Shaun Mcbride

Air Circus JNL A 1930s advertising poster for the Inman Brothers Flying Circus offered up an interesting hand lettered Art Deco design that’s a cross between both squared and rounded character shapes.  Because of it's 'futuristic look', the resulting type style can also lend itself to 1970s and 1980s retro projects as well as those from the 1930s and 1940s. Now a digital font, Air Circus JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions. A “Flying Circus” is a troupe of ‘barnstormers’ (stunt pilots) who performed aerial tricks either individually or as a team along with selling airplane rides to the general public.  Air Circus JNL Download Now View Gallery

Rail Travel JNL Here’s yet another interpretation of the classic “thick and thin” sans serif lettering most popular during the Art Deco era. This particular design comes to you through the courtesy of a hand lettered 1930s travel poster from the Pennsylvania Railroad. Some capitals are much wider than others, while the lower case ‘i’ is somewhat truncated. Rail Travel JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions. Rail Travel JNL Download Now View Gallery

Student Council JNL While Student Council JNL was not influenced by any school activities, the design is based on a lithographed cardboard sign (circa 1930s) for Spizz Sparkling Water, a bottled seltzer from the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Lexington, Kentucky.  A squared letterform with angled semi-serifs, this Art Deco typeface grabs attention. Student Council JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions. Student Council JNL Download Now View Gallery

Western Suburbs JNL The cover of a 1932 edition of “Sunset magazine” (a publication for homeowners living in the west and southwest area of the United States) featured a lovely Art Deco serif alphabet that is now available as Western Suburbs JNL in both regular and oblique versions. Western Suburbs JNL Download Now View Gallery

Revelry Deco JNL The namesake for this type design was the dust jacket for the 1926 book “Revelry”. A classic Art Deco thick-and-thin design, Revelry Deco JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions. Revelry Deco JNL Download Now View Gallery

Eutaw Stencil JNL A hand lettered emulation of a Roman stencil type face on the cover of the folio for the Stenso School Set was the basis for Eutaw Stencil JNL , which is available in both regular and oblique versions. The Stenso School Set (circa 1940-41) was comprised of three stencils – two lettering guides and a map of the [then] 48 United States. Developed and patented by Baltimore school teacher Ruth Libauer Hormats, her stencils were the first to offer a system for accurate letter spacing and ease of use. “Eutaw” (as part of the font’s name) is taken from Eutaw Place, the street where Ruth and her husband lived at the time of Stenso’s inception. To the Cherokee, the name means “Creek Indian”. Eutaw Stencil JNL Download Now View Gallery

Bill of Fare JNL A 1942 menu cover for the restaurant at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles features its name in a stylized Art Deco serif design. This is has been turned into the digital typeface Bill of Fare JNL , and is available in both regular and oblique versions. Bill of Fare JNL Download Now View Gallery

So Unusual JNL The hand lettered credits for the 1942 film comedy “I Married a Witch” were so unusual (with their mix of rounded and flat terminals and varying character shapes) that the only logical name for a digital revival would be So Unusual JNL … which is available in both regular and oblique versions. So Unusual JNL Download Now View Gallery

So Unusual JNL The hand lettered credits for the 1942 film comedy “I Married a Witch” were so unusual (with their mix of rounded and flat terminals and varying character shapes) that the only logical name for a digital revival would be So Unusual JNL … which is available in both regular and oblique versions. So Unusual JNL Download Now View Gallery

Packaged Cookies JNL An image found online of the first [1923] “Oreo Sandwich” package provided a type inspiration from the pen-lettered block sans with rounded corners used for the product's name. Prior to 1923, the cookies were sold in boxes or tins.   The result is Packaged Cookies JNL , which is available in both regular and oblique versions. Packaged Cookies JNL Download Now View Gallery

Pin Spotter JNL It’s Art Deco “thick and thin”… It’s wide… It’s quirky… It’s a hand lettered sign over the lanes of the Bryant-Lake Bowl – a landmark bowling alley in Minneapolis, Minnesota… and it was spotted in an amazing YouTube video from a “drone tour” of the facility! The sign inspired the font Pin Spotter JNL which is available in both regular and oblique versions. Pin Spotter JNL Download Now View Gallery

Winkle Picker JNL A 1963 movie poster for an Italian documentary called “Sexy Nudo” had its title lettering in a free form spur serif design reminiscent of cut paper. This inspired Winkle Picker JNL , which is available in both regular and oblique versions. Despite the subject matter of the film documentary, the lettering on the poster is fun and playful, which meant the digital font deserved a fun name as well. It was named for a shoes and boots with sharp and long pointed toes which first gained popularity in the 1950s. Winkle Picker JNL Download Now View Gallery

Boss Jock JNL The title and credits from the 1965 film “Strange Bedfellows” were hand lettered in a style typical of the early-to-mid 1960s – casual and playful. This brought to mind similar type designs used by many radio stations when advertising their disc jockeys as cool, hip and fashionable in the slang term of the day “boss” jocks. Boss Jock JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions. Boss Jock JNL Download Now View Gallery