typeworkshop.com   home : type-basics : references : archive
mailing list



workshops, Helsinki Lahti 10 2002, 04





basic info
time, place, basic info
participants
themes, the groups
daily impression

the workshop-themes
01 layered type
02 screentype
03 bible type
04 shop lettering


05 carplate type
06 the fatter the better
07 the publication
order publication




shop lettering  basic info : thoughts and ideas : presentation half way : final presentation


The object of this group was to go out to Helsinki and find the ugliest and most undesirable shop window, then to re-design the lettering so that the shop would sell more... Finding an ugly window in Helsinki on a sleeting day was easy, the hardest part was to choose the worst. We narrowed the choises down to four and made a new visit on the following day in order to take pictures and to talk with the owners. This was harder task than what we expected. The people in the shops weren't interested at all in the free design that we were proposing to do. In the Visual cafe the person didn't seem to talk nor understand Finnish or English. We did find out that she was Vietnamese, after that she closed herself completely.

In the bakery there was an elderly woman who wasn't having her day. We were to call the owner later but then decided not to and went on to the Tarrafirma, Sticker firm. The window of this place was just hidious, full of neon colored stickers and writing mistakes. At first we were sure that this place was owned by the mafia since it looked so terrible. We had to call the number on the window to even get the door open. Turned out then that the man was quite nice, unlike his work. He was slightly interested in what we were doing but said also that his window stickers had received a lot positive feedback... right. After a few discussions we decided to choose the Cafe Visual since the name was so funny and the typo on the window so pathetic. This is what we came up with it.







4 comments so far: read comments , please do comment



kai rentola -- Wednesday, October 23 2002, 11:41 am
This café looks pretty much some kind of french style seaside cafés. maybe it is because of colours and very traditional way to put together scripts and very straight sans serif type.

i think you should make it bolder or more contrast look. I also know that white is the best colour when taped or printed in to the window. Because it shows best in a daylight and in darkness.



SasuNiiloHermanni -- Wednesday, October 23 2002, 06:21 pm
taru, i miss you.

Hrant H Papazian -- Thursday, October 24 2002, 05:00 am
> said also that his window stickers had received > a lot positive feedback... right.

Wait, is he lying, or delusional? I don't think so. What does that mean? That people who don't work with type think they like bad type - they don't know it's bad. Why is it bad? Because we say so? Not good enough. And why do we say so? Because it gives us a reason to keep doing what we enjoy, or what pays the bills? Or maybe we say so because *subconsciously* people benefit from good type. That would be a good reason. But do we have proof? No. What is "proof"? I'll stop here. No, one more, a conclusive: What is a good balance between pleasing the short-term consciousness of the Average Man versus "advancing" Culture? The two are not diametrically opposed, but I think the angle is about 90 degrees? Where is our in-between vector?

Pardon my Finglish - I don't mean to tease - it's just fun.

hhp




  background information :  I have a question :  contact : browse :  site-map