Why don't typeface designers going for legibility take x-height all the way to cap height? They've been increasing steadily since the 1950s and are 90% there, so maybe in 2030 we will have cap sized lowercase.
However the other comments point out that the spacing is all off on this "Harrison" sign. Look at some of the Clearview signs linked in the article, which don't have this problem.
Every time I ride by the warehouse that contains the sign-painting shop belonging to SFMTA-or-MUNI-or-whatever-it-is, I marvel at how crappily-painted the sign on their building is. I wish I could find a picture of it on streetview, but I can't remember where it is. Bryant, maybe? Maybe it moved.
I feel like it may have been the brick building at Bryant and Alameda, but there's no sign on there any more.
Their current (temporary?) spot might still be in the bayview, at 1508 Bancroft, and there does seem to be a horrendous sign there (the blue one by door #3.)
Wait. What street is that? My directions are case sensitive. I'm going the WRONG FUCKING WAY.
Thanks, Obama.
Eeeergh, what war criminal did they hire to do the kerning?
It's fine, it's giving the directions to H a r r i s o n. A very spacious place.
Thank the Feds: http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/cityroom/2012/08/14/throughout-the-city-a-new-generation-of-street-signs/
Huh! Interesting.
That article also links to this history of the font. And of glitter paint.
Why don't typeface designers going for legibility take x-height all the way to cap height? They've been increasing steadily since the 1950s and are 90% there, so maybe in 2030 we will have cap sized lowercase.
Great article on Clearview. Thanks guys.
However the other comments point out that the spacing is all off on this "Harrison" sign. Look at some of the Clearview signs linked in the article, which don't have this problem.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/07/magazine/12font190.1.jpg
It seems like SF DPW took Clearview and stuffed the letters into some pre-existing block spacing template.
Cue obligatory XKCD cartoon on Kerning.
An xkcd cartoon is never obligatory.
Why on God's green earth did you try and include that image in <embed> tags?
Thanks, Safari:
(I predict this comment will have the same problem.)
Every time I ride by the warehouse that contains the sign-painting shop belonging to SFMTA-or-MUNI-or-whatever-it-is, I marvel at how crappily-painted the sign on their building is. I wish I could find a picture of it on streetview, but I can't remember where it is. Bryant, maybe? Maybe it moved.
I feel like it may have been the brick building at Bryant and Alameda, but there's no sign on there any more.
Their current (temporary?) spot might still be in the bayview, at 1508 Bancroft, and there does seem to be a horrendous sign there (the blue one by door #3.)
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.724741,-122.391275,3a,75y,32h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sWPbGQr6KTu1HaEuyPB4lvA!2e0
That is definitely one of the terrible signs that I remember! There were others.
As you've perceived, everything about the signage (including the mixed case and the typeface) is, indeed, simply wrong.
Usa! Usa! Usa!
And just as society is finally shaking off the savageries of capitalization and punctuation. Bureaucracy is a monster.
I'm someone has written a Google Glass plugin that will apply to_upper to street signs. /ducks
I'm sure someone has written a Google Glass plugin that will apply to_upper to street signs. /ducks