Typography 1 - PC - February 26th

Analyze

I’m going to focus on Super Nova. The script lettering above is display. All the letters are caps, except for all the word super which is x-height. There is no serif. On the word “NOVA”, we can interpret the stains on the top of each letter as ascenders. On the word “super”, all counters and apertures are squared. On the word “NOVA”, all counters and aperture sharped.

Classify

Display/Logotype

Sans Serif

Transitional

Define

The overall look is messy and grungy. The legibility is kind of hard because of the choice of colors inside each letter and the background.

Comment

The year is 1980. I don’t really like this logotype, even if the typographer tried to input a solar eruption effect on each letter. Which is really amazing at this part of the 80’s decade.

Analyze

It’s a display font. All letters are caps. There is no descender or ascender but the “P” and the “T” have tail on their upper part. There is serif but it’s not obvious because the serifs are inside the letter and not on the stroke. All the counters have the same bullet shape and the apertures are sharped.

Classify

Display/Logotype

Serif

Define

Despite the memory chip pattern located inside each letter, the legibility of this logotype is good on small and large sizes. The black stroke and the pinball dot in the middle reinforce the legibility.

Comment

We are in 1986. I think that the typographer did a great job. It’s very detailed and there is some shining part which could eventually disturb the legibility but he did a really good job.

Analyze

I’m going to focus on the HIGH SPEED words. The script lettering is a logotype. All letters are caps. There is no descender or ascender. There is no serif. All counters are curved.

Classify

Display/Logotype

Sans Serif

Humanist

Define

The legibility is good at large or small sizes. The kerning is well balance and facilitates the legibility. The color and the mirror effect inside of each letter allow a good legibility from a far point.

Comment

The year is 1986. I like the choice of simplicity made by the typographer. Even if the goal of the pinball is to be a policeman chasing a car with a big engine, the choice of the warm color reminds the setting sun. The concept can encourage the player to stay on the pinball.