Hasta La Ideas

Delaware font foundry House Industries has just released a new iPhone app that enables users to easily customise photos with a range of its display typefaces…

The app works as a rather nifty promotional tool for the display typeface setting service offered by House Industries’ Photolettering service – which is essentially a digital-age revival of the old (pre-desktop publishing) Photo-Lettering service that utilised photographic technology in the production of commercial typography and lettering for ad agencies and publishing houses.

Rather wonderfully, the free app’s name, whilst referencing the Photolettering service, also explains succinctly what the app does: it allows users to add lettering to their photos. Here’s how it works:

First take a picture with your phone or import one from your camera roll, scale, rotate or crop your image as you wish before selecting a lettering style from HI’s Photolettering collection of original fonts.

Type your message, then rotate, scale and colour the text as you please so it appears how you want before sharing or saving your image.

As well as having the option to share your image via email, text message, Instagram or Twitter, there’s also an option to send a printed 4x6inch postcard version of your lovingly lettered photos anywhere in the world. It’s intuitive and fun to use – and it does a great job of showcasing precisely what Photolettering is all about. Bravo!

The app itself is free to download and while it comes loaded three fun display fonts to use, an extra 18 or so typefaces can be bought for 69p a pop. Find it on iTunes.

CR in print
The March issue of CR magazine celebrates 150 years of the London Underground. In it we introduce a new book by Mark Ovenden, which is the first study of all aspects of the tube’s design evolution; we ask Harry Beck authority, Ken Garland, what he makes of a new tube map concept by Mark Noad; we investigate the enduring appeal of Edward Johnston’s eponymous typeface; Michael Evamy reports on the design story of world-famous roundel; we look at the London Transport Museum’s new exhibition of 150 key posters from its archive; we explore the rich history of platform art, and also the Underground’s communications and advertising, past and present. Plus, we talk to London Transport Museum’s head of trading about TfL’s approach to brand licensing and merchandising. In Crit, Rick Poynor reviews Branding Terror, a book about terrorist logos, while Paul Belford looks at how a 1980 ad managed to do away with everything bar a product demo. Finally, Daniel Benneworth-Grey reflects on the merits on working home alone. Buy your copy here.

Please note, CR now has a limited presence on the newsstand at WH Smith high street stores (although it can still be found in WH Smith travel branches at train stations and airports). If you cannot find a copy of CR in your town, your WH Smith store or a local independent newsagent can order it for you. You can search for your nearest stockist here. Alternatively, call us on 020 7970 4878, or buy a copy direct from us. Based outside the UK? Simply call +44(0)207 970 4878 to find your nearest stockist. Better yet, subscribe to CR for a year here and save yourself almost 30% on the printed magazine.

CR for the iPad
Read in-depth features and analysis plus exclusive iPad-only content in the Creative Review iPad App. Longer, more in-depth features than we run on the blog, portfolios of great, full-screen images and hi-res video. If the blog is about news, comment and debate, the iPad is about inspiration, viewing and reading. As well as providing exclusive, iPad-only content, the app will also update with new content throughout each month.