There\u2019s one thing I haven\u2019t enjoyed so much: The judging. To those of you whose work is not mentioned in this post: I\u2019m genuinely sorry! The selection included below is just a subjective sampling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were many, many other entries which could easily have won had the wind at FontStruct Towers swirled in a different direction on the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyway, let\u2019s start with a review of some of the standout entries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alien Folk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Future](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/future-competition-oddball-entries.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI love<\/em> the psychedelic, folk-horror connotations of \u201cThe Eyes Have It<\/a>\u201d from jonrgrover<\/a>. When I retire to roam the hollow ways in my spooky carnival wagon, I\u2019ll be daubing these glyphs on the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\nKD erutuF<\/a> from architaraz<\/a> also teasingly marries the primitive and the futuristic. If that black obelisk from \u201c2001: A Space Odyssey<\/a>\u201d had some runes carved into its base, I believe they would look exactly like this. <\/p>\n\n\n\nzmokephantom eYe\/FS<\/a> from elmoyenique<\/a> is an oddball amongst oddballs, a bizarre rippling italic, perhaps the first FontStruction to actually melt the bricks, while Galactic Gothic<\/a> from bluemon<\/a> is an ingenious attempt to hack blackletter and technoid features into a single font. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTechno Stencil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Future](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/future-competition-technoid-stencil-entries-1-1024x832.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nQuite a number of entries explored a classically technoid, futuristic trope with heavy, slabby designs \u2013 fonts all ready to be stencilled on the hull of a rusting, refurbished star-cruiser. Cyberbug<\/a> from elzero<\/a>, Broad Band Ultrawide<\/a> from japanyoshi<\/a>, Future Proof<\/a> from four<\/a>, Stardrifter<\/a>, also from elzero<\/a> and Rollerball_1<\/a> from JingYo<\/a> are all examples for this genre and demonstrate the excitingly diverse possibilities within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFuture Restraint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Future](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/future-competition-pure-future-entries-1-1024x687.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSome visions of the future were cleaner and more restrained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zoltank<\/a> is a constructivist-flavoured, geometric display face from FontStruct\u2019s long-time master of retro-futuristic typography, our very own Stanis\u0142aw Lem, V.Sarela<\/a> (I hope that\u2019s a compliment. It\u2019s intended as one).<\/p>\n\n\n\nDesigned for \u201cthe future of Telerobotic medicine.\u201d I recommend reading geneus1<\/a>\u2019s full explanation for the cool and elegant G1 Prone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLike Zoltank, Cosmoknot<\/a> by time.peace<\/a> is expertly FontStructed and subtly complex. I believe it to be the only outline font among the entries. It\u2019s full of fun glyph shapes, and makes a neat, oblique reference to the NASA worm.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI also really enjoyed Neo-Tokyo<\/a> from Frodo7<\/a>. Hints of flicking brushwork bring life to the otherwise technoid forms. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCatch and Patch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Future](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/future-competition-catch-patch-entries-1024x421.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u2013 Two leet entries from FontStructing legends. db Catch<\/a> by beate has no obvious futuristic reference or connotation that I can see but it\u2019s a fascinating and highly original entry. I love the internal dots on the i and j, and the uml\u00e4ute. Are they the \u201ccatch\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd then we come to the mysterious, the ominous FS Patchman<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFrom William Leverette<\/a>, the designer who discovered and shared the original brick stack hack, we have the promise of a new technique called \u201cbrick patching\u201d. This may not be the FontStruction of the future, but could it be the future of FontStructing? I\u2019m mesmerised by the x-rayed \u2018S\u2019 in William\u2019s sample:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Sample](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/20072.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Prizewinners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 In no particular order, as chosen by you and by our guest judge Ivo Gabrowitsch<\/a>. There are actually four rather than three prizewinners since I asked Ivo for one winner too many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"FontStruct](\"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/future-competition-winning-entries-1024x952.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFirst up, \u201cG1 Nanocore<\/a>\u201d by geneus1<\/a>. Apparently inspired by certain whacky contemporary ideas, this is a really fun font and sensitive microscopes may reveal it to be in your bloodstream already. I recommend reading geneus1\u2019s own description of his design.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNext, Padomela LDR<\/a> from Neoqueto<\/a>. This was actually Ivo\u2019s number one choice \u2013 \u201cthe closest to my projection of the future.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nThalamic<\/a> wins twice over (only one prize though sorry!). Ivo chose tm Forward<\/a> as a favourite (\u201cI like the more organic projection of the future\u201d) while the \u201cpeople\u2019s favourite<\/strong>\u201d was the ingenious font-within-a-font \u201ctm two in one<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs with beate<\/a>\u2019s other entry, the relationship to the future is unclear, but Ivo could not resist the impressive qualities of db tempo<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinally (number two on Ivo\u2019s list) I\u2019m really delighted that someone new has made it onto the podium for this competition. Congratulations to japanyoshi<\/a> for kognigear<\/a> \u2013 a simple but usable design, clearly addressing the theme with a well developed character set. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPrizewinners will be contacted by email over the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch this space!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll be adding a few new features to FontStruct over the next couple of weeks, so please stay tuned for an announcement on that \u2013 or follow FontStruct on Twitter<\/a> if that\u2019s your kind of thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThanks!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To Ivo Gabrowitsch<\/a> for helping us out again with judging. Having worked for brands like FontShop, FontFont, MyFonts, Linotype, and Monotype, Ivo understands the type business like no other. His company Fontwerk is dedicated to help type designers and foundries making a living with their passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd, as always, thanks to our principal sponsor Glyphs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI love<\/em> the psychedelic, folk-horror connotations of \u201cThe Eyes Have It<\/a>\u201d from jonrgrover<\/a>. When I retire to roam the hollow ways in my spooky carnival wagon, I\u2019ll be daubing these glyphs on the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n KD erutuF<\/a> from architaraz<\/a> also teasingly marries the primitive and the futuristic. If that black obelisk from \u201c2001: A Space Odyssey<\/a>\u201d had some runes carved into its base, I believe they would look exactly like this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n zmokephantom eYe\/FS<\/a> from elmoyenique<\/a> is an oddball amongst oddballs, a bizarre rippling italic, perhaps the first FontStruction to actually melt the bricks, while Galactic Gothic<\/a> from bluemon<\/a> is an ingenious attempt to hack blackletter and technoid features into a single font. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Quite a number of entries explored a classically technoid, futuristic trope with heavy, slabby designs \u2013 fonts all ready to be stencilled on the hull of a rusting, refurbished star-cruiser. Cyberbug<\/a> from elzero<\/a>, Broad Band Ultrawide<\/a> from japanyoshi<\/a>, Future Proof<\/a> from four<\/a>, Stardrifter<\/a>, also from elzero<\/a> and Rollerball_1<\/a> from JingYo<\/a> are all examples for this genre and demonstrate the excitingly diverse possibilities within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some visions of the future were cleaner and more restrained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Zoltank<\/a> is a constructivist-flavoured, geometric display face from FontStruct\u2019s long-time master of retro-futuristic typography, our very own Stanis\u0142aw Lem, V.Sarela<\/a> (I hope that\u2019s a compliment. It\u2019s intended as one).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designed for \u201cthe future of Telerobotic medicine.\u201d I recommend reading geneus1<\/a>\u2019s full explanation for the cool and elegant G1 Prone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like Zoltank, Cosmoknot<\/a> by time.peace<\/a> is expertly FontStructed and subtly complex. I believe it to be the only outline font among the entries. It\u2019s full of fun glyph shapes, and makes a neat, oblique reference to the NASA worm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also really enjoyed Neo-Tokyo<\/a> from Frodo7<\/a>. Hints of flicking brushwork bring life to the otherwise technoid forms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Two leet entries from FontStructing legends. db Catch<\/a> by beate has no obvious futuristic reference or connotation that I can see but it\u2019s a fascinating and highly original entry. I love the internal dots on the i and j, and the uml\u00e4ute. Are they the \u201ccatch\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then we come to the mysterious, the ominous FS Patchman<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From William Leverette<\/a>, the designer who discovered and shared the original brick stack hack, we have the promise of a new technique called \u201cbrick patching\u201d. This may not be the FontStruction of the future, but could it be the future of FontStructing? I\u2019m mesmerised by the x-rayed \u2018S\u2019 in William\u2019s sample:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 In no particular order, as chosen by you and by our guest judge Ivo Gabrowitsch<\/a>. There are actually four rather than three prizewinners since I asked Ivo for one winner too many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First up, \u201cG1 Nanocore<\/a>\u201d by geneus1<\/a>. Apparently inspired by certain whacky contemporary ideas, this is a really fun font and sensitive microscopes may reveal it to be in your bloodstream already. I recommend reading geneus1\u2019s own description of his design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, Padomela LDR<\/a> from Neoqueto<\/a>. This was actually Ivo\u2019s number one choice \u2013 \u201cthe closest to my projection of the future.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thalamic<\/a> wins twice over (only one prize though sorry!). Ivo chose tm Forward<\/a> as a favourite (\u201cI like the more organic projection of the future\u201d) while the \u201cpeople\u2019s favourite<\/strong>\u201d was the ingenious font-within-a-font \u201ctm two in one<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with beate<\/a>\u2019s other entry, the relationship to the future is unclear, but Ivo could not resist the impressive qualities of db tempo<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally (number two on Ivo\u2019s list) I\u2019m really delighted that someone new has made it onto the podium for this competition. Congratulations to japanyoshi<\/a> for kognigear<\/a> \u2013 a simple but usable design, clearly addressing the theme with a well developed character set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prizewinners will be contacted by email over the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll be adding a few new features to FontStruct over the next couple of weeks, so please stay tuned for an announcement on that \u2013 or follow FontStruct on Twitter<\/a> if that\u2019s your kind of thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To Ivo Gabrowitsch<\/a> for helping us out again with judging. Having worked for brands like FontShop, FontFont, MyFonts, Linotype, and Monotype, Ivo understands the type business like no other. His company Fontwerk is dedicated to help type designers and foundries making a living with their passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, as always, thanks to our principal sponsor Glyphs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTechno Stencil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFuture Restraint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCatch and Patch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Prizewinners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWatch this space!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Thanks!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n