endash - Naming and shaming bad typography

Books

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:15:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:10:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:55:00 +0000

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

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

Dispensing Advice

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 21:36:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:09:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 19:49:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 15:54:00 +0000

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

Making Changes

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 21:10:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 18:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:19:00 +0000

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...

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:10:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 08:40:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 11:57:00 +0000

Yet more examples of crimes against type courtesy of naughty bear

Lack of posts

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 07:49:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 07 May 2006 14:15:00 +0000

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

White Bluebell

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 07 May 2006 14:10:00 +0000

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

Birds

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 18:11:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:56:00 +0000

Cow Slips

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 16:35:00 +0000

Sunny Minehead

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 10:24:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (penguin matt) — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:21:00 +0000

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.