Typography Tuesday

Miracle of Miracles! It's Typography Tuesday! On TUESDAY! Wow.

Getting on with it, the final installment of the Typography Tuesday look at alphabet blocks brings us to a fun and highly unconventional set from Xylocopa: the Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks.

There are only 5 in the set, but it seems scientifically appropriate to use an Occam's razor approach to the classic toys, particularly when this kind of stunning detail is laser engraved onto each one. So why mad scientist blocks (aside from the fact that their thoroughly cool...)? To quote from their site, "Like many of you, we are concerned about the state of science education in the public school system, especially in the lower grades. Specifically, we have noticed that there is absolutely no training in the K-6 grades that prepares students to become mad scientists." Indeed. Thank you, Xylocopa, for filling the hole in mad science related children's toys.

And while I would not have associated 1800's ornamental type with mad science, the little DNA-like decorations in the letter forms have me convinced. These blocks are undeniably awesome.

Typography Tuesday... well, Wednesday

So I'm still not getting this perfect, but at least I'm getting closer! *Sigh*

This week's post continues along the vein of really super cool letter blocks with three sets from House Industries. House is a prolific type foundry, which produces startlingly beautiful work. I particularly enjoy their alphabet blocks, each designed to not only display a stylish alphabet, but also fit together like a puzzle in a variety of ways. To wit:

Alexander Girard Alphabet Blocks

Neutraface Slab Blocks

PhotoLettering Blocks

*Sniffle*
I'm getting all teary-eyed, their so beautiful.

Typography Tuesday... er, Friday.

Yeah, so obviously I'm still getting a hang of this whole regular posting stuff. To my credit, I was on vacation this past Tuesday, so better late than never, right? And I'm not even into next week yet! How great is that!?

Anyway, the typographic inspiration for this post comes straight from my living room. All over my living room. This is the kind of typography that really hurts to step on. Nonetheless, it is one of my favorite applications of typography: the humble alphabet block.

As for my household, we have the simple, straightforward, inexpensive, ubiquitous (and most importantly, locally purchased) blocks. These are the classic chunks of wood in red, blue, yellow, and green, set in some relative of Clarendon. Ours in particular are Schylling Big Blocks.

But these are one of countless possibilities for block design. There are more possible block variations than there are extant typefaces. So what else is out there?

To begin with, there are the numerous elegant block sets created by German toy maker Lindenwood, under their Uncle Goose brand. When I first saw these things, they made me drool. Honestly. Check it out:

They make so much more than these beauties. They also make a sans serif line...

 

... foreign alphabets...

... and even patterns!

So cool! Check out all the different variations (from Latin-based alphabets to Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Cyrillic, Chinese, and even Braille) at the Uncle Goose Brand Blocks site.