testcard font using fontstruct

Fontstruct is a great new web application from Fontshop for creating modular fonts. The result of my first play with this simple (but limited) tool is "testcard".



It's an utterly flawed font, take it and fix it as you see fit. Underscore is used to to terminate and separate words. There's only a handful of characters I'm happy with so far. Go grab it and have a play.

It's not just me

It seems I'm not the only one to prefer the use of Johnston's original 'underground' font rather than the reinterpretation his pupil created: Gill Sans.

Check out Ben Archer's very complete analysis of the inadequacies of Gill's most famous work.

Mexico '68 - London '12

I've always envied the "completeness" of the ID work Lance Wyman did for the Mexico 68 olympics. That often copied font expanded out to form everything, from Bridget Riley style posters to the wayfinding system, and informed the whole look and atmosphere of the games in a way no other Olympics ID has come close to.


Now what can London offer?

I imagine Johnston's Underground font could be used to cement the London connection, but as the broadly simular Gill Sans has been used for recent games I hope the effort is made to develop something new and distinctive.

Wolff Olins have been awarded the work, lets wait and see what they come up with.