cumulus & foam
DESCRIPTION
An accompany to the typeface Cumulus and FoamTRANSCRIPT
A mixed bag of Cumulus & Foam.
Published by YouWorkForThem,
in conjunction with Armchair Media.
© 2010 Stefán Kjartansson.
All rights reserved.
Printed in Canada.
No part of this book may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or
by any information storage and retrieval
system, without the written permission
of the Publisher, except in the context
of reviews.
Cumulus & Foam is a family of three
typefaces: Cumulus & Foam & Vane,
Cumulus & Foam & Crumpet,
Cumulus & Foam & Naugahyde.
The graphic designers who graciously
donated work to this book:
Aaron Byrd,
Farbod Kokabi,
Dongwoo Kim,
Elise Mattingly,
Justin Van Hoy,
John Ferguson,
Josh Boston,
Kevin Byrd,
Mariel Childes,
Michelle Haft,
Peter Rentz,
Rodney White,
Shari Eaton,
Siggi Eggertsson and
Wade Thompson.
Anna Malsberger for the foreword.
Nate Steiner, Mindy Stombler and
Elise Mattingly for naming.
Alena Cason for copy editing. Mike Cina
for early encouragement. Michael Paul
Young for bringing to market,
YouWorkForThem and Armchair Media
for publishing. The Dutchpress
for shipping.
About Gratitude
As it is in life, it is in art: beautiful is easy,
reassuring, and affirming. It commands
a comfortable space, and reliably adheres
to the rules established therein. In its
style, message, and momentum, beautiful
is a confirmation that our systems make
sense, and, in its most successful form,
allows us to inhabit that proof. And we
are blissful to be there! It is a space that
hears our tremors, and responds with a
mollifying “hush”. In this way, beautiful
itself did not need to be created; it was
created because it is needed.
What, then, of the unbeautiful? The value
of a dischordant note, garish palette,
misshapen form? Cumulus & Foam is a
specimen for such investigation. In Stefán
Kjartansson’s newly-minted font, the
characters spawn awkward spaces
and strange intersections. Dialogues
within the unruly family are without
agreed message, and the three uppercase
typefaces — with surnames Crumpet,
Vane, Naugahyde — have abandoned the
classic unifying key. Their influences
are discernible — brash collisions of the
1980s, art deco’s voluptuous bubbles, and
dadaism’s implausible juxtapositions —
but otherwise they are incorrigible.
In short, they don’t seem to be listening
to the rules of beauty, and they don’t
really care. And herein a freedom was
born. They tease us with allusions
to peacocks, mustaches, umbrellas
and feathers. They blossom, heave,
and knock each other around. They are a
glorious parade of grotesque enthusiasts.
They offer proof of nothing. The duty of
the unbeautiful is not to affirm; rather,
it is to develop.
And development is directed by
discomfort. Like other unbeautiful
creations, Cumulus is not an easy read.
Its delicate origins (in Didot) are
perceptible, but this familiarity is cloaked
with malproportioned outgrowths and
misfigured swellings. Not only have
the characters all but eluded recognition,
there is a sense that they haven’t ceased
to form. As clouds transmogrify when
borrowed for a dream, so does Cumulus
bloom and thrust when committed to
a baseline. The relationship between
letterform and hand is inverted. This
prompts a second thought. What does it
spell, and what does it mean. What else
could it spell, what else could it mean?
Directing the protean elements almost
becomes a process of mutual adapta-
tion. As nuances are discerned, Cumulus
nudges and we reconsider. And what was
previously an absence — of reassuring
proofs — is now a different sort of beauty:
a coalescence of disjointed systems
with all sorts of notions. Pitch-perfect
articulation is possible, though final
messages might surprise.
Cumulus is not passive, though it will
negotiate. And by the time you’ve all
agreed, Cumulus has won. It revels
and dominates, its reign unchecked.
Even when airbrushed.
Anna Malsberger
Foreword
Cumulus & Foam & Vane close-up.
Cumulus & Foam & Crumpet close-up.
Cumulus & Foam & Naugahyde close-up.
Cumulus & Foam & Vane alphabet.
Cumulus & Foam & Crumpet alphabet.
Cumulus & Foam & Naugahyde alphabet.
Charles Bukowski — The Genius of the Crowd.
After a laborious year, it was time for
my special child’s very first road test.
I called upon a few of my favorite
designers to see how she fared
without my guidance. I handed each
a copy of Cumulus & Foam, followed
by an emergency number, an obvious
lack of instruction, and a crash helmet.
Then I left.
The following specimens are what
I received in return.
Guest designers
Specimen designed by Siggi Eggertsson. (siggieggertsson.com)
Specimen designed by Peter Rentz. Letter size is relative to frequency of appearance in English language. (peterrentz.com)
Specimen designed by Mariel Childes. (marielchildes.com)
Specimen designed by Son & Sons. (sonandsons.com)
Specimen designed by Shari Eaton. (sharieaton.carbonmade.com)
Specimen designed by John Ferguson. (publikspace.com)
This typeface specimen sheet is designed by Josh Boston / joshboston.com
Specimen designed by Josh Boston. (joshboston.com)
Specimen designed by Aaron Byrd. (aaronbyrd.com)
Specimen designed by Michelle Haft. (michellehaft.com) Photography by Geoff Ellis. (geoffreyellis.com)
Specimen designed by Farbod Kokabi. (letsgetboring.com)
Specimen designed by Dongwoo Kim. (networkosaka.com)
Specimen designed by Justin Van Hoy. (thedutchpress.com)
Specimen designed by Kevin Byrd. (kevinbyrd.com)
Specimen designed by Elise Mattingly. (elisemattingly.carbonmade.com)
Specimen designed by Rodney White. (rodney-white.com)
Cumulus & Foam & Vane.