Non-Latin Session: Day 2

Devanagari lettering (picture by Paul Hunt).
After the theoretical session on Tuesday we started practising North Indian scripts today. Some lettering exercises, with various tools, let us identify the different signs, getting a writing comprehension of the shapes and a better understanding of the letter combination systems.
Fiona shared her amazing experience with us, kindly criticising our sketches with precious and accurate advices.
Enjoy a more enjoyable overview –free beer included– on Dan’s blog!

It’s Devanagari, Paul is happy.

«The Three Is The One Which Looks Like a Two!»

Today was the first day of the Non-Latin workshop about North Indian scripts. Fiona Ross gave us an efficient overview of each major writing systems used in North Indian –including Devanagari, Bengali & Gujarati– always linked to past and current technological limitation and a vast amount of local documents.

The goal of the week is to demonstrate to us a way to approach Non-Latin typeface design, confidence and questioning documentation seems to be key issues according to Fiona. By the way, it appeared the the ratio of available good typefaces per Indian reader is kind of low… unlike the number of photocopied sheets we got to cover the subject.

Things We Don’t Have In France: Cleaning Spiders

Some strange cybernetic creatures are wandering around in the departement.

Michael Twyman on 17th French Manuscripts

As usual Michael Twyman gave us an amazingly well documented talk about French manuscripts yesterday, looking for a way to qualify average 17th century French writing.
Some very intersting statements were made about document safety and some amazingly skilled kids were been jealous of…

17th century fun.

Gerry’s Collective Crit Session On Early Typeface Designs

No Black Friday in the department!

Thanksgiving Massive Shopping

Thanks to Dan Reynolds’ enthusiasm we were involved in a huge thanksgiving celebration last night. Although we were European newcomers, Joke, Yvonne & I quickly got the core idea of the event and, like everybody, spent several hours in Tesco, buying everything you need to kill hunger.
Fortunately there is no picture of the way back home, too much food on too small bikes.

A lot more on Dan’s and Joke’s blogs, guest starring a wonderfully cooked turkey and a lot of love embedded in some delightful dishes from all over the world (some mothers were involved!).

Michael Twyman on Puffin Books

Weeks after weeks, the Michael Twyman show & tell sessions are going on, always new and exiting.
Guest staring blurry Paul, Fernando, Andrew & ghosty Gareth.
A lot more on Michi's Flickr, as usual.

Skillfull Supermarket Home Delivery

Manu, Yvonne & I performed a Tesco Online Shopping last week. It seems badly designed website, non native speakers and tired students can lead to such funny things as a single green bean home delivered.
Only 2p! Such a good deal! Thank you Mister Tesco!
Picture by Yvonne.

Things We Have In France Too: User Friendly Postal Architecture.

You must really love books to go to grab them at the Reading Royal Mail Head-quarters.
I guess Yvonne & I are considered as true Amazonian adventurers now…

Love At Foxhill

Gwen was in Reading this weekend! Je t’aime mon amour!

Thank you everybody for all the midnight balloons, the lovely Hand Job Books, the graffiti cacedédi, les colis mystère encore à Paris, the special Pez candies, les écharpes, Weng Weng, the Typotheque gogogirls forever love cards dairies, the fcbk walls, the indian dinners, the party commers, the French Oreos, the msn Greets, les Bacot Geeks Challenges, the suprise cakes and so on, and on and on…
Merci beaucoup!
Love!

Improvised (?) Birthday Dinner

Chef’s choice with Yvonne, Joke, Michi, Paul and Manu! Thank you chaps!

Things We Don’t Have In France: BK's Onion Rings

Spécial dédicace. But they close at 9pm, perfection is an unreachable illusion.

Shopping…

Upgrade, lighter wallet & full Hard drive!

Michael Twyman on Monograms

Unfortunately, Michael Twyman was not abble to give us one of his weekly lovely show & tell sessions today. Here is a cellphone picture of the last week one, about cyphers and monograms.
Guest starring fellow MAs Andrew (researcher) & Paul (type designer). A lot more on Michi's Flickr.

Things We Have In A Fancy Place In Paris.

Dan brought Michi, Dan, Anke & myself to a lovely Brazilian restaurant/grocery/salon de thé today. We enjoied a very nice meal and des bières trops mortelles.
Almost feel like home!

Phileas Fogg Pop World Tour

What a Reading typical day: Brazilian late lunch, American movies, Arabic news paper, Indian take away dinner, pfiou.