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  • One of the oldest printing press fonts: Garamond

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    12 August 2022

    1470: the very first book was printed in Paris, France and a boom in typeface creation followed shortly after. It was here that Claude Garamond’s career as an engraver flourished, and his Garamond typefaces were created. Like many engravers, they were often commissioned for a single printer's exclusive use. Over time, they were sold or traded between printers.

    Having designed many typefaces in his lifetime, it can be said that the origin of Garamond is not one typeface in particular, but rather his particular style, which was considered very contemporary and modern. Of course, Garamond has been modified and refined over the years, but this family of typefaces can still be said to be based upon Claude Garamond’s original designs from over 500 years ago. 

    Garamond is one of the oldest printing press fonts. It has survived the centuries because of its remarkable readability and timeless elegance. An exceptionally popular typeface in print today, it is found in some of the best-selling titles available from bookstores, including every book in the Harry Potter series. From 1983 to 2001 Apple used Garamond as their corporate font, but later moved to a modern font that had been drawn with the limitations of early computer screens in mind. Since it is so popular, at MOTHandRUST we prefer to use alternatives, such as Sabon or Caslon.

    Of course an academic journal wouldn’t reject a manuscript on the basis of typeface alone, but this Nature article suggests that for manuscript submission, Garamond or Times New Roman are favoured. And it is interesting to note that Calibri is not!
    Posted in: typography design
    -Tags: garamond
  • The ultimate breakdown of file formats

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    23 April 2021


    Project assets and other visuals are saved out in many different file formats. Understanding these enables our clients correctly save, send, and manage files, but this is not always easy!

    Therefore, we have prepared the PDF (= universal file format) below that clearly sums everything up at-a-glance. We have been told that this is a useful reference...

    It is always also really useful to understand that all file types can be classified one of two ways:

    1. Raster
    Raster images are made up of pixels, or little squares of colour. The pixels have a defined size depending on the resolution/quality of your image: high resolution has more pixels than low resolution. It is impossible to resize raster images without compromising their resolution/quality if you are moving from a smaller to a larger file. 

    2.  Vector

    Vector images resolve this resizing issue. They are constructed with proportional formulas instead of pixels. A vector image can be made as large as you like without looking pixelated and without compromising the resolution/quality. 

    https://www.mothandrust.co.uk/files/File-Formats-At-A-Glance.pdf

    Et voila!
    Posted in: design
    -Tags: file formats
  • Suzan, why did you get a neuroscience degree? WHY?

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    25 September 2020
    As someone who runs a design studio, it is not uncommon to hold a design degree. However, I do have a neuroscience degree as well, and when people find this out, they always ask, “why?”

    The answer is simple: I planned to be a psychiatrist. 

    So what happened? It was a really tough decision that weighed on me a lot, but finally I decided to apply to art school instead of med school. Then at least I'd never wonder "what if..." And if I really wasn't happy, I could always go back and apply to med school later.

    I never looked back. And I learned an approach to tough decisions: go for it and if it doesn’t work out, you can usually go back to where you were before. It was this thinking that helped make moving to NYC, Montreal, San Francisco and finally London, for work after graduation, a bit easier. 

    I often give this advice to students, who may answer: is it not a big waste of time and money? It seems that so many want to know exactly where they are going, and then simply get there in a nice, efficient straight line. I'm not sure this is always possible, or even desirable. It is however, understandable. Uni is so costly these days. A tuition freeze and some scholarships meant my student debt was manageable, so I was lucky—the cost was well worth it.

    If for whatever reason, your path leads in many directions, in this new world of disruption and convergence, it does not mean a big waste of time or money. A diverse background always feeds into what you do later on. In my case, my design studio MOTHandRUST works with a lot of science clients, which means my background is an advantage. I lead science-related projects that I am genuinely interested and passionate about. It makes it easier for me to convey scientific ideas and findings in compelling ways. I can quickly understand and grasp the needs and vision of my science clients. I understand a range of audiences both inside and out of the organisation. Finally, I see the similarities between the Art and Science, not just the differences.
    Posted in: science MandR news design art
    -Tags: