"Ascent of Man" font (1 Viewer)

[Joseph DeMartino]

I've been enjoying The Science Channel's latest mini-marathon of classic science series, including The Day the Universe Changed and The Ascent of Man. In watching the latter series I've noticed the striking design used for the main titles and am wondering if it, or something very close to it, is available as a font for Windows. I don't know if the show used an existing typeface or designed the lettering by hand, and thus don't know if is simply out there or if someone would have had to create a computer font from scratch, much less what such a thing might be called.

I figure if there is anyplace I might find someone who knows the answer to this it is the HTF.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Whoever finds that font, I've got another challenge for you: the font used on the old RKO Radio Pictures intro on films such as Citizen Kane.

 

[Linda Thompson]

I don't know about those specific fonts, but I can suggest a great place to start a serious search:

Link Removed

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Yeah I've already looked there. They don't have anything resembling the RKO font. I didn't think it would be so obscure. It's just an italicized font with a zigzag on the edges to make it look like lightning, the kind of font you'd expect to see on countless 1950s propaganda films extolling the virtues of modern conveniences such as blenders, toasters, and refrigerators, all made possible by the wonder of hydroelectric power.

 

[Tony Kwong]

What are you trying to do with that "font"? Are you sure it's even a font and not a logotype?

 

[John_V]

Could you provide screenshots of the typefaces used for those shows? I'm a graphic designer and may know it, and if I don't I can ask some older and wiser designers.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Here are some samples. I'm pretty sure The Ascent of Man titles were hand-lettered, but thought someone might have created a font based on them as I've seen somewhat similar designs since.






Regards,

Joe

 

[Linda Thompson]

Here's someone else looking for that same RKO font, and fellow posters offer a couple of suggestions for substitutions:

http://www.graphics.com/modules.php?...ewtopic&t=1389

My search for any leads on the AoM font turned one of your own searching posts on myfonts.com and also this site which might be of some use:

http://www.smackbomb.com/famousfonts/index.html

Part of the site description states:

"Famous Fonts is the first font archive on the web to collect ONLY fonts used in TV shows, movies, publications, and other media and products - over 300 typefaces have been offered for download and/or identified!"

If you don't find the specific fonts (my very quick searches didn't find anything close), there's also a forum, where perhaps someone might be able to offer help.

Good luck!

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Joe, thanks for posting the RKO sample, that's exactly what I was talking about.

Thanks also to you Linda for the effort. The other person looking for the RKO font found one called "Inner Flasher" which is sort of close, however it's all caps and I really need lowercase. It also lacks curves that make the RKO font a little more graceful. I found another similar font at Simply The Best called LowWe that might work well. It's a little more of a broken mirror fragmented look but it could be usable.

The reason I'm looking for the font is because we're working on a game video and we want the fake studio logo at the start to be sort of a parody/homage to RKO.

 

[John_V]

I coudn't identify the font, so I called on an older and wiser friend. Didn't get an exact match, but here are a couple possiblities for the "Ascent of Man" type:

Donatello


Beata


You could modify either of these fonts using a program like Adobe Illustrator to adjust things such as the crossbar of the "A" in order to get it closer to your sample.