So I’m working on this big new post (check back soon) and I notice two curly quotes that for some reason struck me like they looked like that old-time barbershop down-the-middle hairstyle from the turn of the 20th century. I had typed the characters in the order they appeared on the keyboard (I had been typing just the keys with symbols) I happened to be looking at Souvenir, designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1903. So then I thought, “What are the chances that Benton has this exact hairdo?” Pretty high it turns out. The keystrokes looked like the beginning of a typographic portrait.
A quick searched yielded a portrait of Mr. Benton that met my expectation and set my creativity ablaze. Some short time later, the portraits you see below emerged.
One interesting note is the “neck” area. I had a capital “Y” there originally, but then thought the stem of the “Y” didn’t work that well. “V” was too harsh. And then I thought maybe “M” was both a “neck” and “lapel” of a jacket. Only after I had largely completed my spontaneous design challenge did I realize that “M” sure fits nicely with “Morris”. Serendipity. He could have been named “Manfred” or “Mark” and it still would have worked…
So I present to you the designer of Souvenir set in Souvenir, in 3 different palettes. 🙂
BTW: Benton really looks like Souvenir, wouldn’t you say?
Morris Fuller Benton
A Souvenir typeface sample page
Here is the Souvenir master page (307) from the Big Book of Font Combinations. Click the image to learn more about it:
Yo, Font-Addict! We really feel your font pain. Go grab a printed copy (hard or soft cover) from Amazon, or grab the DISCOUNTED ebook PDF digital download version (40% OFF the hardcover retail price!) from Gumroad, and stare at all 350+ examples of informative font combinations for web and print. You know you want to!
Hey it’s really very very cool.
Very nice indeed. Love the face but I think the M is too thick or it’s not enough because I can’t see it as a lapel. It stands out as a M.
Y, it really sticks out and is kind of a big “M” for “Morris” 🙂
I bow before you.
Ok. Please rise.
Once again, I’m in awe of your plain, old fashioned mastery, Douglas. So much noise on these interwebs, so little mastery.
@ David: LOL, I think. If you call “man, that looks like a mustache and hair” mastery, I’ll accept the compliment. That said, you are so right that there is so little truly interesting content on the web. So much noise…just noise…
How soon will the shirts be available? (I’m serious.)
Shirt…now there’s an interesting thought…