Typeline
by Zak
Type that catches my eye in my daily RPI routine.
01 — keyboard
After waking up and taking care of my morning cleanliness routine the first thing I do is check my email and read a few web comics. The font used for the keys is very clear and simple. It is sans-serif with rounded corners.
02 — speed racer
I walk down the hall to our suite lounge which has been covered with posters ranging from movies to cartoons to M. C. Escher. Speed Racer is one of my favorites. The font clearly demonstrates 'speed' by means of a slight arc and extending the terminals of the first letters of each word.
03 — press to operate
If I have time for breakfast I'll head to commons. Almost every building on campus has these buttons used to open doorways. They are quite useful for the physically impaired and the otherwise lazy. This font is similar to the Apple keyboard font in its shape, although a little heavier. It conveys friendliness.
04 — parking permit
On my way to class I pass through one of the Union parking lots. This sign has seen better days. The font for most of the sign is sans-serif, but the warning "ANY TIME" is stenciled on in darker color for added effect.
05 — level 2
Inside the Union I sometimes have to get my bearings. As a freshman I often lost track of what side of the building I was on. The font is very thin, and the most important element (the number 2) is suffiently larger than the other information so it can be discerned from afar.
06 — thank you
The first floor of the union has seen great improvements since last year, not the least of which are these polite trash receptacles. I'm noticing a pattern with the sans-serif, rounded-corner look around campus. This font has significantly increased tracking for a more relaxed look.
07 — ricketts
Still on my way to class I pass the Ricketts building. Someone felt it was necessary to stick an RPI sticker on this sign in case we forgot what campus Ricketts belonged to… This font is kind of boring, but it serves its pupose. It is pretty readable from far away.
08 — room signs
Everyone knows the Sage basement is filled with poisonous green gases. This font is simple and professional.
09 — UPAC ad
On the hall bulletin boards are posted advertisements. This one is for the UPAC which shows new movies on campus for $3. The font used for the UPAC logo is very interesting and effective. It simplifies the letters into simple geometrical shapes with small amounts of white space to mark them as letters. The blocky font makes the UPAC logo very distinct.
10 — ecologic
This ad for the Ecologic Department stands out from the rest. The font is big, bold, and all caps. Oddly enough it's not annoying: Good color use makes it work and catch the eye.
11 — igor's nameplate
The man in charge of all those pretty 64-bit machines we use. This is another example of simple and clean sans-serif fonts. It also has increased leading and tracking for a professional look.
12 — exit
But why would you want to leave? Oh right, eating and sleeping is important I guess. This font is all caps and relatively thin. It serves its purpose as being visible.
13 — caution
When leaving the Sage building to head back home, it always strikes me as odd: What's an Automatic Caution Door? (Hey, I try). Here we see another use of a bold sans-serif font to grab attention.
14 — fortune star
Back in the dorm, several hours past the Commons closing time, it's time to order some good ol' chinese takeout. Fortune Star is my favorite so far, they even recognize my voice! This font is like someone sand-blasted a mix of Slab Serif and Blackletter. It works very well, giving off a sort of eastern air.
15 — guitar hero
While we wait for the food to arrive we break out the guitar controllers and rock out on Guitar Hero. This game gets a lot of mileage. Blackletter is an obvious choice for this game's title. It's very electric and powerful.
