Typographia

[Artur_001 4]

OMG! Your city is incredible! Wonderful shots too. Well done.

[edmonton_stinks 5]

Love the teaser, but I missed the job update! I guess "Generic Consultant" most fits with my career path, so I'll go with that!

I like the way Joanna is looking. What will it be?

[Benedict 3,119]

The highway bridge through the natural habitat looks incredible. Loving the new town/font.

[Superchan 23]

looks nice.

[etherian 4]

ilikehotdogsalot: Thank you, and compliments to you for a great nickname!

Shingure: Thanks, perfect is probably too much though

Godzillaman: The nature of SC4 does make it hard to give flora the share of the limelight, but thanks to some awesome custom content, its now possible! Thanks!

Callbat: Transport is actually quite a nice typeface, its good when something is designed with a purpose and works - research does show it does take humans longer to recognise and words if they are all spelt in the uppercase. Don't be disappointed with the lack of UK orientated updates so far, because this update is only possible because of an influential Brit - I've saved the excellent UK BATs from Gascooker until now! Enjoy!

ky72x: Hi Kyle, thanks for the continuing support, really appreciated. I don't know if its truly unique with the looping tunnels but I definitely sick of seeing the standard Maxis tunnels!

jacqulina: Nice to have you drop by! And good luck on your new start with Paradise Falls, I will surely drop by one of these days!

NUMSpidey: Hehehe, nothing wrong with enlarging my ego with repeated compliments

Schulmanator: I have a soft spot for rural areas, its such a nice break from having to contend with a unwieldy metropolis.

Artur_001: Thank you

edmonton_stinks: Hopefully this update will answer your question! The housing and employment project will probably be put on hold for a little while, I need to re-jig my priorities both in RL and in SC4

Benedict: Thanks! I actually can't wait for the real RHW bridges, then I can rebuild it and make it look even better

spuerchad: Thanks.

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It would be incompetent of me to introduce Joanna as a typeface with introducing its creator Eric Gill. Like the name Adrian Frutiger (which I have dropped once before in this Journal), they are designers which hold a great deal of influence in typography and thereby, a great influence on the design world. Even 70 years after Gill's death, his work continues to be of importance to the communication mediums.

Perhaps this would be a good start to discuss how the designers come up with names for their typefaces, most are derived directly from the name of its creator, others may have historical and/or categorical meaning. A lot of that information is quite hard to find and in obscure places, so I am unsure of how a majority of the discussed typeface are named. However, this typeface was named specifically for one of his daughters - Joanna. (For once, I did not find this out on Wikipedia, it was one of the more interesting facts that we were given while studying).

As for the design aspects, it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing typeface with its simplicity and slight contrast of strokes. The defining character of Joanna is the narrow italics, put side by side, normal characters generally have more width than their italicised cousins. Contrary to popular believe, simply slanting a character does not mean it is italicised. In well-made faces, every letter is redrawn so that proportions are correct and sometimes a different design approach is adopted - the easiest way to recognise whether a typeface has a proper italicised weight is to look at the lower-case a, especially in serif faces.

Although I may be unduly focusing on the aspect of the name, I think it is a homage to try and build a city that can express the simpler beauty that is apparent in the typeface as well as in the name.

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A small hub consisting of small businesses and residents that lie closer to Joanna's farmlands.

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Another view of the out-of-town township with the surrounding farms.

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One of the more scenic routes leading to outlying developments.

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Joanna's residents have spread themselves across the rolling hills, dotting the landscape with sporadic developments.

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A road bridge stretches across the shallow valley that's perfect for agricultural use.

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The colours of industry.

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The mayor's residence is located atop a hill overlooking a small valley and the main town centre below.

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A look at the resident part of the town centre, Joanna prides itself on living close to nature.

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The commercial centre that is a little further up the road, horticulture is also a thriving part of the community with many green thumbs calling Joanna home.

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Local school bus drivers are some of the happiest in the country, with great scenic routes to traverse everyday and stunning views at the destination.

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Flat land may be best for agriculture, but the residents wouldn't give up Joanna's gentle rolling landscape just for economic gain!

[edmonton_stinks 5]

That city is beautiful. It's incredibly green!

[Benedict 3,119]

I agree, Joanna is certainly the most naturally beautiful city you've created. I love the flora, and the rural fence slipping under the road bridge is sublime. Great new addition to your typemap.

[art128 4,618]

Oh I miss all your update

 I have to catching up with me, eh bah is beautiful

congluration , it's very beautiful

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Simple beauty is still beauty nonetheless! Another great update. How do you do the land bridges? It's a very neat trick.

[wallasey 8]

Wonderful views there. I like your pavements...nice and different!

[anarchy0029 2]

Damn. The City of Joanna is really neat.

[ky72x 13]

Beautiful mix of houses in Joanna! It blends together very well. I feel like I'm saying that over and over again, but I simply cannot resist when everything looks so fantastic. Also, your use of flora can't get any better, man all of it, including the fences, ponds, rocks, is just beautiful. Nice road bridge again, and the farms add to the incredible level of realism even more. Of course, the city development looks just as good with the retaining walls, buildings, and an awesome layout. One of your best updates yet, hands down.

- Kyle

[Shingure 56]

Oh my gosh , Iam so sorry for not replying earlier. Joanna is beautifil , Love the flora and also the design of the city is nice as well.