Making Faces

I just received my copy of Making Faces: Metal Type in the 21st Century. Making Faces is a documentary by Richard Kegler of P22 Type Foundry showcasing Jim Rimmer, master typographer, who passed away in January 2010. The DVD came with a lot of extras: a specimen book of Stern—the first (and perhaps only) font released simultaneously in metal and digitally; a chapbook of Rimmer's type designs (pictured above); a cast metal lower case 'k' from the Stern family (also pictured above); and a copy of Rimmer's font Loxley, made for an edition of Robin Hood.

In the spirit of connecting this to entry to my blog—metal type is a perfect watermark. It leaves an impression beyond the letter forms and the paper fibers. It's a watermark of type designers and their lives, of craftspeople and industry; a watermark of both time and history. Kegler's drive to capture Rimmer at work on film is a valentine in the nick of time.

Making Faces

I'm excited to have just made a donation to Richard Kegler's documentary Making Faces: Metal Type in the 21st Century. Kegler's foundry, P22, remains one of America's most engaging type makers and distributors. The documentary features Jim Rimmer, who passed away this year. Rimmer's exquisite font families can be found at P22. My favorite is the chiseled Lapis. Regardless of the tools used, fonts are still human-made; and I love how Rimmer's fonts feel cultivated by hand.

Kegler used persuasive incentive to donate: a copy of the film on DVD, a specimen book from Rimmer's poetic typeface Stern, and a yet-to-be-released Robin Hood font called Loxley. I look forward to the eventual release of Making Faces.