Those Who Would Sacrifice Liberty for Poor Logo Design... Deserve Either

Ron Paul stood on solid ground as a presidential hopeful in 2008. His one against many, damn the torpedoes style during the candidate debates that cycle, gained him the recognition and respect he probably deserved much earlier in his career through his military, government and medical service.

Ron Paul spoke of liberty, limited government and the lowering of government intervention in the affairs of people, foreign or domestic. Getting spending under control and auditing or all together abolishingthe Federal Reserve were also themes which struck a chord with millions of voters. After Iowa, his average placement nationally from each states polling process was 2.5. - an average far ahead of McCain, Juliani and Romney. He was one of only three other legitamate candidates to take part in the All-American Presidential Forums on PBS taking place in Baltimore, moderated by Tavis Smiley. Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson had chosen to skip that debate.

In principle, everything Ron Paul stands for seems admirable, honorable and very genuine in it's source. An unofficial announcement that he is running again in 2012 seems a bit premature but none the less welcome by many nationwide.

I for one could also get on board with his pesuassively, potent message for America... except for one thing.

In view of the momentum his candidacy had caused, Ron Paul founded a political action group called Campaign for Liberty. That's great and everything but I just don't like the groups logo so needless to say, - he won't be getting my vote. The logo itself is not extremely horrible I mean - I don't hate it, - Rothenburg, Germany has it's sorted past just as many locals around the world. The Red, White and Blue theme is appropriate...it's still America if you close your eyes long enough and the spacial relations seem hell bent on filling space. The whole entire is an attempt at recalling America's proud history ( using a face which historically, has nothing to do with America or it's unique lettering).

It is visually aligned - poorly, too much space between the i and the g in 'Campaign'. The finishing y in Liberty at the bottom is weak and disproportionate to any statement of solidarity or strength. It's not just how you start, - it's how you finish.

These are just a few surface problems I saw and initially I thought I could live with, until I had the pleasure of seeing the logo as placed on a stylish, All-American baseball cap.

All that's missing here is the monster truck rally, spent budweiser cans and a dog named Roo-Roo.

but then accesories do make the outfit.

When it comes to image - that all important "first impressions last a lifetime" thingy, there is only one captain of this ship. I'm afraid I will not be voting for Dr. Ron Paul in 2012, not nessesarily due to his staunch defense of freedom and liberty for ALL, but because of a more than apparent lack of graphic-lettering sense.

Adobe Photohop CS5 Extended

Adobe CS5 Extended is chock full of cool extensions and loaded with great features for manipulating text. Using changable presets you can really generate some awsome designs!
Easy 3D extrusions allows you to create 3D artwork such as logos from a text layer using one of many selection tools. You can even use the layer mask included with the Adobe Repoussé feature in Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 - Full Adobe Photoshop CS5 Create images with impact using industry-standard Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 software. Easily select and mask intricate image content, such as hair. Remove any image element and see the space fill in almost magically. Create stunning HDR photographs. Paint with realistic strokes and color blends. Remove noise, add grain, and create vignettes with state-of-the-art photography tools. Experience fast performance on 64-bit systems. Plus, integration with Adobe CS Live online services enables you to collaborate in new ways. CS Live services are complimentary for a limited time — learn more.

With the Adobe Repoussé feature you have alot of options for manipulating text layers such as twist, rotate, extrude, bevel, and inflate... After changing the layer to your precise preferences, you can then apply material effects such as chrome, mud, and grass to name just a few of the possibilities.

Repoussé. It's one of those things you know about but can't remember why or how...


REPOUSSÉ is the classical technique of embossing or creating a relief by hammering or (from the french) "pushing back" the reverse side of a typically precious metal surface. Repoussé was used in the ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Roman cultures and was brought back to popularity during the Renaissance. Ornamental Disk. From Auvers-sur-Oise Seine-et-Oise France ca.300 BC, this gold on bronze with inlays and decoration is fine example of Repoussé from Celtic antiquity.







Repoussé is an ancient artform examples of which we see every day. Beyond decorative designs, It can be used for such things as brass belt buckles, jewelry, state or nations emblems and seals or just your basic street sign.
...I'm not really sure Repoussé is an accurate nomenclature for the kinds of things you can do in Adobe Easy 3D Extrusions. It's actually somewhat limiting as a description. It sounds good though.



Paper-Source - Do Somthing Creative Everyday!

Recently, I wrote what I thought would be a blockbuster expose' in regards to the Jarte Word Processor and how I thought I had found an Achilles Heel in an otherwise superb program. I second guessed myself in the morning and removed it completely. Thinking was that with a little fiddlin' and research, I could circumvent and discover where I was going wrong in using Jarte.


At issue was the methodology of those of us who horde information when doing research. It sufficeth to say there is alot of copy and paste going on in the quest for info on any given subject or interest... its-hah-we-do (sounds like plagerism on a Dr. Evil scale) Unfortunately, there are included hyperlinks in so much of the info-stuff gathered - the links are either pertainent or visual distraction.


When copying and pasting into a Jarte document, the linked words remain link color and underlined just as in MS Wordpad. If you were to click on them however, - nothing happens - as in Wordpad - they are not recognized as hyperlinks by the program. That's o.k. because I really don't want or need them. It would be nice if I could use Wordpad or Jarte - it's supercedant like a web-based clean editor and be able to copy and paste into other web-based platforms but wishin is for chumps - High hopin' is for fools! It is only when I try to get rid of the color and underline that the whole thing in Jarte kinda breaks down.

Adobe Font Folio 11.0 - Full


So I contacted Jarte as I could not figure out any way around the whole 'not being able to do stuff in their program' scenario. I should have known better - web-based is web-based etc... but I wanted to at least aleviate myself of obnoxious (often blue and underlined) hyperlink text in my accumulated datastream. I recieved an email directly back from Bob Flora - Owner of Carolina Road Software and author of Jarte.

I love it when an owner is minding the store!

He gave me some tips on some things I am trying to do with his program Jarte.

In regard to formatting/removing hyperlinks or making them consistent with the rest of the document - Bob Flora informed me that the best way to accomplish this was to right click on a section of text which had the desired formatting - the pop-up/drop down menu appears - choose 'Format Brush' and then with a selection of the targeted text to be changed, everything would take care of itself.

It did not.

I would include a somewhat tutorial graphic here but it would just be embarrassing.

I was still left with the underline of the hyperlink and no matter how black the text was, I could'nt get rid of the underline.

I really am being a jerk... a knitpicker. This Jarte program is phenomenal in every other regard - unless I find somthing else wrong with it Arlington, Virginia - My Peeps!

Until I do (inevitably), I will concentrate efforts on the AIO (all In One) solution as promised - I "knows my onions" on this and you'll be suprised at the findings! Also, - Coming Soon On My Arlington Examiner Column: "A Glyph in Time".

Would'nt you like to have the kind of confidence in design you are looking for? No matter the project - be it a technical publication, brochure or simple flyer, - you deserve being equipt the best, the latest and most important design element of all!

Adobe Font Folio

Jarte's Achilles Heel? Just a Persian Flaw

Jarte Lover that I am, I none the less have discovered what I consider to be a tiny flaw in the application. Jarte is designed to be a manyfold improvement over the MS Wordpad program, all the while using it's platform engine to exact those purposes of it's calling. Frankly, - it's a tall order.

In terms of effeciency, MS Wordpad has always been the OS included bees knees. It has been used as a quick note pad or clean editor for everything from emails, blogs, html/web development/content - even official full documents for print.

By comparison Jarte improves on many MS Wordpad functions and then goes on to add features and utilities mere, workload inundated mortals never even think of. There is always a trade off and invariably it is at the fundamental level.

Perhaps I'm nick-picking but for those working with the editing and compiling of multiple documents, a quick 'out' from the increasingly included hyperlinks contained within many documents needs to be just that.

Jarte handles the underlined hyperlink differently and seemingly - not at all in comparison to MS Wordpad. Using Jarte,the highlighted link is just that and not much after.

Click for Larger


In MS Wordpad, You simply highlight the underlined text and then click on the underline icon atop on the text menu bar. A quick change of color ( text color palette) takes care of the rest in smooth, one - two clicking.


On Jarte's end there exists a slight Persian Flaw as this execution cannot be accomplished as easily. In the HTML mode Jarte seems more than capable but for quick and effortless copy/paste/edit mode it leaves somewhat of an an empty
space.


Click for Larger


That which Jarte lacks in easy hyperlink erasure it makes up for with many of it's other great features. In a pinch, you can still use MS Wordpad.

Type as Mood in Clarendon

It seems we are constantly faced with the particular design challenge of needing to convey a message or feeling in a way which will capture and hold attention. Most designers have a book of tricks, - a list of techniques they have mused upon and wanted to try or those they have already used and found to be effective (old standbys).

When working with type alone or dynamically, one has the boundless progenations of history to draw from in both gaining ideas and devining inspiration. Elements within the design rely upon each other to create cohesiveness or contrast in the overall strategy.

Clarendon, Virginia sits in the heart of Arlington. It is unquestionably one of the most unique locals to walk around and get design ideas. In what can only be described as a goulash or medly, a clash or interesting truce between different periods and their styles. Despite the renovation and intense trends toward planned renewal, Clarendon is a perfect place to walk around and see not just the sights but the - signs.

Neon abound. Hand painted and written. The former home of Arlington's 'Little Saigon' still boasts the honor and many elements remain.

An office building development rises in back of the beginning of Clarendon's Little Saigon beginning atthe 3100 block of Wilson Blvd in Clarendon. The office complex is complete today. As is the melange of periods...


Clarendon Virginia is a Metrorail stop. It's so easy to take a short ride up the escalators and into the center of it's most interesting proclivity. It is also a nightlife hotspot. I recommend taking a stroll for inspiration - take a camera!

Jarte Tabs Are Tops!

Jarte is the super- powered word processor based upon the MS wordpad engine. It's enhancements over basic word processors are nearly too many to list. But I will attempt to begin doing so here.

One ultimo-cool Jarte feature is the tabs atop the page workspace! I have yet to max it out (though I have'nt actually tried). You can see all the documents you are working on using Jarte at a glance and by full file name. You can switch from document to document simply by hovering the mouse over the document tab you want to view!



The switch is seamless. In this case, I am writing keyword sensitive content for let's say... a closet organization system website. I have the keywords to be used and the document I am writing beside each other at a click so I can quickly access the keywords to be used...

and again this is just one of the amazing and completely free features of Jarte!

The Redesign of the Typeface 'Kis Antigua'

Blog Entry by Jürgen Siebert - for fontblog.de
Published on 6, April 2009
Translation from German by Matt Taylor copyright 2010.

There is much speculation upon the re-publications of typefaces, Today I would very much like to revisit the font family Kis Antiqua of Hildegard Korger throw, which appeared now with Elsner Flake. For the Redesign Erhard emperor is responsible, to who I owe the following.

The return digitized version of the Antiqua Kis, which by the way decreases/goes back on Tótfalusi Kis Miklós (1650-1702), was developed and provided with new side dressing. Hildegard Korger, Professor Emeritus at the University for Diagram and Book Art, Leipzig (and there the former teacher of Erhard emperor), which was critically influential of this work.

The Kis family now covers six members: Antiqua and italic variations are available in the text design in each case as Regular and Semibold cut, the Regular, Regular Italic and Headline Design.

Between 1986 and 1990 Typoart Kis development appears with new side dressing in the current Headline cut.
The figure assortment of the new Kis is extensive. It contains apart from the standard character set in all six writings:
• Capitals (with associated currency and punctuation marks)
• numerous ligatures (also the long s and its ligatures)
• Verse aluminum, minuscule and majuscule with proportional instance and tabular side dressing,
• Nomenclature gates - Denominations and their fixed breaks (with proportional and tabular side dressing as well as associated currency and punctuation marks)
• Superior and Inferior with the fixed breaks built up from it (with tabular side dressing on horizontal lines as well as associated currency and punctuation marks)
Number sets (wider in form and side embellishment particularly added)
• Operational sign (while stationary the minuscule numbers adapted and with tabular extention leading in by an en).
•The two lean italic ones offer beyond that(Swashes). These are for nalstalgic purposes.

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In all three italic samples additionally the gg and gy ligatures are available. moreover, there are unique forms of all six faces to some figures.
e.g. the most important currency symbols apart from the necessary narrow execution offer both em and en units , which is aligned with the euro-symbol substantially broader and better.

A further feature is the French influence on capital letters, which are clearly larger and higher than those for the mixture set.

In the extensive assortment of the accent characters in each of the six designs, importance was attached on it, the accents are pronounced and clearly versal so to flow with Capital and lowercase differently i.e. in each case in the size and sometimes also in the form. ( nearly regardless of instance of usage)

The kerning of the Kis font family is a bit on the tight side. One example is in the Regular text being cut after the end of the sentence, comma and in the instance of further punctuation marks, a reduced word distance follows. Also before all Versals the word distance is smaller, particularly before T, V and W, as would normally go beyond that before some numbers.

The six writings of the Kis Antiqua are offered for for Apple Macintosh as well as PC TrueType format with extended Latin indication outlines for opentype pro. Besides code-PAGE-referred allocations, they are available in the format opentype and TrueType in west and central European.
Adobe Font Folio 11.0 - Full