endash - Naming and shaming bad typography

Books

2008-10-28T20:07:00.003Z

I got given a copy of this book for my birthday last year, The Ten Commandments of Typography/Type Heresy by Paul Felton.

In the first section it details the 10 main rules of Typography. Flip the book over and read the second section and it tells you how and why you should break those rules.

It is also great looking and well designed without taking itself too seriously.

The other book I would recommend is Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann and E M Ginger. This is a great basic book on all aspects of Typography.

London Olympic Logo

2007-06-04T20:15:00.000+01:00

What were they thinking? What is it??

One of my work colleagues came up with this alternative version.

Need I say more?

Bracknell Council and Word Art

2007-04-23T20:10:00.000+01:00

This is one of a series of signs that Bracknell Forest Borough Council have stuck to their vehicles. It looks like a secretary knocked it up in their lunch hour using Microsoft Word Art. From a distance it looks like some kind of two tone squiggle. I think 0/10 for effort and effect.

Strange Sign

2007-02-13T19:55:00.000Z

Not bad typography, more bad grammer, but a fun one anyway

Use the pedestrian for what? to carry your bike or you??

Dispensing Advice

2007-01-25T21:36:00.000Z

I have just been made a moderator on DitchtheDayGlo.co.uk. Check it out if you want help and advice on publicity for your church.

Comic Car Parking

2006-11-07T14:07:00.000Z

Bracknell have put in some nice new shiny orange parking machines. It is a shame that the budget didn't stretch to paying a professional to produce the tariff notices!

Bad Typo on a Plate

2006-10-30T21:09:00.000Z

This was spotted in Ikea by one of my spies. They certainly know how to make a product look cheap and tacky!

A conservative con

2006-09-15T20:49:00.000+01:00

The Tory party have been conned with their new logo. It cost £40,000 for a 5 year olds scribble. I would love to see the ideas that were rejected.

Would you buy from this estate agent

2006-09-03T16:54:00.000+01:00

This is one of the local estate agents in our area. Would you take them seriously?

Making Changes

2006-07-31T22:10:00.000+01:00

Managed to eliminate some Comic Sans from our sales demo at work today. It now looks a little more professional.

More from the Bracknell News

2006-07-13T19:46:00.000+01:00

Another from the 'guardians' of typography that is Trinity Mirror. This one from the Bracknell Midweek - energised by that other high quality publication the Bracknell News. If the company concerned set the advert themselves, they should be ashamed. If the Bracknell News set it, I hope they are not paying!

Hopefully good typo

2006-07-12T19:19:00.000+01:00

The artwork section of my main website has been slightly updated. There are a couple of new files in there, including Wokingham Life - a magazine I produced for The Big Idea.

Not more Comic Sans...

2006-07-12T19:07:00.000+01:00

More spotted by Naughty Bear. Don't know what to say really, but I would have expected something better from Henley-on-Thames.

Coming up in the next few weeks

2006-06-26T20:10:00.000+01:00

I have recently moved to Bracknell. This has made me pay a bit more attention to the output to Bracknell Forest Borough Council. Coming up in the next few weeks (if I can get round to gathering the evidence) some of the things that BFBC think are readable!

They should be ashamed of this sign

2006-06-26T19:00:00.000+01:00

You would have thought that a company the size of JD Wetherspoon could afford to employ designers who could produce something better than this. Thanks to Naughty Bear for spotting this.

Hopefully not bad typo

2006-06-25T09:40:00.000+01:00

I have been working on a 16 page magazine recently. Finished it yesterday and sent proof PDF files out to all interested parties. Hopefully they will like it. When it is finished and approved check it out on my website. You can check out the cover photo on my photo blog.

Bad Typo III

2006-06-24T12:57:00.000+01:00

Yet more examples of crimes against type courtesy of naughty bear

Lack of posts

2006-06-20T08:49:00.000+01:00

I haven't managed to post anything recently. One of the problems of moving house is getting the broadband connection moved. Hopefully this will be done by next week. The other problem is that my wife has stolen my small camera I carry around, so while I have seen bad typo, I haven't been able to snap it.

Moving

2006-05-07T15:15:00.000+01:00

We should finally move into our new house on Friday!!!

White Bluebell

2006-05-07T15:10:00.000+01:00

Saw this example of a white bluebell in a wood near Bristol.

Birds

2006-04-23T19:11:00.000+01:00

Took these at a local nature reserve. The robin posed for quite a while, but the great tit was a bit more nervous.

Honey Bee

2006-04-16T18:56:00.000+01:00

Cow Slips

2006-04-15T17:35:00.000+01:00

Sunny Minehead

2006-04-07T11:24:00.000+01:00

I have just spent the last few days staying at Butlins in Minehead for Spring Harvest. Whilst there went down onto the beach and took this shot of the harbour at Minehead.

Naff Typography II

2006-03-21T19:21:00.000Z

I didn't think that I would find two examples in one day without really looking.
Got home from work this evening and what should be amongst the post but this - a nice of example of Comic Sans Bold. It does not look serious at all.