CoinOp

Mark Caneso is a graphic designer and type designer who runs pprwrkstudio down in Southern California. He has worked with us in the past on a number of Scout Book projects, and consistently blew us away with his creative use of the Scout Book (not to mention his terrific design work.) Mark designs typefaces quite well, and when we were looking for something fun to set our new Scout Books logo in, we turned to Quatro, an ultra-black typeface from Mark’s type design studio, pstype. We caught up with him (via the internet!) to gain some insight into typeface design, inspiration, and the creative process. Read on!

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You do a lot of work for the Otis College of Art and Design. Did you attend Otis? How did your art school experience prepare you for life as a practicing designer?

I did attend Otis. I graduated in 2004. While there I connected with the Director of Communications and began designing materials for the school. After graduation I continued that relationship and still produce a good amount of work for Otis. Everything from postcards, invitations and posters to larger projects like the 90th anniversary identity and their bi-annual Alumni Magazine, OMAG. Otis prepared me by giving me that foundation of knowledge in the field. They focus less on teaching you design programs and more on how to think and problem solve. It is up to the individual to grow from there.

I really enjoy your logo and identity work. What is your approach to creating graphic identity for an organization? How does sketching play into the process?

I approach all identity work by first gaining as much understanding of the organization as possible and try to let the work evolve from that information.

Sketching always plays a role in this process. It’s like jotting down a note–a fast, effective way to put an idea down on paper without over-committing and getting too attached. I often doodle on napkins and on scrap paper. I don’t have excellent drawing skills but that isn’t the point of a sketch. Its just about capturing that nugget of an idea.

You have a very innovative approach to the Scout Book. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the ways in which you use the format to serve many different purposes. Can you tell us about your Scout Book projects? Do you have a favorite?

As I mentioned, I sketch most times on napkins and scrap paper. This is in part because I have some weird inability to draw in sketchbooks. I have several sketchbooks/notebooks and I find them sitting on my bookshelf almost as new as the day I bought them. I feel like if I draw in them they will be ruined. But that is not the case with the Scout Book. For me they have a much more casual feeling due to the size and the fact that I can carry it around in my pocket.

This past Christmas I created a few Scout Book designs–one for personal use and two for professional use. The first was to be used as a holiday greeting for my girlfriend and me. This year we wanted to do something that would live beyond the first of the year and were looking for a different format then previous years. The Scout Book was a perfect fit. We created a design that we called the “holiday icon calendar.” Each month there is something to celebrate so we designed a symbol that corresponded with each of the 12 months.

The other two designs were to promote myself as a designer. The first one was a holiday greeting to potential clients and collaborators, the other to act as a promo for a typeface family I had recently finished. Both were typographically driven. The holiday greeting utilized several different typefaces that I have designed, wishing happy holidays and highlighting the qualities and many uses of the Scout Book. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from those who recieved it and compliments on how useful it is. The second was a promo for my typeface Ratio. This cover design showcased the face with details and type settings. I think overall I like this design most because while it promotes the typeface as a finished product it also brings to the forefront the idea of designing a typeface and that it all starts with sketching.

You are a type designer as well as a graphic designer. How did your interest in designing type arise? Was it a natural extension from your design work?

I’d say that type design has been a parallel path for me alongside graphic design. When I started my design schooling I didn’t have access to a ton of typefaces nor the knowledge of where to get them. So I’d rely on what was already on my computer. When I wanted the type to be different I’d just create my own letterforms. The more my interest for design grew the more my interest in typography also grew. I latched on right away to the important role that typography played in communicating a message and also to the artful quality in the details of a single letterform.

pprwrkstudio diagram courtesy of Mark! Click to see it larger. It’s worth it.

I don’t think I’m alone in wondering: what makes a good typeface?

I don’t have a clear answer for this one. I mean there are certain things that I find aesthetically pleasing, certain proportions and weights but that is all very subjective.

Rather than good or bad I like to think of type in terms of the context in which it was designed and the appropriateness of its usage. Take Emigre for example. They released plenty of typefaces that I consider “ugly.” But considering those same typefaces in context of when and why they were created, that makes them great designs. If I focused soley on the aesthetics I’d be doing them a huge disservice to the impact they had on the design world. Appropriateness is another huge one for me. Most type can be effective if it is appropriate for the message of the project. So what makes a good typeface can come down to the end user and their ability to work with type. A “good” typeface in the wrong hands can easily look horrible and vice versa.

We use your typeface Quatro in our logotype for Scout Books, and we love it. What was the impetus to design this typeface?

Quatro has its roots in another design of mine–Ratio. It started as an ultra black version of Ratio and has grown from there.

I wanted to design a typeface that would demand attention on the page and could be used quite large. It needed to be very dense while still having personality and warmth. I am creating a slab serif companion for it as we speak and down the road would might explore what it would look like in other weights.

Perhaps more so than typical graphic design, creating typefaces requires the designer to “let go” of their work and watch what the end user does with it. Do you ever have a hard time with this? Or is it more exciting than excruciating?

I find it to be more exciting than excruciating. The reason I design type is to put it to use. Often times I have a specific way of using it and so I really enjoy seeing how others use it. It’s also good to see it in application in case there are things that need to be fixed.

Design researcher and educator Ellen Lupton started a project called the Free Font Manifesto, a resource that explores typeface copyrights, permissions and open-source sharing in the typeface design community. She proposes the introduction of more free fonts into the world. As a typeface designer, what are your thoughts on copyright infringement, sharing, and open-source typefaces?

Copyright Infringement is obviously wrong. You can’t take somebody elses design and pass it off as your own. If designers want to share their work or create open-source typefaces that is great. Before Quatro was complete, I offered a free beta version of the design. I did this for a couple reasons but most of all to see if there was a desire to use the typeface and to let the design community get a small taste for the design. I have even given my typefaces to designers for comping purposes and so they could try it out in a layout before purchase. I just ask that if that design is actually used that they then in turn pay for a license.

What designers, artists or other creative people are you following lately? Anyone we should keep our eyes on?

There are so many creative people that inspire me and I strive to be as good as.

That’s one thing that keeps me going, knowing there are so many people out there that can do it better then I can.

In the type design world, I’m a huge fan of Underware, Kris Sowersby and Xavier Dupré. Other designers whose work I am very inspired by are often those whose designs are very different then my own. Right now I’ve been keep my eyes on Non-Format, Spin, BBDK, and Un.titled.

Thanks Mark!