Eizan railway, the one-man operating train has two cars runs through northern Kyoto city, which left the terminal station named Demachiyanagi in northern Kyoto city. It was retro-car that has woody interior when I got on this train about fifteen years ago, but it seemed to be updated into the state of the art cars that have wide view windows. After getting on the train for about twenty minutes, the train reached the Kyoto Seika Univ. station. I’ve came to this college several times while I went to Kyoto City Univ. of Art about sixteen years ago, but the college had completely changed.

I looked for the class room the lecture would be held. There were only three persons in the room. After a while, the chime rang and then a bunch of students came into the room.

I would like to hear this lecture because not only Akira Kobayashi would be giving a presentation but also there was a program on Corporate Type. Besides, I would like to see the presentation of Osamu Torinoumi, who is a type designer for Japanese font and General manager of Jiyu-Kobo, which is one of famous type foundries in Japan and designed Hiragino series bundled in MacOSX, since I’d never had a chance to see Torinoumi’s presentation.

First of all, Akira Kobayashi talked about his projects that he worked with Hermann Zapf and Adrian Frutiger, and the type conference such TypeCon and AtypI. And then he explained about his work shop in AtypI St. Petersburg. He demonstrated how to draw alphabet letters in order to learn natural letter forms using brush and the Double pencil method, which was the same way he did in his workshop. We learned how to draw the Roman capital letters with double pencils. He said this method was the same way Europian design colleges did.

（Left）Signage in Kyoto Seika Univ. and the letter I draw with the double pencil method.（Right）

And Second, Masao Takaoka, is owner of Kazui Press, which is the most famous letter press in Japan, explained about Corporate Type. He explained about Suntory Project, which is the first case for Corporate Type in Japan. Suntory is a beverage and alcohol maker.

Torinoumi explained about the digitaize letter project for Shiseido, is cosmetics maker in Japan. That was very interesting story. Shiseido has an exclusive typeface for its advertising. According to Torinoumi, designers who join Shiseido company need to learn how to draw the exclusive typeface by hand at first. However, there are only two master designers who can teach newbie the way of lettering. Both of veterans will have to retire soon. So, Shseido decided to record the letter forms so that newbie will be able to reference letter forms whenever they want. Then, Shiseido asked Jiyu-kobo to digitize its letter forms.

Jiyu-Kobo started the project with two veterans. Jiyu-kobo digitized the letter and asked veterans to check the data. Both of veterans pointed out the same place, but the opinions where it could be revised were a little difference each other. Jiyu-Kobo often confused which opinion we should get. They repeated to check again and again. It took a lot of time to confirm the letter forms one by one.

After digitized all letters, Jiyu-Kobo suggested making “exclusive font” but Shiseido denied. “Shiseido told me that” Torinoumi said. “We don’t need a font. We know it’s easy to get the letter forms and to set letters using font, but we think it’s important that designers draw letters to know its forms and to hand down them to the following generations.” Torinoumi explained.

Picked Shiseido typeface up from the magazines and catalogues Shiseido issued. These are not the same one Jiyu-Kobo finalized but you can see what the Shiseido typeface looks like.
(Top Left) Shiseido letters in its advertising. (Top Right) Logotype for the magazine titled “花椿: Hanatsubaki: literally ‘Flower of Camellia’”, Shiseido used to issue for sales promotion. (Bottom Left)  Shiseido company logotype. (Bottom Right) Shiseido symbolmark called “Hanatsubaki”. Shiseido uses the bottom one now.

Shiseido typeface has really unique letter forms. These forms reminds me of Japan’s old days. Shiseido kept the letter forms for over eighty years. “These letter forms were very funny, but elegant,” Torinoumi said, looking back the project.

At last, Kobayashi hinted that the one of Corporate Type projects will out in 2010. “I’m going to be busy to make fonts from the beginning of next year” he continued. After the Suntory project, there was no Corporate Type project in Japan. So I’m looking forward to seeing which company will out it and what the font looks like.

A typeface designer Yasuyuki Miyake’s personal exhibition titled “文字は生きている：Moji wa Ikiteiru, means The living letters” was held at Nerima Art Museum in Nerima ward, Tokyo. This exhibition had two parts, the one was themed “Letter Design” and the other was “Letter Art.”

He designed a lot of Japanese typefaces for more than fifty years, which were displayed in “Letter Design” room and showed 10 new typefaces as well. The famous round edged san-serif typeface family “Jun“, from Morisawa Library, and “JTC Win” family, from Nis Library were also included. The large letters on the presentation boards were hand-trimmed black papers. He seemed to think it was important to draw letters by hand. And he showed some lettering works that designed names of sports athletes, entertainers and famous persons for several kind of magazines.

Meanwhile, there were a lot of print art works, which looked like silk-screen printings, in the “Letter Art” room. He described several scenes with Kanji letters like 風: wind, 雷: thunder and Kanji letters had meaning of natural things. These letters were dynamic as if letters were alive and they were very unique and had humor feelings. I could feel the difference between these two parts ”static and dynamic.”

Left: Post card and Specimen sheet were provided at the gallery. Right: Nerima Art Museum

In Japan, speaking Calligrapher, it might remind you of Japanese style Calligraphers. However, even in Japan, there are many Western style Calligraphers.

The exhibition titled “The works of Calligraphers Guild” was held at Gallery Kubota in Chuo ward, near the Tokyo station. More than 200 works got together and were displayed in four rooms. There were several styles of expressions such as classic, modern, relief and a mixture work Japanese and Western styles, and very interesting.

One of Calligraphers I would like to see, Izumi Shiratani showed a beautiful work in the exhibition. Her work was really cool and had gorgeous lines. As I’ve been acquainted with her since I met her at some party a few years ago, so I asked her to meet there and asked some questions about her work and activity in these days.

Besides the question for her work, I asked her about designing letters. I told her that I would need a Calligraphic style Logotype for package design in the future, so I’ve been looking for a Calligrapher to draw letters for a logotype. I would like to know her opinion about whether Calligrapher would like to have opportunity to design logotype or not. We exchanged opinions what the difference is art work and design work, what problem is to design logo work, what art director would be able to do for Calligrapher when we work together.

She welcomed to design and told me some opinions as a Calligrapher, and then make me clear there’s nothing to worry about. I’m glad to hear that and I would like to work with Calligraphers to make Logotypes in the future.

The direct mail and Thank you card for this exhibition.

This exhibition goes around to Sendai, Okayama, Osaka.

I went to attend TypeCon Seattle 2007 last year. This was the first time for me to go a type conference overseas.
I got a chance to take type critique named “Ten minutes type critique” on there. Now you can see the audio on the critique from YouTube.

TypeCon Seattle 2007: Typecrit 1 of 4

As I didn’t think I could listen everything due to lack of my English skills, I recorded whole part so that I could listen after I’d back home.

Eben Sorkin, was one of designers joined 10 minutes critique, asked me to get the audio and he proposed we should provide this audio to every one who was curious about this event. And then, he compiled several photos, specimens, and movies to edit this audio and uploaded to YouTube.

The 10 minutes type critique is an usual event of TypeCon. Three critics provide their opinions to the attendees watching submitted type designs. Matthew Carter, John Dawner, and Akira Kobayashi were the critics this time. Every attendee have 10 minutes only. They explained their concept and asked critics several questions within 10 minutes. The audience also asked their question about attendees works.

photo：The member list of 10 minutes type critique on the wall of front desk.
I wrote my name third place after someone quit to attend. Great!

This critique was very useful and helpful designing typeface. Not only I got several opinions from three critics but also it was useful to hear the opinions to the other designers.
I could understand easily where he important point was or how I should compare with the difference in the element. I’m pretty sure it is worth listening.

I couldn’t believe some famous type designers attended this type crit. Gabriel Meave, who is a really gifted type designer, attended this crit to show his font “Darka”, as you know, got the TDC prize. I though he didn’t need to join this crit because he could do everything! The other two Mexican type designers were also talented. AtypI conference will be held in Mexico City in next year. I guess type design in Mexico must be better to improve drastically.

At the farewell party of TypeCon Seattle, Mr. Dawner told me I should bring my revised type design to Buffalo. Thanks, Mr. Dawner!

P.S.
Related thread on Typophile.
TypeCon 2007 Typecrit video

For big fan of ancient Buddhist art, especially for those who hunt National treasures, it was very exciting season and busy to go museum where hold the exhibition during Golden week holiday. I went to Tokyo National Museum in Ueno park to see the Exhibition of National Treasures from Yakushi-ji Temple. Last week, I went to Shin-Yakushi-ji Temple to see the Twelve generals, and this time, I could see the bronze sculptures of Nikko(日光), means the sun, and Gakko（月光）, means the moon, made in Hakuo period (A.D.672-686) as National Treasures.

That’s a good chance that you’ll be able to see the back shot of the sculptures. In most cases, a statue set on the proper place in the hall of temple, you would not be able to see it from behind of it. However, in this exhibition, every statues were standing alone and displayed without their nimbus, besides, there was a deck in front of the Nikko and Gakko so that I could see on the same level with both of statues. I could tell these looks between the one when I saw on the same level and the other when I could see from lower point.

In my opinion, I’m sure that Buddha statue images with viewing from the twelve quarters angles were beautiful. I walked around every bodhisattva statue to find out the best view, but it was hard to decide it. As bodhisattva statue twisted the body, so the outlines of the body gradually changed at every step I took. I enjoyed the variety of the lines.

At the Kichijouten (吉祥天), is also designated National Treasure, booth, it was hard to see it because a lot of people gathered in front of the Kichijouten picture like a wall. The museum staffs made the visitors move along not to stack in front of it, but the visitors tried to stay there as much as possible. Indeed, it was worth watching.

The number of exhibit works in this time was small, but almost of them were designated National Treasure or Important Cultural Properties. So I’m pretty sure there must be not-to-be-missed. This exhibition is showing till June 8, 2008.

After watching the Exhibition of Yakushi-ji temple, I went to another exhibition in Tokyo National Museum on “The Lantingji Xuin(蘭亭序)”, which is one of the most well-known East Asian style Calligraphy works, but as I was exhausted to see the Yakushi-ji’s works, I couldn’t stay focus on watching the works of the exhibition “The Lantingji Xuin”. It was a pity that this exhibition will finish on May 6th, but I was relieved to know that another exhibition will be held at Edo-Tokyo Museum in this July named “The Palace Museum. A well-known treasure on Calligraphy” and will display “The Lantingji Xuin” works. I’ll try to see them again.

I didn’t think that I could meet him in Japan. One of the most famous typeface designers Christian Schwartz who based in New York, whose presentation was held at 5tanda Sonic event space in Gotanda, Shinagawa. There was huge audience to see his show in spite of hard rain.

Wearing a lovely “I love N.Y.” T-shirt, he started to show some customized fonts for some major companies like Esquire, Deutsche Bahn (the German national railway company) and the Guardian, and explained the background of these customized fonts using a lot of specimens.

One of them, a typeface called Haçienda was developed for the Guardian, which is a famous news paper in UK. Haçienda had dynamic family more than 100 not only wide range weights but also several kinds of styles like Serif, Sans and Slab styles, which would be released by the end of this year named as Guardian. Christian told us a full story of the design process from beginning to end.

After the show, I met him to ask some questions and showed him my portfolio to get some opinions. He seemed to be interested in my heavy weight style fonts and told me some opinions. Thanks for the opportunity to meet with you, Christian!

(Left) Christian explained the difference among three styles of Hacienda. (Right) A brochure for the audience of this presentation and a Christian’s autograph on it.

And I must say thank you to Chris Palmieri of AQ design studio. He was a coordinator to hold Christian’s presentation in Tokyo. He was very familiar with Latin typefaces and had some interviews with type designers that he was interested in such as Jeremy Tankard, which was on AQ’s web site. He helped me out a lot to have communicate with Christian. He was a very nice guy and really kind to me.

Christian’s presentation was held again at Robundo inc., which is a well-known publisher on typography in Japan, in Shinjuku Ward before his leaving from Japan due to a request by a member of Society of Typography, Japan.