19 - MySexy

This is a special day! We've had our first submission to the typeface a week 09 project, by the fantastic Jo Gannon. Illustrator, Printmaker, and now "got the bug" type designer... here's a snippet from Jo's rather excited email -

"...the font / typeface is basically the first one i ever tried to design and is based on my own handwriting. it's called my sexy because it's my sexy writing. now that i have designed one font i canny stop!"



We're so happy that Jo has submitted her font, and found the project inspirational (I can hear her Kerning already!), thank you! - If you'd like to join in, please let us know!

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

18 - Pebbles

Last weekend we took a visit to Banff & Macduff for the launch of "Pushing out the boat", a fantastic publication featuring creative writing and art for the North East of Scotland. During our visit to the beautiful coastal town(s) - we stopped off at the beach for Poppy.
Gabi was particularly taken by the pebbles on the beach and has based this week’s typeface on those stones.

The font comes in two levels, the UPPERCASE font contains the “pebble” shape and the lowercase has only the alphabetical characters – but these have the same width & kerning, so you can easily overlay the two to create solid letters + background (see picture below).


It’s a limited set of characters again, so it’s designed purely for headlines & small phrases. Gabi will also be unveiling the "building wrap" as part of the COAST festival next weekend - so if anyone is thinking of headding up to Banff & Macduff soon, make it the weekend of the 16 & 17th of May! - you won't be dissapointed.

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

17 - Idea (from Ikea)

Well well well...what fun we had this week...a trip to Ikea. A rushed trip to Ikea. An "impromptu" trip to Ikea, you get the idea.... and this trip gave us an idea for the typeface for this week.

It seems that Claypots is seeping into everything we touch (rightly so...it will be our new home once we make it!) - and Friday's mission - was to purchase a Kitchen.

We've been looking for a while, B&Q, Magnet, Homebase etc...all nice, all more expensive (and probably the same quality) as our good friends in Ikea.


There's always a sense of cheating or "joining the masses" when you say you've bought something from the Swedish Box... I will not be Jack's silent scream...

One wonderful thing that Ikea provide a "home maker" is the ability to create a 3d impression of your room / home with this neat little free program (http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/rooms_ideas/splashplanners.html ) not only can you drag and drop Ikea things onto a blank canvas, you can save the model and open it in Ikea for an assistant to point out that you need 8 more bits (that cost at least £100) - bit's you won't see - but are essential... Anyway - this wonderful tool gave me the opportunity to make our first typeface for May.

It's a simpleton - a restricted set of characters. Read into that what you will (and 'scuse the pun).

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

16 - pocket saw

Claypots haul again... we'd found a "survival saw" - folded away, rusting in a leather pocket...and a large spider to boot! Needless to say, as this odd looking coil of metal and teeth unfurled we had an idea that it might work as a typeface constructor. There is one slight problem, it only bends one way...

Being Experimental - we've decided not to "cheat" - photoshopping bends that the saw can't do...so some letters are more "obscure" than their traditional brothers and sisters in the real alphabet!

If you are a nasty, rusty saw - built for survival - of course you are going to be rugged and uncompromising...honest.

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

15 - late!

Ahhh! Is it just me – or are things speeding up? Becoming more hectic? I think the theme of this week undoubtedly is “being late” – deadlines, meetings, places to be in general.



I’d decided to create a typeface that embraces the art of running late – not quite getting there in time – zipping in and apologising in sort to present itself as best it can! I am not painting an accurate picture here, I’m not always late – not always rushed – perhaps I am too rushed to post this blog to “explain fully”…ho ho…Phil.

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
Douglas Adams

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

14 - Feathers

And they are off!…. the geese are heading home – this means one thing…summer is round the corner!

Gabi’s new font (Feathers) is inspired by the flocks of Geese that rested in the fields surrounding Claypots and the migration they embark upon.

It’s a delicate font – it’s rather illegible on smaller scales, so go BIG! GO BOLD! When using it…

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!

13 - Christopher Smith

We now have the keys to our new home (Claypots)...but it's in a bad state of repair - and full of the previous owners "junk" - gold dust to us! We are currently wading through boxes of 70's & 80's toys and zines...so much inspiration!

As a mark of respect & "homage" to their owner, a young "Christopher Smith" - we thought it would be fitting to kick off the Claypots inspired work with the handwritten typeface, created from scanning Christopher's old school books...we hope he likes them! (if he ever finds this randomness on the interweb!)

We will no doubt be creating new work for a long time - based on our finds!...We should probably start another blog just for the rummaging!...nahhhhh....

This typeface is now unavailable for download - but will be included in the limited edition CD Rom of all 52 Typefaces at the beginning of 2010. To secure a CD Rom, please email us (Phil & Gabi) at info@g-r-a.co.uk.If you would like to get involved in making a typeface for the project, please email us at : info@g-r-a.co.uk or leave a comment below!