Unknown Font

January 13, 2014

So, I saw the cover of the new album Wig Out at Jagbags and found it pretty cool, I just couldn't identify the font, I am not even really sure if it is a font or that somebody wrote it, anyways, I just wanted to know if any of you guys can tell me something about it.

http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Gabrieljauma/malkmusandjicks_jagbagscover-1024x1024_zps54947fba.jpg

Thank you!

January 13, 2014

Almost certainly done by hand; there's plenty of variation between otherwise identical characters. As for what *hand* it might be, I have no idea.

January 13, 2014

Almost certainly done by hand; there's plenty of variation between otherwise identical characters. As for what *hand* it might be, I have no idea.

Actually, there is not that much variation (and if it's an OTF with context-aware variations, it wouldn't be surprising to see more than this; cf. Zapfino).

It looks like some kind of copperplate variant, but it's either a typeface, or drawn (given where the shades are, this cannot be "written").

January 13, 2014

It is based off coulee or French-Italian Batarde, perhaps both. Although I think it is probably a typeface on the album, such lettering can be (and was) written, here is an example written c. 1728-1747:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9400995c/f2.zoom.r=calligraphy.langEN

http://i.imgur.com/Cc7dG2n.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fGL1arA.jpg

With a quill (and to a less extent with dip pens) you can use the corner of the nib to produce a very fine (mono)line and with the quill rightly cut you can make such lines as long as you wish.

There are examples of coulee and batarde in Denis Diderot's Encylopedie, scans of plates here:

http://artflsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.18:48:1.encyclopedie0513

January 13, 2014

It is based off coulee or French-Italian Batarde, perhaps both. Although I think it is probably a typeface on the album, such lettering can be (and was) written, here is an example written c. 1728-1747:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9400995c/f2.zoom.r=calligraphy.langEN

http://i.imgur.com/Cc7dG2n.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fGL1arA.jpg
With a quill (and to a less extent with dip pens) you can use the corner of the nib to produce a very fine (mono)line and with the quill rightly cut you can make such lines as long as you wish.

There are examples of coulee and batarde in Denis Diderot's Encylopedie, scans of plates here:

http://artflsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.18:48:1.encyclopedie0513

If you look at the W at the bottom of the OP, you'll see why I think this is either type or drawn. The position of the shades make it impossible to write (as opposed to draw) with a pointed pen/quill, and, the consistent width in the right "arm" of the W would be very hard to do with an edged nib (cf. almost constant width despite changes in direction. It'd require very precise turning of the nib). Hence my reasoning of it being a typeface. I may of course be wrong.

January 13, 2014

The position of the shades make it impossible to write (as opposed to draw) with a pointed pen/quill

People didn't write coulee/French-Italian batarde with pointed quills: they used broad edged ones. Diderot's Encylopedie which shows how nibs are cut for writing in this style:

http://artflsrv02.uchicago.edu/images/encyclopedie/V19/plate_19_21_4.jpeg

Also, to make it clear I do think the example in the OP is a typeface or drawn, but that style (i.e coulee and/or French-Italian batarde) was and can be written.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Columba Livia

January 13, 2014

People didn't write coulee/French-Italian batarde with pointed quills: they used broad edged ones. Diderot's Encylopedie which shows how nibs are cut for writing in this style:

I never said they did (I've actually taken up French roundhand recently). My point was that the OP's text couldn't be (without some pretty extraordinary broad-edge skills) written with either pointed or broad nibs; hence it had to be drawn or a typeface.

January 13, 2014

As I said, I definitely think OP is a typeface but I tried writing some Ws (without lifting pen off the paper while doing so) like those in the OP example, just on a bit of scrap paper and the results lead me to to think that a similar W is doable without extraordinary skills, just some time, study and practice. 1.5mm Pilot parallel pen:

http://i.imgur.com/7nni5Wp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oILd23e.jpg

Edited January 13, 2014 by Columba Livia

January 13, 2014

As I said, I definitely think OP is a typeface but I tried writing some Ws (without lifting pen off the paper while doing so) like those in the OP example, just on a bit of scrap paper and the results lead me to to think that a similar W is doable without extraordinary skills, just some time, study and practice. 1.5mm Pilot parallel pen:

I think you got the shape pretty well, but the shading in the right arm is not nearly close. Again, I'm not disputing that it can be done, just that's unlikely

Edited January 13, 2014 by mvarela