Art people, I need your help

DWarrior · 07-04-2010, 07:40 PM

Kind of a silly question, but what's the font art galleries usually use for descriptions of work on display? It kinda looks like Century Gothic, but is there some specific font(s) they like to use?

Zomniac · 07-04-2010, 09:45 PM

DWarrior... I'm not following you, I swear...

I've noticed a recent uptick in the use of my favorite font, Calibri. Check it out... it's a clean Sans Serif font that looks a lot like what art galleries use... not sure it's it, but who knows.

marina · 07-04-2010, 10:53 PM

Most museums use Helvetica. It doesn't look like century gothic to me at all. It looks like this font, which I'm pretty sure is arial. But they're very similar. No frills, easy to read.

Zomniac · 07-04-2010, 10:58 PM

Here are the links to their respective Wiki pages where you can compare the different font faces...

Helvetica
Helvetica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Century Gothic
Century Gothic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Calibri (My Fave)
Calibri - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note that Centry Gothic is much more rounded... all letters with circular parts, including the "O" itself, is a true circle. Most fonts the orbital parts are normally ovals instead. It's one of the differentiating factors with Century Gothic and other fonts. Take a look and tell me what you think. I think Marina is probably right, it's either Arial or Helvetica that is most used in the placards in museums. Both are clean and easy. But the better font, in my humble opinion, would be Calibri, but again, I'm biased.

picard102 · 07-04-2010, 11:11 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface) is of a simmilar vein.

Zomniac · 07-04-2010, 11:17 PM

Here is the fixed wiki link to Futura http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface)

Futura is in the same category with Century Gothic in that the "O" and other shapes which use circular shapes are all perfect circles.

Zomniac · 07-04-2010, 11:22 PM

Ok, I used my extensive bloodhound skills and it seems that the majority of Art Galleries use Arial as their font of choice. Some galleries deviate a bit by using heavier fonts, but for the most part, it would seem, it's either Arial or Helvetica.

One of my friends added that more progressive art galleries and most, if not all, galleries in Great Brittain use a typeface called Tate. I haven't really corroborated his claims, but he's never lied to me yet.

Here's the link to see that typeface: http://typophile.com/node/48375

There you go.

chocobomoshpit · 07-05-2010, 01:37 AM

I have a friend who owns his own gallery, he tends to use Helvetica. Calibri looks nice and classy though- I'd say go for that.

Ant-LOX · 07-05-2010, 07:04 AM

Arial was sent to destroy Helvetica.

Arial is more popular now, though.

Calibri is too soft and rounded for me.

I love Verdana (just for reading webpages, it's nice and spaced out) - but that's pissed on by everyone.

Subsonix · 07-05-2010, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ant-LOX

Arial was sent to destroy Helvetica.

Arial is more popular now, though.

Calibri is too soft and rounded for me.

I love Verdana (just for reading webpages, it's nice and spaced out) - but that's pissed on by everyone.

Arial is more popular? Is there a documentary named Arial? Nope. Is there one name Helvetica? Yes. This is all the proof I need.

07-04-2010, 07:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
DWarrior Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 4,046	Art people, I need your help Kind of a silly question, but what's the font art galleries usually use for descriptions of work on display? It kinda looks like Century Gothic, but is there some specific font(s) they like to use?
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07-04-2010, 09:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zomniac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 276	DWarrior... I'm not following you, I swear... I've noticed a recent uptick in the use of my favorite font, Calibri. Check it out... it's a clean Sans Serif font that looks a lot like what art galleries use... not sure it's it, but who knows.
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07-04-2010, 10:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
marina Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: I live in Southern California. Posts: 3,055	Most museums use Helvetica. It doesn't look like century gothic to me at all. It looks like this font, which I'm pretty sure is arial. But they're very similar. No frills, easy to read.
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07-04-2010, 10:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zomniac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 276	Here are the links to their respective Wiki pages where you can compare the different font faces... Helvetica Helvetica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Century Gothic Century Gothic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Calibri (My Fave) Calibri - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Note that Centry Gothic is much more rounded... all letters with circular parts, including the "O" itself, is a true circle. Most fonts the orbital parts are normally ovals instead. It's one of the differentiating factors with Century Gothic and other fonts. Take a look and tell me what you think. I think Marina is probably right, it's either Arial or Helvetica that is most used in the placards in museums. Both are clean and easy. But the better font, in my humble opinion, would be Calibri, but again, I'm biased. __________________ Last edited by Zomniac; 07-04-2010 at 11:01 PM.
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07-04-2010, 11:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
picard102 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 2,949	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface) is of a simmilar vein. Last edited by picard102; 07-04-2010 at 11:39 PM.
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07-04-2010, 11:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Zomniac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 276	Here is the fixed wiki link to Futura http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface) Futura is in the same category with Century Gothic in that the "O" and other shapes which use circular shapes are all perfect circles.
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07-04-2010, 11:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Zomniac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 276	Ok, I used my extensive bloodhound skills and it seems that the majority of Art Galleries use Arial as their font of choice. Some galleries deviate a bit by using heavier fonts, but for the most part, it would seem, it's either Arial or Helvetica. One of my friends added that more progressive art galleries and most, if not all, galleries in Great Brittain use a typeface called Tate. I haven't really corroborated his claims, but he's never lied to me yet. Here's the link to see that typeface: http://typophile.com/node/48375 There you go. Last edited by Zomniac; 07-04-2010 at 11:28 PM.
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07-05-2010, 01:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
chocobomoshpit Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 80	I have a friend who owns his own gallery, he tends to use Helvetica. Calibri looks nice and classy though- I'd say go for that.
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07-05-2010, 07:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ant-LOX Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 273	Arial was sent to destroy Helvetica. Arial is more popular now, though. Calibri is too soft and rounded for me. I love Verdana (just for reading webpages, it's nice and spaced out) - but that's pissed on by everyone.
(Offline)

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