In true hip hop form:
- There will be no judges and no prizes. Everybody involved will know who the winner is, solely based on who laid down the quality work.

- Anybody can talk smack, but it will only be taken seriously if you also post your own stuff.

I am not sure what this game is all about, not having participated before, but here is an “Entry” that I don’t even know is qualified as a Slab Blackletter (whatever that is).
I figured one hour would be my time limit:

ChrisL

I am not sure what this game is all about, not having participated before, but here is an “Entry” that I don’t even know is qualified as a Slab Blackletter (whatever that is).

That is because it is a new game, and you are one of the very first participants! I’m not sure I know what a Slab Blackletter is either, but I think we shall soon find out. :)

Nice work, I might have to join in on the fun.

I should mention that I have been kicking around the idea of a geosans blackletter for a long time, so it wasn’t a big leap to geoslab blackletter.

I’ll see if I can sketch something up and scan/digitize it tomorrow at work. No desk in my apt to work at :(

Not extremely battle-ish, but I just spent WAY too much time on this to not post it.

I want to play.

anybody can smack talk, but it will only be taken seriously if you also post your own stuff

Awww! :^(

O:^)

:^P

:^D

—astype.de—

Zara,
That’s gorgeous!
The battle-axe “L” is a nice touch.

ChrisL

You know I had to.

Whats look really like battle... like tank tracks. :-)

—astype.de—

Ooh, James, bringin’ the heat.

bombs away!

Haha. Nice stuff to wake up to. James is that Super Duty Blackletter?

Made this a little more difficult for myself...Slab Serif, Black Letter, Ambigram! (I’m not entirely happy with the ’b’ of the b/e combo but I gotta get back to work! I’ll post an update later.

James is that Super Duty Blackletter?

i’ll answer that: it’s Gothic Gothic customized by the designer.

Oooooh. David. Nice.

Show-off. :^P

Where’s the slab people?

The battle-axe “L” is a nice touch.

Thanks! Better to cut my opponent’s stems off.

Ha! In true hip-hop form.

you want slabs, Christian? I got your slabs!

Where’s the slab people?

Yup, that’s what I was wondering myself. Some of these entries are in danger of being disqualified for conspicuous lack of slab serifs. :^/

Can I participate with a grunge-style remix?

Dav,
I’m lovin’ it! Make that one into a new typeface?
But fix the “a” so it looks less like an “o”?

ChrisL

“Ha! In true hip-hop form.”

What is Hip-Hop form?

ChrisL

Thank you, Chris
( I never even thought about doing a blackletter typeface, maybe I should :)

My personal favourites so far would be the ones by Gabriel, David ( Bailey ) and Zara, of course :)

Dav

A little more serify:

What is Hip-Hop form?

This is what you might experience in a free-style rap battle (because, you know that is totally my thing), where competitors call each other out with lots of verbal “b*tch-slapping.”

“free-style rap battle”

Now I see, I am too out-of-it a geezer to have heard any of it but I get it.
In the 1950s, we called this a “Capping Battle” where two guys would face off and say evil things about each other’s mother like, “Yo’ momma ’so ugly, she look like she been in a hatchet fight and forgot to bring a hatchet!”

I see some things don’t change (except for what it is called).ChrisL

The lowercase is a little ho-hum, but I kinda like the B.

Ooh, James, bringin’ the heat.

Christian, I gotta give you props for yours, both slab and black. And on a curve for style points. I think mine may be lacking some slabness.

David H... nice.

… and Zara, of course :)

Dav, do you say this out of the fear you have for my intimidating and oh-so-sharp & and dangerous l?
:)

I sure do :)
( Nah, I really think, at that time, those were the ones I liked the most )

Dav

A little more slabby, perhaps...

This is a nicely remastered version, James :)

Dav

Ooh, DB had to invoke the ambigram. Hence, I must throw down.

oooh, very nice Kevin.

Nice Kevin..seems a little more grafitti-esque though. Here’s my last tweak to hopefully make the letters a little more authentic to the black letter style, I’m heading home. It’s still not perfect but it’ll do!

Here’s my version:

Ooh, it’s getting blacker!

Back to Battle! (in my parapitiful way:-)

ChrisL

great idea guys, and some pretty nice pieces so far!

Hey Chris, you forgot the swoosh and the dropshadow.

“you forgot the swoosh and the dropshadow”

Dang! Now I know I will never make it as a logo designer today!
:-)

ChrisL

Well, that one is a little too much in the pits for me so here is one a bit cleaner but still Battle ready.

ChrisL

Only respond with the characters posted in the challenge.

Chris, I’m calling foul on the New York Battle.
Game misconduct for illegal use of an underline.

That underline, well it ain’t no scam,
It’s a flourish that you nourish not no ambigram,
Check the book on swash cause it’s a glyph by gosh,
Even OT from my goatee let’s you pump that slosh.
Don’t be callin out what you don’t call stout,
cause yo binness be drinkin Guiness BRILLIANT talkin Bout!

ChrisL

That was my take on “hip-hop style” —at least what I gather from what little I know about it :-)
I hope Zara will tell me if my rap is true to form?

ChrisL

It’s a flourish that you nourish not no ambigram,

Don’t be dissin’ just cuz my ’gram be ambidextrous yo!

I be diggin what yo friggin on the underside,
it’s the coolest of the game the one that’s got yo name,
so don’t be thinkin I am stinkin with yo sense o pride!

ChrisL

Word to your mother.

(May she RIP ;-))

Why yo’ dis my Mama while I’m wearin my pajama,
I be goin’ sleepin’ till the mornin’ come a creepin’,
Yuall kin chill young fella catch a wink with a trim that’s bella,
cause this old dude be droppin’ out while you keepin glued!

ChrisL

Jared/Joe, zebra guys, a ruling please on whether Chris’ flagrant use of a carefully trimmed underline constitutes “swash” behavior.

The nerddom is strong in here.

Chris, your rhyming skills are impressive. You must have watched 8 Mile like I advised. :) BTW, I only pretend to know anything about hip-hop — add a “hizzy” and a “double-story-G” here and there, and the cool factor skyrockets.

Nick, who are the zebra guys?

Because I am naturally a very mean-spirited bully, I’d like to go ahead and say that DJ Dezcom’s B-swash is unnatural and too close to an underline to be considered a legal entry. However, then I risk my danger-swash piece to be omitted as well, and my delicate ego shall be squashed and I will be forced to hang my head in shame for all eternity. Or not.

Tough call. What does everyone think?

Zebra guys refers to the shirts worn by referees.
You’re too legit to quit, Zara, that’s an “L”.

Kickin’ it Licko style — strictly 45 degrees, y’all.

If you call a crime you must make it rhyme
or be pickin’ what yo stickin where the sun don’t shine!

:-)

ChrisL

No need to drop a dime, I can chuck the underline,
and it still be breakin, and lookin’ fine.
If you think what you saw, makes you call the law,
Yes I can be the man and still fall you-all!

ChrisL

The Sistah’s flags and nails wit’ da sand-box pails,
just as much a crime as my underline!
Since yo’ “L” past musti’d y’all can not be trusted,
to be samin what Nick namin as a traffic fine!

:-)

ChrisL

I did not see no flick like what said dat chick,
I jus’ rhym’n to be chimin’ and to make it slick!

ChrisL

Here y’all go Saint Nick, does that do the Trick?
I refined it and de-lined it just to make you sick!

ChrisL

Lookin good Mark, it kinda has that Chess Piece look to it with the angled slabs.

ChrisL

I took the traditional Fraktur form and tried to dress it in 19th century slab serif clothes. I imagine something like it exists from back then, but maybe not. It would be fun to do it as a whole font.

(Sorry, I just can’t do the hip hop banter thing.)

Mark, you should do the new font with it! It has both a retro and a modern flair.

“(Sorry, I just can’t do the hip hop banter thing.)”

No sweat, I am just faking it. I don’t know what the real McCoy is like.

ChrisL

I don’t know; Mark may have shown us up with that one.

It would be fun to do it as a whole font.

It would be tiresome for readers, however, with every lower case letter having the same snap-on serif.

The serifs at the bottom were in some of the Frakturs I looked at. I exaggerated it, but I didn’t make it up. The serif at the very bottom left could be removed without destroying the general slab-serif effect (better for immersive reading :-P). I can’t imagine setting text with such a font, but it would be okay for a logo or title or something.

Like this:

Football battle?

ChrisL

Dan, the drop shadows ruin it for me. :)

What the?

Change that “b” to a “c” and you’ve got yourself something to brand cattle with.

At least Dan has Trade Marked it :-)

Me thinks this is in response to Nicks comment about “Swoosh and Dropshadow” earlier. :-)

ChrisL

Zara, here it is without the drop shadow:

First post for me; hi y’all.

I’ll leave the rhymes to those with more gusto. I had some good ones though, I promise; the phrase “deacon of decon” was in there, and some rhymes about postscript errors... anyway put up or shut up right? This one took up just about all my spare time at work yesterday.

Now that my Battle Lines have been drawn (and CSI is over) I can go to bed :-)

ChrisL

Simonson is in the hizzouse!

One of your earlier drawings looks like the top of a castle tower, Chris! I like!

Zara, that last one you posted is positively goth!

I can’t see David Bailey’s images, or Mr. Shinn’s. :-(
Is it just my crappy old machine that’s making me miss out?

Dan, I want to see yours as neon.

All you people have way too much free time.

Ahonetwo, ahonetwo...(snare, kick)

Which one, John, I’ll work it up for you in a snap!

What does “hizzouse!” mean?

ChrisL

I think Dan needs to drop the “e” down until the crossbar touches the baseline :-)

ChrisL

Chris, ’hizzouse’ = ’house’ ( ? )
( As in ’Marky Mark Simonson is in the house’ :)

Dav

Damn, I’m slow. Thanks Dav :-)

ChrisL

Why are so many of these on 45° grids?

“Why are so many of these on 45° grids?”

It is in the Blackletter vein. The tough part is the mix between slab, which is rectalinear 90 degrees, and the typical 45 degree feel from Blackletter. I think this was Jared and Joe’s intent to see what would come out of the duality.

ChrisL

45-degree grids are also easier for those of us with shaky bezier skills and limited time.

Still a bit of a mess but I better throw my hat into the ring before time runs out.

BTW: We’ve got a number of ideas for upcoming battles, but if you’d like to propose any ideas, PM me through the board here.

So whut be that there from yo’ hat?
Yo’ can prattle wit da battle and you forms ain’t shabby,
but it looks like Mark’s xcept it ain’t slabby!
:-)

ChrisL

I like it Jared, though you might want to throw some more curves in the middle there to make the b feel more at home.

On the grids - the first font I drew seriously back in school was blackletter inspired, and it too used a strict 45° grid, more for the reasons marcox mentions than anything else. I think it’s odd that blackletter lends itself so well to such a system, even though it’s so calligraphic. Does it simply arise from nib pen writing technique, or was there a philosophy promoting a 45° stroke angle as ideal?

The nibbed flat pen is well suited to writing this way. It is much harder to stay vertical with your arm/hand movement. Also, spacing is very predictable with almost uniwidth letters with parallel sides. In centuries past, many books were written with this hand and are still marveled at today.
Buy a flat pen and try it! It is actually kind of fun.

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore...

ChrisL

This battle needs a visual counterpart to Chris’ rapping.

Nate, I told you it was bad.

Jared gets mad props for getting this mindlessness off my drive...it’s been sitting around for ages.

Here’s mine…

Josh

Lots of great work, everyone. Tune in on Monday morning for the next challenge. (To be posted in a new thread.)

As for me, I thought Mark Simonson did an especially interesting interpretation. I also thought it was notable that most people looked to incorporate slabs into an overall blackletter style, rather than incorporating blackletter elements into a more traditional slab serif.

jb

As for me, I thought Mark Simonson did an especially interesting interpretation.

That’s a bit like declaring a winner, ennit?
I notice that you changed the text of your original entry conditions, which had said that there would be no winner declared, because it would be obvious (or something like that). Or did I just imagine that? I would not have participated if I had known you would change the rules and declare a winner, because I don’t enter competitions like that.

>declaring a winner

You should know, Nick, that everyone on typophile plays by his or her own rules—and everyone is a judge!

According to my rules this was a logo contest, not a type contest (where Mark has an interesting starting point). And by my standard my winners are: Zara’s first—nicely cutting. James’s first—the tank tracks, suitably frightening. Old Nick’s ship B, good for a viking movie. Dezcom’s first, with the parapets. Great logo for a bad medieval battle movie! And the grand prize winner is Nick Shinn’s double crossed tt’s: you are helpless before the sheer power and blackness of it all!

I liked Nicks double t Shinnguards too :-) but Nick is right about the revised judgment thing. I guess since Jared started the game with Joe and setting the rules, he should stick by them and not have passed judgment—even if he did not use the word “winner” and qualified his statement with “as for me”, it gave the impression he was picking a winner.

As for me, I thought it was a lot of fun and thought there were several outstanding efforts.

ChrisL

It’s not like declaring a winner at all. Half the fun is talking about the competition. For myself, I think mine is the best :) though I too feel like Mark rocked his entries. I wasn’t too keen on the literal sword/battlements.

As for me, I don’t think anyone got even close to solving the problem of blackletter plus slab serif, how does that work?
I would have liked to have cleaned off my calligraphy pens and given that a go, rather than just adapting an existing font. But not enough time.
Really, that’s a pretty tall order, Jared, you’re asking for a type design, not just a wordmark.
But it was interesting and fun nonetheless.
I guess if a competitor thought that this exercise could lead to him/her producing a legitimate typeface, then they might put in a lot more hours.

I didn’t start with an existing typeface or a caligraphy pen (coudn’t find the damn thing) and just started drawing in Illustrator. At first I was just trying to figure out what it meant to combine blackletter and slab. Later, I just went with trying to say “Battle” with it. I wonder what would have happened if we were just given the names of 5 random glyphs and not a word to start with?
I don’t think anyones’ approach could be judged right or wrong. They were all just valid departure points. To that end, judging “the winner” is far different than commenting on eachother’s solutions within their own context.
The intriguing thing I noticed was an almost even break in those who were being more based in writing and caligraphy, and those who went more to the wordmark-logo direction. The ambigrams could go both ways :-)
I think a good time was had by all though.

ChrisL

And I’m sorry I missed it until it was too late for me to give it a whirl (actually caught the link on Coudal). So when’s this week’s challenge going up?

I agree, Nick, that no one really solved the slab serif thing. Here’s something that I did last week, but never got around to posting (it’s still got some kinks to work out). I wanted to work the other direction, starting with a slab serif, and infusing some blackletter flavor.

I’m sorry if my comment came off as some sort of judgement - I was merely trying to foster some end-of-the-week banter about who thought who did well on the challenge. Unfortunately there’s no other way for me (outside of logging in as another username) to express my personal opinion.

To be clear: There is no “official” winner. The beauty of a “battle” of this sort is that anyone satisfied with their solution can walk away feeling like they won, and the spectators are all free to formulate their own opinions on who did an especially good job. Everyone gets the chance to see how their entry sizes up to the others. Clearly this is highly speculative territory.

I was excited by how many diverse interpretations of the asssignment were posted. So now the question remains: How will you do in this week’s challenge?

When Friday 1/27/06 rolls around, I invite all of you, spectators and designers alike, to cast your (not vote) opinion on who’s work was especially original or well executed.

jb

I actually did spend a considerable amount of time on my second try because I thought of a way it could be done that could conceivably lead to a full typeface, or at least a style I could use in some future lettering project. My initial entry was built up modularly in Illustrator rather quickly and lacked depth and nuance. With the second try, I started with pencil and paper, the same as I would with a real lettering project or a font. I knew it would be more work, but I think it made a big difference. Whether it becomes an actual font, who knows. I don’t think there would be a big market for it, but I’m bad at predicting that sort of thing.

I liked a lot of the other entries (including yours, Nick). I enjoyed taking part and I don’t think I would have come up with what I did on my own. I hope this really does become a regular Typophile thing.

[ black slab battle | height 8 px ]

[ black slab battle | height 12 px ]

[ black slab Battle | height 16 px ]

The “as for me” totally makes it not declaring a winner.
But it does make it not very hip hop. :-)

hhp