books • prints • typography • design
![yogurtdetail[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/yogurtdetail.gif)
National Frozen Yogurt Day—now there’s a completely made-up thing! I had never tried frozen yogurt, but at the Whalers Village, Ka’anapali, where I happened to be on said fabricated day, there was quite a buzz, and everyone (including me) was making the most of the free yogurt on offer. Quite a canny promotion, I’d say, and while I have not become a convert to this particular confection, I liked their tubs of jaunty typography.
![eastercasedin15[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/eastercasedin15.gif)
I was pretty chuffed to receive first prize for my cased-in book at this year’s Royal Easter Show. At the beginning of March I visited a local bookcloth supplier for the first time in the hope of tracking down a particular cloth I needed for a project. I got more than I bargained for! My eyes glazed over at the myriad of choices on offer. Not only did I find the cloth I needed, but some time later walked away with enough supplies to keep me going for quite some time. My purchases included a warm grey linen bookcloth and an iridescent orange and yellow duocloth, the combination of which inspired me to make this book and solander box.
![thunderstorm[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/thunderstorm.gif)
There’s a dingbat for everything. This thunderstorm comes from the Eclectics character set. Eclectics, designed by Pepper Tharp, has all manner of dingbats you thought you never needed, but this thunderstorm is just right for the extreme low pressure system that is bringing lashing rain and wild squalls to the NSW east coast this week.
![mcaloha[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/mcaloha.gif)
While I am not a patron of this fast food joint, I am not oblivious to its presence. In Sydney, McDonalds occupies some of the finest converted sandstone buildings, and although I would prefer to see less of these red and yellow ‘restaurants’, at least they are occupying the beautiful old buildings rather than knocking them down. In Hawaii, I was amused to see the location’s influence on the signage. The buildings I saw were nothing special, but the aloha spirit is ubiquitous! The shape of the h and lower case a indicate that the typeface is probably Helvetica Heavy.
![komoda[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/komoda.gif)
I can’t believe it. I was so busy admiring the letter shapes of this Komoda Store and Bakery banner above the awning that I neglected to go inside and sample the fare! I hardly want to be reminded of what an oversight that was (and I won’t be making the same mistake next time). I have since discovered that they are famous for their award-winning baked goods: cream puffs, guava malasadas, glazed donuts, Long John donuts with vanilla custard filling, coconut twists, Golden Krust bread and more, much more—all up around thirty varieties, and all produced by hand.
![HIalphabet[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/hialphabet.gif)
The Hawaiian alphabet consists of five vowels and seven consonants (or eight if you include the ‘okina, the letter used to indicate a glottal stop). I find it quite remarkable that such an expressive language can come from so few letters, but then again, the Hawaiian language is rich with words that have multiple meanings. This poster is displayed in the restored Hale Pa’i (House of Printing) on the grounds of Lahainaluna High School, on the hillside above Lahaina.
![kulacigs[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/kulacigs.gif)
It seems that fewer people smoke these days, and there is much less evidence of cigarettes being sold. In Australia the displays of distinctive colourful packaging have long gone, and apart from those gruesome health warnings I can’t even recall what a pack looks like now. This is the window of a general store on the Kula Highway in upcountry Maui, and I don’t know if they still sell cigarettes or not, but I’m pleased this old sign has not been removed.
![pinkorangegreen[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/pinkorangegreen.gif)
Pink, Orange and Green were designed by Timothy Donaldson, who says they ‘started life at the same time in my sketchbook in a doctors waiting room’. Donaldson, obsessed with handwriting from a young age, spent hours experimenting with different writing tools and materials. A job as a sign painter was the first step to his career as an award-winning (and prolific) designer and calligrapher, as well as teacher of graphic design, lettering and multimedia in Stafford, England. He has contributed more than two dozen typefaces to the ITC typeface library, including the Humana Sans and Humana Serif font families. Some of his other well-known typefaces include John Handy, Trackpad, Flight and Neo Neo.
![realfruit[c]alphabetcitypress](https://alphabetcitypress.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/realfruit.gif)
Along with the livestock and craft, the easter show presents a visual assault of signage. It’s a stretch to call it typography: but then again, typefaces are used to present words in a particular style and manner, so I guess it is typography in the broader sense. Typography like this is rife on easter show food vans and, as if it isn’t loud enough on its own, it is pretty much always accompanied by loud noise from tinny speakers and strong aromas of the deep-fried or sickly sweet variety. The typeface here is Croissant Regular. As for the claim to real fruit, or the placement of the apostrophe …
Alphabet City Press 