My Type Face Annie Rexy

When I was a student at the London College of Printing, I started to design a typeface. It was called Annie Rexy. I wanted to make it all bent and crooked like thin, almost broken bones but, the tutor a famous typographer called Frederick Lambert (who's most popular font was probably Compacta), told me I had to design the straight version first. I was quite scared of Fred and he was such a pro, I did exactly as I was told.

Annie Rexy Straight Typeface by Emma Calder 

Each letter was drawn with a 2H pencil, was 4 inches high and drawn on tracing paper, with graph paper underneath, Fred did not allow me to use a compass or a ruler. I would show Fred a letter approximately once a month and he would tell me how to improve it. Sadly I never finished the typeface before finishing the course, although a couple of years ago, almost 30 years since the original design commenced in 1979,  I did do a bit more work on it. Fred had warned me that a decent typeface could take a life time. 

Recently I was asked by an architectural practice, if they could use the typeface for a job involving the names of some clients being carved into the edge of a wooden door. It was the extreme thinness that had attracted them. I will add a link to the door once it is finished.

As I had the work on the computer and it was my daughters birthday, I thought I would make her a card using the typeface. I was messing around trying out the original idea of the skinny, bent bone, lettering and I discovered a filter tool in Photoshop which I had never tried before. Here is the result. 

Birthday Card for Coco

I still need to finish the typeface though!

Coco Cripps Graffiti

I have been bad at adding to this blog recently since finishing Emma Calder's Moody Days and have been so busy working on new stuff, that I have had no spare time. But yesterday morning, I was so distracted that I went and stood by my fourteen year old daughter, as she sprayed her first graffiti stencil in the Skatepark in Stockwell. 

 Coco spraying in Stockwell Skatepark

Her work is so good already but, what is the future for the young creative artist now, even less opportunties now, than before. Less places at colleges high fees, student loans etc...no jobs!

 Tree Kiss by Coco Cripps

I do have a new book coming out soon, so I shouldn't be gloomy, Paper Angels published by Bloomsbury, 4th October 2010. There are always ways to get work out there if you don't get too fed up with the effort. Doing the stickers were one way for me and now Coco with her graffiti.

 The opening page from Paper Angels by Emma Calder

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