so, you know I like typeface. . .

well you may, or may not, know that, just as you may or may not know that one of my favourites is Gill Sans

for the moment, that's besides the point. . . Eric Gill was also a sculptor

I've recently purchased a book about his work (from a really excellent art book supplier) and it's very interesting reading. . . I hadn't realised that Gill was the sculptor who was commissioned to carve the friezes on Broadcasting House (but, only this summer, when I was not dating the "date" who dumped me, I spent a lot of time admiring them) (he was an announcer for Radios 3 and 4, you see, and I used to wait on the steps of All Souls, Langham Place, admiring the BH building, while he finished his shift) (ho hum!)

Ariel
the invisible spirit of the air,
listening to celestial music
Broadcasting House

Gill also produced lots of sketches and wood cuts (more things I like). . .

Mother and Child

Girl on Grass

*

anyhow, back to the typeface. . . what I hadn't realise before was that Gill was originally commission to design a serif typeface, but that was put on hold when it was realised that what was actually needed was a sans-serif face - which is when Gill Sans was designed. . .

this is a great way of admiring the font, by looking at the wooden type:

and I love discovering how these things come about:

and what I also didn't realise until now was that the serif font he designed was actually Perpetua. . .
Perpetua. . . it's also lovely, isn't it. . .

let's compare them, shall we?

Gill Sans:
Perpetua:
Gill Sans:
(I'll stop there, for the sake of your sanity) (I don't have any left, clearly)