@MLClark I don’t have the cool words, but in plant woo, something about healing, plants as medicine? @corlin @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @ceorl @redenigma

@MLClark @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @ceorl @redenigma

Hmmm we will find a way to get you a hard copy..

@MLClark @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @ceorl @redenigma

So Coso buddies, let me know what you’d like to see in an article from me. You know what I post and what I write. This is for Coso so let me hear from you !

@NiveusLepus @MLClark @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @ceorl @redenigma

Huh what?

@NiveusLepus

It's still early brainstorming time, so any ideas are welcome now.

Just off the top of my head, I don't see why we couldn't have some fiction, especially if its message reinforces whatever the 'zine's personality becomes.

Your commitment to selfless service is inspiring. Relevant to surviving and repairing a broken civilization.

Your discipline around work and fitness is something many struggle with.

And, and, and :)

@MLClark @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

@NiveusLepus @MLClark @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Should the 'zine team fire up a CoSo group to help keep all these threads together?

@ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Okay, #Zine Team, I've crafted 4 mock-ups on Letraset fonts.

A few considerations to keep in mind:

First, I was limited to fonts that allowed for upper and lowercase, and which have "bold" and "italics" options (which you can see on pg3).

Second, a narrow font might work better for a smaller pub (these're mocked at 8.5 x 5.5), while a finer font might simply need a lighter paper colour to shine.

Pick & choose as you please!

@MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Wow !
Thanks..

I'm gone have stare at these a bit before I decide

@corlin

Oh, we have time! :)

@ceorl @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

@MLClark @corlin @ceorl @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

This is exciting. I can’t wait to see where it goes. 💛

@MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen i like Hobo & Bauer Bodoni.

@redenigma @MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen

Same!

I love the first two--and would like to see the combo of Hobo and Bauer Bodoni

@tyghebright @redenigma @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen

That's two very specific votes for Bauer Bodoni and Hobo, so I'll run the fuller template on both Kabel and Hobo with BB, so we can revisit that toss-up in a few days. Thanks, Tyghe!

@MLClark @ceorl @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

1 and 4 are my favorites. I'm a sucker for a good serif font.

@MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

My vote is #1. Love these so flippin' much and can't wait to get started. Should we arrange a #CoSoCall sometime soon?

@BosmangBeratna @MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

I'm not participating, but may I please have an opinion about the font? Because I can't see a font without having an opinion about it. 😂 Either 1 or 4, but I'm leaning toward 1.

@LiseL @MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

You've great taste, Lise!

@BosmangBeratna @MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

You inspired me! 😂

@MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

You'd be surprised how old I was before I even realized fonts were a thing. So my opinions don't carry much weight. As long as I can read it so easily that I can forget there is a font, I'm happy.

That said, I favor #4 because I love Bauhaus or Art Noveau styles. The round bits are circular, the straight bits straight.

And Courier looks like a proper typewriter font, which does not distract me from the words. ;)

@ceorl @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

*giggles highly distractedly*

@BosmangBeratna @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Even Comic Sans does not bother me at all ;)

@ceorl @BosmangBeratna @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

👀

@CLManussier @ceorl @BosmangBeratna @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Just a head's up that I will have an open call for the whole of CoSo on Friday.

It might not all be for Issue #1! Part of the fun of a #Zine is that we can create a pleasing hodge-podge of content that changes from issue to issue around a core guiding principle.

But all are welcome to pitch!

@MLClark @CLManussier @ceorl @BosmangBeratna @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen i don't have camera, can i join a cosocall? (not sure the mic on my headphones works either. i had to use an older laptop when i had to do zoom planning board meetings)

@redenigma

I'm pretty sure that you'll be able to join us and use the chat function to communicate!

@CLManussier @ceorl @BosmangBeratna @NiveusLepus @corlin @LaurelGreen

@ceorl comic sans is one of the easiest to parse typefaces for autistics. not sure about other non-neurotypicals, but i think it's also true for dyslexics.

@redenigma

Oh cool. I find it easily readable, so I have no problem with it. Even though when I do examine it closely I can get a sense of how it is not the most polished font out there.

I appreciate our pre-cog reading mode here too. While it upsets some font fanciers, it is effective at getting thoughts from words into my brain with little friction ;)

@ceorl @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma
I love Hobo as a font for all kinds of things, but you folks are absolutely right. It doesn't work as well as the others for this particular design.

@stueytheround @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Hobo does take me back to the styles of 60's publications, so I do like that too.

The only one I really don't like is Dynamo, and since (I think) no one picked it I'm good. :)

@stueytheround @MLClark @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

Oh, but this is important - How many spaces after a period?

@ceorl @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

In an era of monotype, two was standard! Today, the standard is one because we're in a digital age, but if we choose to print with something like Courier, two spaces will be best for clarity. :)

@MLClark @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

I was mostly joking, but that makes sense about the spacing of Courier.

Having grown up typing on a manual typewriter, my two space habit was strong, but I've mostly managed to retrain myself for our digital age. :)

@ceorl @MLClark @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @redenigma I'm going to buck the trend and shout out #3 as my fav. Not attached, just speaking up for Franklin Gothic. 😍

@LaurelGreen @MLClark @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Franklin Gothic seems a straightforward readable font to me too, although that Dynamo it is paired with confuses me ;)

@ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

You're welcome to recommend a different mix from all the fonts on display here! One of us already did.

@MLClark @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @redenigma j

I'm just enjoying the discussion, but I will roll with whatever the group decides. :)

Here is my least favorite font, E13B, as used on bank checks (cheques as some say).

I can just tell it is not a font that cares about my ability to read it :)

@ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

I know the reason for that font comes down to letter weighting to avoid financial discrepancies, but you know it's a bad font when even some of the characters are not impressed. 😅

@MLClark @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

So Many Type nerds!
Makes my heart sing.

Remember folks we ain't rubbing Letterset here we can have many fonts.

As for the 4 here. I like #1, Kabel & Bauer Bodoni for readability, also for the nostalgic value. Also the Title "abZurd" fits with my understanding of the pun.

Yet again there is no reason to stick with 2 fonts, each piece in the zine can have its own font, in fact that might be a good idea.

@corlin @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Generally speaking, a publication will have two or three go-to fonts: a serif, a sans-serif, and a "fancy" or headline font.

Old Zine culture would often have many fonts because basement productions would be made from collages, pasting together pieces typed on different machines or with texts cut from other mags. The variable "look" of many fonts matched the production context.

We're still working out ours. :)

@MLClark @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Yes true...

Note: from experience.

Having been the printer for hundreds of Zines, we will in the future be at the awkward spot between designers and writers. Not there yet.

There was a rule we had in the print shop, ....
Before you bring in any camera ready copy. Designate, one designer, and one editor, we will contact those and no others.

as I said we ain't there yet,

@corlin @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Agreed.

#1 has tons of votes, so I'm going forward with it for now when blocking page designs for specific content.

The key to this part of the process is that the font decides how much "Lorem ipsum" placeholder will fit in different types of content pages.

From *that*, I can give people general word/line counts for columns, poems, or full-page articles in an 8.5x5.5 production.

Then the magic can begin! 🥳

@MLClark @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Great idea.

May I suggest a mixed layout.
Single page (8 ½ x 5 ½) for poetry, graphics, or short one page work. While 2 column text, for fiction, ragged right of course no justification.

@corlin @ceorl @LaurelGreen @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

Done! I'll be throwing in the occasional small graphic block on full text pages, so we can see what that will look like, too, but a beauty of a photo, the verve of a comic, or some truly kickass art should get the standalone presentation it deserves.

@MLClark FWIW that is what I teach my Adobe HS students.

@corlin @ceorl @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

@LaurelGreen @corlin @ceorl @stueytheround @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @redenigma

I've got EIC experience for a student paper and a grad newsletter, which miiiiight be coming out to play right now. 😅

@MLClark @ceorl @NiveusLepus @corlin @BosmangBeratna @LaurelGreen @redenigma

I like 1 best?

@ceorl You are most kind to see those things in me.

Your continued encouragement and friendship is a gift.

@LaurelGreen @MLClark @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @ceorl @redenigma

I know a guy.
That has a press.
So this will be not that expensive. Not commercial rates.

@corlin Can you ask that guy to tell us about color, like duotones better, what we should know. @MLClark @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @ceorl @redenigma

@LaurelGreen @MLClark @NiveusLepus @BosmangBeratna @ceorl @redenigma

Hmmmm.
Great questions.
I will have to ask, but I am thinking not more than 2 colors. And duotones are doable, but not in camera, so hand applied screens. (If you know what I mean). With 2 color and screens you can get a wide variety of tones.

Again none of this is final. We are still brainstorming here.