SURFACE

Public type on wood, brick and metal.L O R I N O VA K

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Public type on w

ood, brick and metal. L

OR

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KSURFAC

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>>>>>>>>>>>Public type on wood, brick and metal.L O R I N O VA K

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constitutes a boundary of an object in ordinary three-

dimensional space. Weathering is the chemical and

physical process that changes the characteristics

of natural and man made materials over time. With

nature’s elements helping to corrode public signage,

the roughness and character of each letter becomes

that much more visible depending on the surface it’s

on. There are three main surfaces in our environment,

wood, stone and metal. By comparing each surface

and the effect weather has on each—our daily type

will not be forgotten. Natural weathering is inevitable

but it has different effects on each different surface.

Weathered type reminds us of what once was. The

weathering effects on the typeface allow that original

surface to come back to life. Roles are reversed: at

first it’s the surface, that surface gets covered with

type and then the type becomes weathers and wears

back down to the original surface.

PREFACE

A S U R F A C E

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01

W O O D

splinters and withers over time and so does the

typography that’s on it. The grain of the wood

begins to tear through the letter forms giving them a

rugged look. I found wood to be used as secondary

signage. They also seemed to be the most personal

signs out of the three surfaces I focused on. Used

to mark things such as homegrown foods or a

vegetable stands. On most buildings I would find a

large main sign made of a more sustainable material

and then have a secondary wooden sign pointing on

something specific such as a sale.

SPLINTERS

W O O D

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01

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adventuring in North Lawrence I stumbled upon this

charming vegetable stand. Although it appeared

to be abandoned, it wasn’t entirely forgotten. The

man who owns this is known to never stand guard,

but has enough trust in the community to be honest

when they take his produce and to pay for it. There’s

a sign up sheet where you write what you took and

how much it was. To compliment the handmade

stand there was handmade signage. The one I was

particularly interested in was a large wooden sign

that was propped up against the front of the stand

VEGGING OUT

02

W H I L E with the words “fruits and vegetables” on it. The type

had withered from wind and rain. And because it

was being propped up by the dirt itself, the buildup

had worn off the bottom of the sign entirely. The

weathering gave it a grainy texture and subtle grunge

and not the clean slab serif it was meant to be.

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03 04

form of abandonment except this one is for

good. An old garage that was formally a small

business is left behind. We know this because a

spraypainted sign on an old wood door that reads

“out of business”. The paint is so weather and

worn that the colors blend with each other and

it is hard to make out. In this case, the original

surface is taking over the type almost completely.

ABANDONED .>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A N O T H E R

05

type on wood was about as old as their owners. Although

this type is barely legible and could have been writen

in sharpie, it was probably the most protected and

cherished found type I discovered. This type was a list of

all the things an elderly couple grew and sold from their

home. The way the paint is peeling took out entire chunks

of the words. The weathering is sentimental, it shows

how much this type and business has been through.

While photographing these signs I was questioned by the

owner. He toldme that these particular signs have been

causing neighborhood drama and that people down the

street were trying to get them removed. I thought it was

wonderful how the warped type mimicked the struggles it

has gone through.

GET OFF MY LAWN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

T H I S

06

in downtown Kansas City was a jackpot for public

typography on different surfaces. This run down stock

yard has so much character because of how worn down

it is. This small world of empty buildings and forgotten

signage is a big reminder of things left behind. This

particular sign gets swallowed up by the giant brick

building it is mounted on. It reminds me of a badge of

what the building used to be. The letterforms have faded

and warped into irregular shapes.

WESTBOTTOM

W E S T B O T T O N S

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0 7

02

B R I C K

GHOSTS

most popular texture, type on brick creates a

nostalgic and beautifully worn picture. The physical

effects from the weather make some typography

on brick so faded and fragile that it is hardly even

visible, just like a ghost. These ghost signs embody

the past uses of the building and hint at the life that

once was. The texture of brick is so strong that it

takes over the letterform, especially when you factor

in wind and water erosion.

N A T U R E ’ S

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of an entire town are barely visible on the old buildings of the Central Industrial District in

downtown Kansas City. Being one of the oldest areas of the city, West Bottoms is home

to the Kansas City Stock Exchange and the Kansas City Stockyards. The area has been

prone to floods and has survived the Great Flood of 1951 and the Great Flood of 1993. The

community is striving to revive this abandon town. With revival, they are also bringing

attention to the past. A past that is written all over the walls.

IN RUINS

R E M N A N T S

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weathering on some stone increases the readability

of the type. On some though, the edges of the

lettering will become rounded and less distinct as

weathering proceeds. Faded and worn. Some are

barely readable it’s so faded by the sun and eroded

by the wind and rain.

T H E

WORN AND TORN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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“ �W E � M U S T � N E V E R�

F O R G E T � T H AT�

T H E � W O R D S�

B E I N G � V I S U A L LY�

E X P R E S S E D�

AC T U A L LY � S AY�

S O M E T H I N G � T H E Y

H AV E M E A N I N G . ” —Paul Tosh

of the buildings in West Bottoms have overlaid

type. This really shows the passing of time. At one

point this building was used for something entirely

different. Just as life keeps moving, type does as

well. The white text is framed by the faded black

typography. However the newest layer of type is also

suffering the effects of weathering and the two are

mending into one in some areas. The messy painted

letters mimic the atmosphere of very industrial, West

Bottoms District.

M A N Y

P A S S I N G O F T I M E

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the spirit of West Bottoms alive, Quality Roofing Co. is not only a functioning business in the district but they

also advertise their business on the side of their brick building. Beautifully done, the advertisement is keeping

the tradition of painting directly on the brick. The texture of the brick has broken through parts of the crisp

white paint, giving it that historic feel and making it cohesive with the surrounding buildings. The dark red of

the brick contrasted with the white typography makes it able to be seen from the highways that run through

the district. It is a beautiful display of typography on brick.

TOP QUALITY>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

K E E P I N G

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Even with the fresh paint, Quality Roofing Co. is surrounded by typography of the past.

13

“ N A M I N G�

P L AC E S � A N D�

D E F I N I N G

S PA C E S ”—Baines

quality of the sign depended greatly on the placement. West Bottoms is a maze

on industrial brick warehouses. Walking the exterior is where I was finding signs

that were faded beyond recognition from decades of exposure to the elements.

Moving inward however, I found that some of the signs were preserved from the

weather and elements.

T H E

PRESERVATION>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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An old furniture warehouse on the exterior of West Bottoms showing the severe effects weather has to typography painted on brick.

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“ �E C H O I N G�

T H E � R O B U S T�

C O M M E R C E � O F�

T I M E S � PA S T. ” —The Painted Ad

with painted signs, West Bottoms also had some companies with signs hung

from their exterior. In the photo to the left, you can compare the two. The painted

brick-wall advertising medium is a historical feature found in numerous locations

throughout West Bottoms. It is a form of advertising that combines art, craft,

and industry and that has faded from modern city life. This medium had its peak

production from the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. The sign became a

part of the structure, custom shaped to fit the location, with a life span that often

exceeded 100 years. With increased competition from electrical signs and the

growing use of billboards, painted brick-wall advertising began to disappear.

R E A D T H E S I G N S

A L O N G

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03

M E T A L

RUST

signs tend to have a lot in common. Although

different messages are to be communicated

clearly, the way in which each and every sign has a

consistency that we can all recognize is astonishing.

The expressive characteristics the lettering of street

names occupies isn’t limited to just “computer” type.

The use of hand techniques and local personality can

be equally as charming. I am personally more drawn

to the ones that are worn and tattered rather than

brand new.

S T R E E T

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17

O N T H E R O A Dof metal signs can be found on vehicles. Weathering

is a huge factor with this typography because cars

travel and besides the garage are always outdoors.

The biggest problem that I found was the chipping

of the paint used on the type. Because it is always

exposed the wear is inevitable. The flaking paint from

the weather deletes pieces from the letters making

some of them hard to read. On the other hand, this

gives them a texture and makes them feel historic.

M A J O R I T Y

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SIGNS

signs tend to have a lot in common. Although

different messages are to be communicated

clearly, the way in which each and every sign has a

consistency that we can all recognize is astonishing.

The expressive characteristics the lettering of street

names occupies isn’t limited to just “computer” type.

The use of hand techniques and local personality can

be equally as charming. I am personally more drawn

to the ones that are worn and tattered rather than

brand new.

S T R E E T

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19

RUSTED

sufficient time, oxygen, and water, any iron mass will

eventually turn entirely to rust and disintegrate. Rust

is the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence

of water or air moisture. But what happens to

rusted typography before it completely disappears?

Rust swallows anything and everything in its path,

especially type. The dark red rust tears through the

letter form, making it illegible. Rust on metal is the

most severe of the effects on surfaces that I have

focused on. Instead of enhancing the typography or

giving it texture, rust completely destroys it.

G I V E N

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common metal in our lives other than vehicles are

mailboxes. Like cars, mailboxes are primarily outside

and have to endure the affects of weather. Mailboxes

are full of different styles of typography. They

have indented type, decals, and even hand painted

lettering. This wide range of uses gives plenty

of opportunity for wear and tear. The affects of

weather of each different type treatment gives these

mailboxes personality. The hand painted type gets

chipped, the metal rusts, the decals get wrinkled and

you don’t know where to look.

A N O T H E R

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CONCLUSION

the surface type is on combined with weathering

affects determines the look of that type. Weathered

type on any surface is nostalgic and reminds us of

what was. Wood splinters and cracks, brick erodes

and wears, and metal rusts and erases. Our history

is written all over our environment, and it our choice

whether we recognize them or not.

I N C O N C L U S I O N

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SOURCES

http://www.acontinuouslean.com/2008/12/11/flickr-find-painted-brick-signs/

http://www.appliedaesthetics.org/ART132-01/13/baines-haslam.pdf

http://creatingcommunities.denverlibrary.org/story/painted-brick-wall-advertising-signs

http://www.westbottoms.com/

http://www.westbottoms.com/

http://paintedad.com/

http://paintedad.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust

D E S I G N E R � A S � A U T H O R

PAT R I C K � D O O L E Y

FA L L � 2 0 1 1 , � T H E � U N I V E R S I T Y � O F � K A N S A S