Version 7.0Tue 16 May
2006
Button Men
The latest in my string of side projects is now shipping today: a modest contribution that I made to El Boton, a limited edition set of one-inch pins brought to you by Naz Hamid and Andrew Huff. This is the second set of buttons that they’ve put out under the El Boton banner, and it includes six unique designs from Jim Coudal, Dave Shea, Jason Santa Maria, Greg Storey, Naz himself, and yours truly.
Here’s a closer look at my design, both in its original form as an Adobe Illustrator layout and as photographed by Naz for El-Boton.com. It’s a typographic combination of two very different faces: Helvetica, of course, and Fette Fraktur. Admittedly, it’s not the most ingenious combination of contrasting typographic styles ever (in fact, it’s quite obvious), but I think the expletive adds a nice, juvenile and incongruously emphatic little twist to it. I like this design enough that I’ve been thinking of turning it into a tee-shirt; would you buy one? C’mon, what’s more attractive than a swearing typographic nerd?
Remarks 24 total remarks were added before the post was closed.
Andrew
It's an awesome button, Khoi. Thanks again for contributing!
What isn't very clear from the photo is that the magenta-cyan contrast makes "Fucking" appear to float off the button. (And the button is really magenta -- the photo isn't quite color-correct.)
Greg
I missed the whole point of this gig entirely. Naz liked it but I want a do-over!
Wilson Miner
Hell fucking yeah, I'd wear it.
Khoi Vinh
Andrew: thanks for clarifying. I actually haven't gotten my hands on one yet, so I can't wait to see it! Thanks for asking me to participate.
Aza
Tmesis and typographical juxtaposition. How can it get any better?
michael
Of course, you've left me cycling through my font list to see what else may work...
Alex
Very cool. I would say yours is definitely the button I'd most like to have on my backpack, although the mezzoblue one is nice too but just not as button-y somehow. I don't know if I could deal with a magenta t-shirt, but I like the concept.
What was Greg thinking? (Just kidding.)
Dave S.
Ballsy move from Mr. Arial himself. Loved it.
(Confidential to G. Storey - next time read the brief, wouldya?)
(PS - Greg's is my favourite.)
gleek
hell yeah i'd wear it. helvetica rocks! though i really love trebuchet for some reason.
*crickets*
i know i know. so sue me!
Scott Vandehey
I would buy a shirt in a heartbeat!
Khoi Vinh
Dave: Ack, is it really within reason to call me "Mr. Arial"? That depresses me. If I could get Helvetica to render more reliably across platforms, I'd ditch this two-bit knockoff in a moment.
Anyway, yeah, I like Greg's the best too. Aside from mine!
Dave S.
Not at all Khoi, that was meant ironically. Though, I'm still holding out for Subtraction: Akzidenz Edition.
Gabe
I would buy one, but not in pink/blue (magenta/cyan, whatever). Black/green and I might buy two.
Reed
I'd sport that as a shirt :)
Naz
Jason - hah!
Khoi, Dave, Greg, Jason and Jim -- thanks for taking part. Much appreciated. Greg, I love your button so much I take baths with it.
Khoi -- t-shirt, yes! And in that colour too.
Khoi Vinh
Thanks, I'm encouraged and if I can get my act together, I will definitely run a bunch of tee shirts for sale. I really like that color a lot, but if I'm going to invest money in such a production, I think I'd go with a color that's a little less polarizing.
Jaime Macias
I'd buy 2, keep the color combo. It's a bold statement it should be a bold shirt!
Greg
Khoi, I think before you can make t-shirts you have to quit your job and blog full-time. I could be wrong, you might want to check Wikipedia or something.
Khoi Vinh
Greg, how about if I start with a pledge drive or something first?
Angela
Awesome! T-shirts! Since favoritism has been allowed and encouraged here, I won’t be too shy to say that I would buy two t-shirts - one from Khoi, even though it’s hell fucking magenta, and one from Naz, I love the little birdie.
Olav
Great stuff. Seems like they ship world wide too, so I will definitely get me a set! :)
Eston Bond
Yeah, I've got to get one of these. Considering the license plate on my car is "HLVTICA" and all.
Also, I'd be into the t-shirt, but I agree that magenta is a polarizing color. It sure doesn't fit with much of anything in my closet.