You have to realize this model was designed back in 1968! An amazing design for that time. In 1968, font choices were few. New fonts were expensive and print shops used what they had on hand.
The original font looks to be set in Dom Casual Extra Bold, a goofy looking font for a Starship. I looked through some type styles that were already on my laptop.
#1 is a good choice. Bold, contemporary and easy to read.
#2 is the same font used on the Star Trek Enterprise.
#3 is too modern and doesn't reflect the year this model was designed. The "S" is a little like Star Trek logo.
#4 reminds me of Battlestar Galactica or Intellivison.
#5 just doesn't work - too bold and too recent.
Type fonts should reflect the design and the time period of the subject.
I'll want to pick a font that was from around 1968 but maybe not available for sale then.
I'll probably go with #1 or #2,
What do you guys think?
Well, the original really doesn't work, that's certain. Though you don't sound very enthusiastic about it I think #4 is perfect. But, as a Trek fan from way back, you can't go wrong with #2!
ReplyDeleteI vote for 4 as well.
ReplyDeleteI like the Battlestar Galactica one also, but that did not appear until 1978, right?
ReplyDeleteThe late 1960s Leif Ericson model kit had markings in font known as Amelia LL. It's one of the kits advertised on the Star Trek model kits of the time (but the ship was unconnected to the series -- though does share the same designer -- Walter "Matt" Jeffires).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.projectrho.com/SSC/paint.html
Info on the font "Amelia LL":
https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/amelia-ll/
Microgramma font is referenced in the Franz Joseph book "Starfleet Technical Manual" (fan production from the 1970s, thus not considered official canon). Didn't match the lettering style used on the 1960s TV series, but similar style font was used as lettering style on the starships starting with the movies.
ReplyDeleteAccording to this, the font dates back to the 1950s
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/urw/microgramma/
Eurostile font has similar look.
Hi Naoto,
DeleteI was thinking more of the lettering style used on the Starship Enterprise main body top, where it says USS ENTERPRISE NC-1701. That is closest to the #2 font I picked out. Microgramma may have been used somewhere in the series but isn't close to what was used on the ship model.
The lettering style used in the 1960s TV series was similar to the typeface used by the USAF at the time. As previously mentioned, it was the Franz Joseph book that mentions the use of Microgramma (and specifically for use on ship's markings - contrary to what we saw in the 1960s TV series). A font quite similar to Microgramma did get used starting with the 1979 motion picture, and its used was carried into the "Next Generation" and later TV series (with the exception of "Enterprise" which was a prequel).
DeleteI recall that the decals on the 1:650 scale plastic model kit from AMT of the USS Enterprise featured a font that didn't quite match what was seen on the TV series. The Estes kit from the mid-1970s did have the correct typeface however, and since it was apparently based on the AMT kit, it was the same size -- thus the Estes decals were usable on the AMT kit (and apparently some modelers did get the Estes kit for the decals). A number of years ago, the AMT kit was reissued with a new decal sheet with a number of corrections -- apparently based on the decal sheet from the 1:1000 kit from Polar Lights that was released a number of years previously.
After my Estes kit of the Enterprise suffered a mishap (it was knocked off the shelf, and a number of other objects landed on it) -- rather than tossing it, I cut it apart and used whatever undamaged bits into one of the single-nacelle ships found in the Franz Joseph book (I rebuilt it as the NCC-504 Sargon), and changed the markings accordingly. For the smaller lettering on the nacelles I found a LetraSet rub-on letter sheet in Eurostile (which was as close as I could find to Microgramma) and had to mask and paint the larger lettering. The larger lettering on the top of the saucer and ship's name had to be masked and painted (used sticky-back removable label sheet -- draw the lettering on, then cut out the letters -- then used the label sheet like a stencil sheet to paint on the lettering). Ended up turning out better than I'd expected, considering the somewhat kludgy way I'd approached it. The result was OK as long as you didn't look at it any closer than about 10ft away.
DeleteSearch on "myfonts.com" with keyword "futuristic"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myfonts.com/search/tag%3Afuturistic/fonts/
Hi Naoto,
DeleteI've spent many hours on setting type when I worked at a print shop. Usually I go to 1001freefonts for reference. I was trying to find a better futuristic font that was around when this design was first drawn up.
For what it's worth I prefer #4.
ReplyDeleteIf you have the time, I would love a post about which decal paper and finishing techniques you use, I tried with Microscale Liquid Decal with bad results.
Hi JGA,
DeleteHere's some past blog posts where I covered home print decals:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-made-decal-tips-part-1.html
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-made-decals-part-2.html
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-made-decals-part-3.html
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2013/12/decal-printing-screen-options.html
That should be enough to get you started -
Thank you Chris / JGA
ReplyDelete