It's hard to know what to make of Ludwig. I have too much respect for Fred to dismiss it without seeing it in print, but the web showing isn't inspiring. Is that really how it is spaced?
[The Vancouver Sun newspaper has just rolled out a redesign, and they're using an incredibly loosly spaced sans for subheads. Maybe 2009 will be the year of the sans-you-can-drive-a-truck-through.]
Goran,
perhaps it's worth having a second look. Flash does not use the original spacing, not for Ludwig, nor any other typeface on that site.
So, what qualifies it as an early 1st of April joke? The fact that this design that is less generic? or its obvious 'historical' perfume? If I look at all designs Fred ever did [part of them in Type Now, there is a great variety in styles and challenges. Like it or not, he never did much of the same over and over again, on the contrary - he defied the fear for uncharted waters. So, in this line of thought, I wouldn't dismiss Ludwig just for the simple fact that I [or you] did not expect something in that direction [= a design that is out of someone's comfort zone]...
Hyphen Press Music adopted Ludwig [together with Arnhem] for their identity; I bet EMI or SONY records would never do that. A recent Elmgreen & Dragset catalogue by Hatje Cantz features Ludwig quite nicely, too. So maybe it's not for everyone, and everything... But then, besides Helvetica, what is?
It seems almost like the stems were spaced as if they were seriffed. Given the stated objective of the design, this might not be far off. In his Quadraat, for example, the vertical stems are spaced with a distance nearly equal to the counter widths. A similar approach seems to have been taken with Ludwig, even though it is a sans.
24.Mar.2009 6.07pm
You may want to look at Ludwig before you weigh in.
http://www.ourtype.be/
24.Mar.2009 6.14pm
Or if you want a quick taste
24.Mar.2009 10.33pm
It's hard to know what to make of Ludwig. I have too much respect for Fred to dismiss it without seeing it in print, but the web showing isn't inspiring. Is that really how it is spaced?
[The Vancouver Sun newspaper has just rolled out a redesign, and they're using an incredibly loosly spaced sans for subheads. Maybe 2009 will be the year of the sans-you-can-drive-a-truck-through.]
24.Mar.2009 10.45pm
Is that really how it is spaced?
No. Here’s a link to a PDF: http://www.ourtype.be/pdf/OT-Ludwig-Pro.pdf
25.Mar.2009 1.26am
...and the PDF shows: Yes, that is how it’s spaced. :)
25.Mar.2009 4.15am
Goran,
perhaps it's worth having a second look. Flash does not use the original spacing, not for Ludwig, nor any other typeface on that site.
So, what qualifies it as an early 1st of April joke? The fact that this design that is less generic? or its obvious 'historical' perfume? If I look at all designs Fred ever did [part of them in Type Now, there is a great variety in styles and challenges. Like it or not, he never did much of the same over and over again, on the contrary - he defied the fear for uncharted waters. So, in this line of thought, I wouldn't dismiss Ludwig just for the simple fact that I [or you] did not expect something in that direction [= a design that is out of someone's comfort zone]...
Hyphen Press Music adopted Ludwig [together with Arnhem] for their identity; I bet EMI or SONY records would never do that. A recent Elmgreen & Dragset catalogue by Hatje Cantz features Ludwig quite nicely, too. So maybe it's not for everyone, and everything... But then, besides Helvetica, what is?
25.Mar.2009 9.53am
Oh, I looked in the PDF, and the type is "loosely" spaced there also.
But honestly if I offended anyone I'm sorry, my intention was not make any harm with my quick statement, just a reflection. Probably stupid of me.
25.Mar.2009 8.23pm
It seems almost like the stems were spaced as if they were seriffed. Given the stated objective of the design, this might not be far off. In his Quadraat, for example, the vertical stems are spaced with a distance nearly equal to the counter widths. A similar approach seems to have been taken with Ludwig, even though it is a sans.
26.Mar.2009 3.17am
By the way, Robin Kinross had posted his view on this on Hyphen Press website
26.Mar.2009 3.17am
sorry for the typo -- Robin Kinross
26.Mar.2009 4.20am
After printing the sample I can say I like. I don’t know exactly why but it seems better at small size.