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Initials decorated by the same fractal pattern. A supplement to Sierpinski Black. A few alternative characters are placed to the lower case.
46 Comments
I thought to make something similar with my Amanuensis capitals, but never settled on one pattern (I foolishly thought I could even be able to come up with a different one for each letter!) which could preserve the letters’ shapes.
It goes without saying, I never even dreamt of one pattern that could actually merge with letters.
Thank you all for your supportive comments and ratings.
@meek: Thank you very much for the special mention. I wonder, whether to include the numbers?
@sailordude97: On the contrary. I have very limited free time. This font is based on my Sierpinski series released more than a year ago. I've made sketches of patterned initials back then, but could not build the fontstruction itself, partly because of lack of time, until now.
@riccard0: Sierpinski Dalmatian was a proof of concept, that the white and black patterns merged seamlessly.
Your Amanuensis is very beautiful. And simplicity is part of its beauty. I would only experiment with a separate version with a
fine/subtle pattern.
@elmoyenique: Thank you. Why would you even think about leaving FS? It is not my intention to discourage you or anyone else.
And thank you for the kind words!
But someone didn't like that, apparently, because with a single vote (of 1) it was sent back to the 78th place. I don't care much about the actual ranking, I merely record what has happened.
What was so wrong with this font as to deserve the poorest rating? It's a grave insult to give the lowest possible rating, a slap in the face, a kick in the teeth. Why should I tolerate this? I might ask this faceless, nameless member, the voter, has he/she have any idea what does it take to design and build such a font like SBI?
But, what can you do?
Its true that many great works are killed by troll votes. My opinion is that favouriting system is good, because no one can pull down your count. And there is no need for rating.
I had two suggestions regarding ratings: 1. All ratings should start at 6, but the problem with that is then 6 would take on the role of 1, so that's out. 2. Run a database query on all rated fs and delete all ratings below 6 and re-compute the new balanced rating.
And some more that I just thought of: 3. If a fs is rated below 6, any value must be voted at least three times by different users before it is used to compute the balanced rating (meaning a 1 vote by one or two users would not bring the raring down). 4. Everytime a rating of below 6 is entered, another option list appears that the user must select from before that rating is accepted by the system, so that the fs creator can get some feedback why it is rated so. 5. Have ratings below 6 moderated. 7. Run a database query on users who customarily give a 1 and remove their rating entries. 8. Get rid of the rating system altogether.
Another point I want to make is that every font that is a Top Pick should have the same status, therefore the TP list should not be listed in rating order but randomly generated. Everytime the TP list is requested, the system should generate a fresh list of randomly selected any ten of fs awarded the TP status, thereby giving every TP fs an equal chance to be viewed.
But the trolls must be squashed...somehow.
Moderation of trolls is key, but it will take a lot of work. The reward for it, though, is seeing the true praise for great typographical works such as this one. It could be done and it could be successful. All we need to do is actually get something implemented. These poor troll people, as sad as they are, must be squashed.
Voting is anonymous, arbitrary, easily manipulated, and nearly unregulated. Masks within masks. And how could it be policed in a more fair way with such minimal prerequisites for voting and the inherent anonymity of the action?
Every 10 does not mean the same as the next, nor does every 1. It may mean a great deal more when a peer comments to pair a voice and a quality of feedback with the “10/10”. Yet I imagine the act of voting – all of one click – is so insignificant as to be almost reflexive for most. The most intentional response of astonishment, understanding, and praise in this way is then equated with the most ill-intended and/or casual of actions. Such highs and such lows! Such deeps and such shallows!
Heed my salty words, then: There be no isle of treasure hidden by the horizon, far out in the sea of 10s!
We allow are selves to become emotionally invested in such things. And how could we not when our creativity, craft, and hundreds of unretrievable hours of our waking lives are on offer? Perhaps the hidden lesson is that these most valuable pearls of our labors and tears of our hands need to be offered to more life-giving endeavors. We are the ones holding these jewels. We can choose how we share them. Or bury them.
If we walk this world with our blinders on, seeking our place and worth amongst the faceless masses, we can give our most honest and magnificent offerings and receive only the least common denominator in return. It will probably always carry the sting of sand in the eye. Even long after those tiny grains of discontent have been flushed out by tears, we still smart.
regardless, we should guard our feelings and feelings about our work. i do this for the fun of it. making a font that maybe someone will feel a need or want to download and use. or for whatever reason i choose. fs is really a gift and should bring us joy not pain; nor should we allow others to bring us pain.
still, for myself; i really try to watch myself on this issue. i want to remain creative and not get discouraged which is easy enough to do. i truly believe that if i pay too much or any attention to the low-votes and low downloads, that i would start doubting myself, leading to a lack of motivation. i strive to keep the channels for creativity open. this simple method of distraction (low-vote)that enables non-creativity/negativity is exactly what the trolls and neo-trolls delight in. but we are only human and react to our environment. i would suggest getting rid of this voting system once and for all.
Thank you for your supportive comments. Building fonts with FS is about fun, having a good time. Half of the fun is sharing the new creation and see that others like it.
@elmoyenique: What you describe in your second comment, if done intentionally, is callous plagiarism. I came across a few such cases, and wondered what was the point? A quick search and comparison and you can find out who is the real designer. We can report it to Rob Meek, or even better, solve this issue ourselves with votes and comments.
@aphoria: Was it Obleak or else? (I just did a quick check.) Most fontstructions on the first two pages of the TP list sustained troll vote attacks. There is not much we can do about it. Still, don't expect me to put up with this harsh reality.
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Wow! So many eyeballs on the screens. I wrote the part above an hour ago, but could not submit it, because of a technical problem. This is the first time I'm using 3G mobile internet connection. So far not bad. I respond to the other comments later.
This work stuns me with its beauty. I especially like the grayscale output from the preview widget where the final iteration is sub-pixel. I imagine a never-before-seen title sequence or music video or animated typographic poem illuminated by exploring zoom levels of a fractal matrix to reveal words amidst the fluid contrast of constantly fluctuating polarities.
Even if a cloned fontstruction is published with a simple name change, the rules say that the creation is legitimate (if obviously of nebulous value) as long as the download contains a text file with proper credit to the original fontstructor’s creation, and that all further clones and derivatives contain the same license and lineage of credits.
It also bears saying that there are ways around these rules of fontstruct (the copy paste function, to name one), but to the credit of both trolls and experienced fontstructors, they have yet to see exploitation and Rob has not had to fix or police them much at all.
Fonts published on other sites with changed names, licenses, and creators but the exact same outline files and shoddy kerning? – those are true plagiarism. On some level, I think they should stop these unethical practices of thievery. In fact, any sharing of the download files without permission of the fontstructor (particularly on ad driven free font sites), even if the credits are there, seem to me quite illegitimate. But do I care enough to try to stop them? No. They are a minor curiosity at best and and insubstantial set back at worst.
If I did care a great deal, I would find that the actionability of such offenses is very limited in a US court of law. In most cases, we are not selling our fontstructions and would struggle to establish any damages at all. (Not to tell any of the long and unresolv-ed/able history of professional plagiarism in the field of type design!)
Concerning the ratings etc., i know that i 'm absolutely not politically correct here saying this, but i think that troll votes which finally have a certain anarchist perfume are much less annoying than the Top Pick system which is arbitrarily given by one or few persons sure to get the perfect taste and let aside all that is out of the 3 or 4 styles they understand....
Again, I'm two comments behind, but catching up.
@naveenchandru: Yes, Favorites is a nice feature, but it does not bring much attention to your works.
@thalamic: Thank you for your comment. This is not the first time we discuss the troll vote topic. Last time I saw vertigokid's Konstrukt suddenly dropping on the TP list after suffering low votes. Fortunately, as Featured Download it has regained its position lately. I would agree most of your intentions, but the solutions should be simple and transparent. I would support a two-tier system: like or dislike. It gives valuable feedback without much opportunity for trolls.
Trolls must be squashed - I fondly agree. Your last point is a good step toward that goal. Randomly generated TP list, all Top Picks with equal status - there is not much that trolls can ruin. Without an opportunity for being a nuisance, trolls would simply go extinct. I could imagine a gallery of medium-to-large thumbnails, one for each font, presented in a non-linear fashion, filtered and sorted by different categories. All on the same page you can scroll endlessly (similar to Google Images).
@crispycracker: Yes, moderation would take a lot of work. The solution must be simple. Nobody wants to spend a lot of time chasing trolls.
@will.i.ૐ: I very much enjoyed reading your comment. It is written with clarity, style, and elegance. Your opening sentence paints a vivid picture of this situation: swimming with sharks. Questions with pinpoint accuracy and succinct statements grab and hold the reader's attention. "Masks within masks." Every word has its purpose, not one is superfluous. You are able to see the problem from different angles, peek under the surface. With careful analysis, you peel off several layers of the phenomenon seeking the core. The answer to the ultimate question, what is the whole point? Despite your best effort you fail to find it. Instead, you console the reader with beautiful poetic passages: "Such highs and lows! Such deeps and shallows!" and "…flushed out by tears, we still smart."
Perhaps, there is no core. Perhaps, it's a fractal itself with endless self-similarity. You can't get to the bottom of it, no matter how deep you dig.
***
Thank you for your comment on the font itself. A short typographic movie clip? I can imagine a lot of things. The good news: more fractal fonts to come.
I gave this a 10. I'd give it an 11, if I could. But I definitely feel your pain.
"A Stroke of Geneus1" was enjoying immense popularity (due to its young state), basking in the third page of TPs, until some ijit went and had to rate it a 1... and BAM! Page 20. Now it's on the top of page 2 (because that ijit took off his/her 1 vote), but the best fonts, I believe, and the ones that truly deserve to be at the top of page 2 and higher, are the ones that are so good, they have something like 10 troll votes, and they STILL are on the front page.
Kix, why aren't you contributing to this conversation? You know perfectly well the utterly irritating votes of 1, of which each of your wonderful fonts has about 20 of. People who vote 1s on fonts like that are jealous of the excellence of fonts such as yours.
Anyway, this is an unfathomable wonderful font, and if I knew who rated this, I would go back on my vow not to rate any fonts a 1. Whoever rated this a 1, you'd better keep quiet, because the moment people know there is a font troll here, there'll be hell to pay!
I'm done ranting now.
Most of my fonts only have around 20 total votes, so a couple low votes crashes the balanced rating.
There are only two fonts on the first page with less than 38 votes. Both are by Intaglio and only have 15 votes, BUT the lowest vote on either is a 7, which keeps his balance rating above 9.
I like thalamic's idea of randomly listing the TPs.
I got two reasons not contribute to this conversation.
a) It's hard for me to find words in english, especially if the topic is as complex as in this case.
b) I don't care! Not anymore...
Something about a year or two ago, this dicussion came up and in fact, i was one of the loudest voices to lament about the issues we had with "font trolls".
I just realized it's not important, to be honest, it motivated me. If someone stumbles upon one of my works, it should be good. Even so good, his interest for other stuff of mine grows automatically. After all, the jealousy of others doesn't harm me, it makes me better :)
One thing to say finally; even if i'm not always commenting or contributing, I'm there paying attention.
cheers
@kix: I think, xenophilius mentioned you only because you were more affected by this problem than anybody else. Your ariapenciroman font sustained as many as 19 troll votes - that is probably an absolute record. I can understand you don't care anymore.
(In the end, all reveals that the free world is bought) .
In the end, what remains is the work you've done. Don't flush it, please!
How do you know that, Frodo7?
19?
strange...
@elmo:
I'm really sorry but i absolutely don't get what you're tring to say. I tried an app for translatin, but that was only funny :)
sorry for that...
I'm new here and have to learn more about fonts. But fontstruct is a cool way of wasting time;)
omg this is beautiful
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