Lagoon typeface notes:
Background information This typeface began as a research project which investigated the possibilities for the creation of revival typefaces for the Armenian alphabet, based on the best traditions and craſt skills exemplified in rare Armenian books and manuscripts. Examples of fine printing from library collections were photographed and examined in order to design a text type for present day computer keyboarding which is based on the best of Armenian classical traditions and which will contribute to the resources available to Armenian graphic designers and, with the inclusion of Latin characters, aid Armenian-Western communication across the diaspora. Since the Unicode standard was published in 1990, and recognized by ISO (International Standardisation Organization) it has become the most widely-used character encoding system – being the native character set for Windows 2000 and Mac OSX. It is also the default character set for the world wide web (www). This typeface is largely made possible because of this standard and because of OpenType® – the cross-platform font file format developed jointly by Adobe and Microsoſt in the late 1990s and which uses the Unicode® system for encoding characters (‘glyphs’). The two main benefits of the OpenType format are its cross-platform compatibility (the same font file works on Macintosh and Windows computers), and its ability to support expanded character sets and layout features – essential for different languages/scripts. When using up-to-date and appropriate soſtware, the font itself contains the information for the manipulation of the glyphs to create the correct ligatures, special characters etc. which may be needed, using the ‘glyph substitution’ or the ‘glyph positioning’ features of the font. The type selected as the model for this revival was one used in Venice in 1810 and created at the monastery of the Mechitarist monks in Venice, who have been specialists in Armenian printing for hundreds of years. The book studied was ‘Liakatar vark ew vkayabanut'win srboc'’ – (Complete lives of saints) by M. Awgerian – which would have been printed with the hand set metal type created on the island of San Lazzaro in the Venetian Lagoon – hence the new type’s name. It aims to capture the spirit of the letterforms whilst making modifications in line with modern type users’ expectations. Oſten, Armenian digital types are designed to match the forms of Latin type characters and ‘Latinized’, by uprighting the forms; truncating ascenders and descenders and raising the x-height – but in this case the Latin characters in the OpenType font have been designed to blend in with the traditional Armenian proportions which are based on cursive forms – also incorporating some of the quirky shapes from the original model. Faithfully following the original created difficulties of ‘clashing’ characters, particularly those with long descenders, so the font contains over 100 alternative characters in the Armenian part, which will normally substitute automatically where necessary (see the technical information). The sloping lower case characters and upright capitals are traditional in Armenian – capitals are used less in the Armenian language. Later issues of the type will incorporate alternative, sloping capitals which can be used as a more conventional, (in Latin) alternative choice. The standard word space used in the font is something of a compromise between the normal narrow space in Latin keyboarding and the wider space used in Armenian setting. Three new unicode characters for the Armenian unicode range were added recently: the Armenian dram (currency) symbol; the eternity symbol; and the index number symbol. These were added to the font which will be one of the first OpenType fonts to incorporate these newly unicoded characters. The Armenian alphabet is a phonetic alphabet (ie. each character represents a sound, both vowels and consonants) which was originally devised in the 5th century by a monk, Mesrob Mashtots (St. Mesrob, c.361–440) who is said to have seen the letters in a vision from God. This alphabet was adopted in 406 AD by an edict of the Armenian King, and most letters have remained fundamentally unchanged since then. So, due to this, the Armenian alphabet is fundamental to Armenian religion, language, literature and culture. This typeface was designed by Carolyn Puzzovio in 2007 with a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK.
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface
System and installation
notes:
Macintosh – minimum system requirements:
OpenType fonts work as a single file which operates on both Macintosh and Windows.
• Macintosh with PowerPC® processor • Mac OS 8.6 to 9.2 or Mac OS X • ATM® Light or Deluxe, version 4.6 or later (not required for Mac OS X native) • AdobePS printer driver 8.6 or later recommended if using a PostScript printer with Mac OS 8.6 or 9 • 16 MB of Ram
The Unicode standard is the basis on which OpenType fonts function. non-Unicode savvy applications and operating systems will only have access to basic characters of the font.
Installation on Macintosh: Mac OS 8.6 to 9 and Mac OS X ‘Classic’: Before installing, quit all active applications. Copy or move all the OpenType (.otf) font files into the System Folder/Fonts folder. They must be loose inside this folder, not in a sub-folder.
Ideally the font should be used on Mac OS X, Windows XP/2000/NT 4 or Vista – which all support Unicode.
NOTE: If using a Font Management utility, check that OpenType fonts are supported. Installation on Mac OS X native: Before installing, quit all active applications. Copy or move all the OpenType (.otf) font files into either of the following locations. They must be loose inside this folder, not in a sub-folder. [i] /Library/Fonts/ (You must be logged on as an ‘Administrator’ to place fonts in this location. Fonts in this location can be used by any user.) [ii] /Users//Library/Fonts/ (Fonts in this location can only be used by the specified user.) Windows – minimum system requirements: • PC using a PentiumPC® processor • Microsoſt Windows® 95, 98 Millennium Edition (ME), Windows NT® 4, Windows ···2000 or Windows XP • ATM® Light or Deluxe, version 4.1 or later (not required for Windows 2000 or ···Windows XP) • AdobePS printer driver 4.3 or later, if using Windows 95/98/ME with a PostScript ··· ···printer • AdobePS printer driver 5.1.2 or later, if using Windows NT 4 with a PostScript ···printer • 16 MB of Ram Installation on Windows 95/98/ME/NT 4 (requires ATM Light): Choose Start > Programs > Adobe > Adobe Type Manager. In the ATM window, click the Fonts tab. Choose Browse For Fonts from the Source pop-up menu. Navigate to the folder that contains the fonts you want to install, select the font names. Press the Add button to install the selected fonts. Exit ATM.
OpenType For more information on OpenType and compatibility with out-of-date soſtware please refer to the Adobe web site at: http://www.adobe.com/type/opentype AdobePS printer drivers for Macintosh or Windows are available for download from the site.
Installation on Windows 2000; Windows XP; Vista: Double-click on My Computer. Then double-click on Control Panels, and then Fonts. In the Fonts windows, select the File menu, and choose Install New Font. Navigate to the folder that contains the fonts you want to install, select the font names. Press the OK button to install the selected fonts. Close the Fonts control panel.
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface notes:
User guide Some features of this typeface are controlled by the end user and for best results might need careful manipulation. The information below shows how settings should be selected in some common programs to take advantage of the ligatures and ‘glyph substitution’ features of the font which will improve the look and readability of your text, especially in Armenian. Please refer to the ‘Help’ menu in individual programs for further information on using OpenType features.
Adobe InDesign
Ligatures feature turned on
Ligatures feature turned off
Adobe Illustrator
Ligatures feature turned on
Ligatures feature turned off
Microsoſt Word
Newer versions of Word use the available ligatures by default as shown above in Word 2000. Older versions of the program will not be able to access these and the spacing may be a little unsatisfactory.
OpenType Adobe offer a useful guide for users of OpenType font on their website at: http://www.adobe.com/type/opentype
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface
Original type of 1810, Venice.
notes:
original index page at actual size
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface
Specimen setting of Lagoon Armenian
notes:
639
ՑԱՆԿ ՎԱՐՈԲՑ ՍՐԲՈՑ որ ’ի
ա ՟. բ՟ . գ՟ . դ՟ . ՟ ե. զ. ՟ է՟ . ը՟ . ՟ թ · ՟ ժ· ժա ՟. ժբ՟ . ժգ՟ . ժդ՟ .
Հատորն Ապայից :
Յ ովհանն կարապետի կամ
11 ����րտ · · · · · · · Պետրոսի հայրապետի , և աբի֊���� 37 սողոմայ սարկաւագի · · · 57 Անտոնի անապատաիանի · · 103 Թէոդոսի թգ՟րի ﬔծի · · · Եօթն ննջողաց՝ Մանկանցն ե֊ 143 ����փեսոսի · · · · · · 170 Կիրակոսի , և յտայ · · 188 Վահանայ գոնացւոյ · · 217 Աթանասի հայրապ՛՛ աղեքս՛՛ 271 Կիւր աղեքսանդրացւոյ · · 289 Գրիգորի ածաբանի · · · 343 Տրիփոնի վկայի · · · · · Բարսմայ ճգնօղ հայըապե֊ 371 տի ե դեսացւոց · · · · 386 Վ լասայ ե պ ՟սին սեբաստիոյ · Ոնեսիﬔայ աշակերտին պօղո֊ 411 ����սի · · · · · · · · (�� Երկրորդﬓ�տօնի�սեղ�֊ 420 բեստրոսի�,�և�կոստ՛՛�·�) · · ե. ժ՟
this facsimile of the original 1810 book’s page is not intended to be an exact replica but a similar version created using today’s technology to show the similarity of Lagoon type
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface notes:
Character set available
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ ÀÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏŁÑÒÓÔÕÖØ ŒŠÙÛÜÝŸŽÐÞ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz àáâãäåæçèéêëìíîïıłñòóôõöøœššßùúûüýÿžð ��ff��fiffi��flffl��� ԱԲԳԴԵԶԷԸԹԺԻԼԽԾԿՀՁՂՃ ՄՅՆՇՈՉՊՋՌՍՎՏՐՑՒՓՔՕՖ աբգդեզէըթժիծկհձղճմյնշոչպջռսվ տրցփքօֆ ևﬓﬔﬕﬖﬗ ՙ՚՛՜՝՞՟։֊· 1234567890¹²³ ¼½¾%‰ €$¢£¥ƒ ¤ +−±×÷=≠≈≤≥¬°ℓ№℮∞∂∫√∆Ωµ∏π∑¯– — ``´´ˆˆˇˇ˜˜¨¨¯¯˘˘˝˝˚˚˙˙¸˛;:.…-!¡?¿‘’“”‚„‹›«» & ( ) []{ } \ / *†‡§¶•@©®# ^~_‗'" ™ ªº⁄◊|¦֍ Pomegranate Fonts 2008
Lagoon typeface notes:
Specimen setting of Lagoon Latin 12pt/14.4 pt:
This typeface began as a research project which investigated the possibilities for the creation of revival typefaces for the Armenian alphabet, based on the best traditions and cra� skills exemplified in rare Armenian books and manuscripts. Examples of fine printing from library collections were photographed and examined in order to design a text type for present day computer keyboarding which is based on the best of Armenian classical traditions and which will contribute to the resources available to Armenian graphic designers and, with the inclusion of Latin characters, aid Armenian-Western communication across the diaspora. THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOG. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. 18/21.6pt:
The type appears convincing as a revival of the historical model when set in Armenian but takes on an extremely quirky feel when set in Latin as this sample. However, it may have its uses. 14/16.8pt:
The type appears convincing as a revival of the historical model when set in Armenian but takes on an extremely quirky feel when set in Latin as this sample. However, it may have its uses. 8/9.6pt: The type appears convincing as a revival of the historical model when set in Armenian but takes on an extremely quirky feel when set in Latin as this sample. However, it may have its uses.
sample settings of Lagoon
Pomegranate Fonts 2008
