as I said, I like it as a reader :) Oddly enough, I can't find a single book set in it right now (I'd upload a scan otherwise), but you can have a look at page 273 of Philip Meggs's Typographic Specimens on Google Books. Link to comment
E. Scrooge Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Here's a block of text I got my friend to do quickly as I don't have the font. Optima Nova Pro Regular from the Linotype Platinum collection. http://i32.ahpic.com/7mht05.png Hope it's what you wanted. Link to comment
typerror Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 William There is a small booklet that is, I think, available from Linotype. Or used to be. I started looking through the mess and cannot locate it. I am sure it is listed on line somewhere. I never employed the Dewey Decimal System in my library : ) @ Marcel I think with the extensive overuse of Optima there are more bad examples of it out there than there are good. You have probably seen mostly the bad. People tend to set it it too tight and do not lead it properly and use the cloned versions, all functions of the DTP revolution. And once again see the faces above for "sympathetic partners." They DO work well with Optima! Michael Link to comment
Joostmarcellis Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 @Micheal your probably right, but i must add that i'm not font off sans serif with high contrast Link to comment
typerror Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Marcel I lectured last evening at VCU to a gathering of illustrators. I told them that I too was an illustrtor... I just use "stick figures" : ) I.e. the alphabet. I explained that the alphabet, from my perspective, is simply a skeleton, a very pliable one (from a lettering artists perspective)... I concentrate on the exoskeleton to infuse meaning. Most Sans too me are sterile revisionist forays into technological and reading efficiency. On the other hand there is Optima with personality. An undeniable touch of the hand. I know I am extremely biased. I don't apologize for it. And try to not be too antagonistic anymore. And certainly Optima is not suited for everything. I love Universe, Poppl Laudatio (which you probably would not like), and some other sans that are very quirky. I mix them all the time with my lettering. Most times I draw my own sans.To me it all comes down to suitability. But I would never use Helvetica and I won't rent the movie. Period :>) Michael Link to comment
typerror Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 O.k. Before I get blasted, I used Helvetica ten years ago in a logo. And I am waiting for William so that I can use his Caslon in one : ) Hurry up William! Michael Link to comment
hrant Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Dump Optima. Try Pascal instead. hhp Link to comment
typerror Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 You love bad ripoffs don't you Hrant? Michael Link to comment
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