UPDATE!!!

Another font was found just today that should of been included in Sundays post! Sorry, once again my typeractive tendencies got the best of me and I just had to let you all know!!!

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

 

Welcome back to another Designerland attraction typography case study.  This week's post is something special because we'll be looking at the early typography used for the interactive, role-playing, next-gen adventure game, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is a game in which the guests become heroes with the objective to defeat the Disney villains who are working to take over the Magic Kingdom. Armed with spells in the form of playing cards, guests must search for magic symbols throughout the Kingdom which will lead them to the villains’ hiding places. By casting different magical spell cards, guests can do battle with classic Disney villains hiding throughout the land. From fireballs to cyclones, there are different spells to bring down each and every villain, with a simple flick of the wrist.

 

Since this interactive adventure is new, there's not too much typography to look at. Most of the typography we see is on the spell cards and of course the main logo. Starting with the logo, the designer was inspired by arts & crafts style lettering but hand manipulated it, adding distressed edging and flourishes to give the feel of fantasy. They also used a widely popular Pixar typeface but again changed it up by adding the distressed edging and calligraphy-like strokes to give the impression of hand lettering.

When looking at the land maps, one display font is used heavily to give the feel of an old illuminated manuscript...even though it's a touch too heavy. The designer(s) once again took liberties by adding extreme flourishes to the headlines on the maps but kept the original font intact for body copy. While using display fonts to set entire passages of body copy is an extreme no-no in the world of design, this is one case in which the rules are meant to be broken—after all, old world mystical maps wouldn't use Helvetica now would they? When looking at the magical spell cards, the designer(s) once again used the same display font as seen on the maps, which ties the two together, creating a cohesive font palette. They also used the original (non-hand-manipulated) typeface from the logo.

 

I hope to see more place-finding / signage in the future for this new interactive adventure, and hopefully we’ll see them in Fantasyland where all these wonderful fonts and typefaces belong. Well that does if for this week’s post. Hope you all have a great week and see you back here next Sunday for a new Retro '71 shirt design. Until then, thanks for stopping by.

 

In the Wild

I'd like to thank the Disney duo Ian and Ian (aka The Ian's) for snapping this picture for me while at Disneyland! The Ian's were Walt Disney Imagineer's ImagiNations Design Contest winner's and personal close friends of mine. Probably two of the coolest Canadian's I know. Thanks for snapping the picture guys and shooting it my way and of course for the support! Hope we can tackle the parks again soon!

Germany

Welcome back to another edition of the Retro '71 Apparel Line. This week we continue our Journey around the World Showcase and visit the country of Germany.

Dance the polka, raise a stein to toast life, and join in singing a folksong in the traditional Oktoberfest setting of the Biergarten in Germany. (The interior design, which looks like a village, was inspired by the town Rothenburg.) Here the merriment and the atmosphere will capture your fancy, and the show is lots of fun.

The platz outside offers its own discoveries - medieval spires and half-timbered shops that lend a fairy-tale charm to the Bavarian setting, a statue of St. George slaying the dragon, and an animated clock that sounds the hour with a glockenspiel.

German products and craftsmanship abound in the shops, everything from cuckoo clocks to toys, from hand-carved wood to pewter ware. You may even encounter a Hummel artist painting the famous figurines.

 

Following suit, this week’s design incorporates Germany's logo in a similar fashion as the previous shirts. The colors are inspired by the German flag . Finishing the design is some slight wear and tear with a textured finish, which ties it into the branding and overall vision of the Retro '71 apparel line.

 

 

Well that does it for this week’s edition of the Retro '71 World Showcase shirts. Looking forward to seeing you back here next Sunday as we delve into another attraction typography case study from the Magic Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

Color Study

 

A new color palette has been added to the DisneyDesignerland Kuler account! Before you jump on over to check it out can you guess where this color palette is used?

 

Give up??? Find out the answer over at Disneydesignerland's Kuler page found here.

Check back for more random updates to Wonderful World of Kuler.

The Hall of Presidents

 

The Hall of Presidents is a multi-media audio animatronic spectacular that has been entertaining guests since the Walt Disney World Resort opened its gates back in 1971. The show itself was derived from Disneyland's Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.  Located in Liberty Square within the Magic Kingdom and resembling Independence Hall in Philadelphia, guests witness all 43 presidents together on one stage in a show that reflects the red, white and blue in all its patriotic glory.

 

When looking at the typography Disney designers used throughout the attraction on everything from signage and posters to even merchandise, one thing is constant: most all of the typefaces used are known as Classic or Historical typefaces. These fonts have a significance not only in the world of design, but also in the time period in which they were created. One noted typeface used throughout the area is Caslon. If you'd like to know more about William Caslon (the typographer who designed this classic typeface) then click here.  Other noted classifications used for The Hall of Presidents are Serif, Script, Formal, Classic and Historic.

Well that does it for this week's case study. Be sure to check back next Monday for our next Retro '71 World Showcase shirt. Thanks for stopping by and have a swell week.

In the Wild

Here's a jaunty photo of Chris sporting his tiki pineapple whip shirt in the parks during this past holiday season. Chris told me that his first order of business was to grab a whip and snap a pic...he said a few minutes later he ran into someone else sporting the popular Designerland shirt. Thanks for shooting this my way and for the support! Mahalo!

 

Remember folks to keep sending in your pics for your chance to be featured here on Designerland!

Italy

Welcome back to another edition of the Retro '71 Apparel Line. This week we'll finally (LOL) continue our Journey around the World Showcase and visit the beautiful country of Italy.

As we catch sight of the colorful gondolas in the Venetian canal and a setting that is clearly reminiscent of St. Mark's Square, and we know we're in Italy. The bell tower, or campanile, is monumental, and we'll even find a replica of the Doges' Palace.

In the piazza there are classic sculptures to fill the eye; one - the "Fontana di Nerruno" - depicts the sea-god Neptune amidst playful dolphins. Here, too, we just might be fortunate to arrive fir a performance by the farcical players of the Teatro di Bologna in the open-air provincial theater.

There are some fine specialty shops here, and browsing can be fun. The shops of the Arcata d'Artigiani, for example, offer handcrafted terra-cotta pottery, glassware, and woven baskets.

 

Following suit, this week’s design incorporates Italy's logo in a similar fashion as the previous shirts. The colors are inspired by the Italian flag . Finishing the design is some slight wear and tear with a textured finish, which ties it into the branding and overall vision of the Retro '71 apparel line.

 

 

 

Well that does it for this week’s edition of the Retro '71 World Showcase shirts. Sorry it's taken me a while. . . but I'm glad to be back! Looking forward to seeing you back here next Sunday as we delve into another attraction typography case study from the Magic Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

Disney Decor

Welcome back to the first post of the New Year. I hope you all had a terrific holiday season! I'm happy to report that Designerland will be back in full force with new case studies, new Retro '71 apparel design and some other fun surprises.

To kick off the New Year I'd like to present a series of prints bases on Disney and his parks.

The larger print entitled "One Man's Journey" is based on some of the key places Walt lived, visited and worked. The next two prints celebrate the opening of both stateside Disney Theme Parks. Each print shows various maps from their respective park.

 

 

 

So what do you think? Would you buy these to adorn your interior walls? Well that does it for this weeks Designerland post. Tune in next Sunday as we continue our tour around the World Showcase with the latest Retro '71 World Showcase Tee. Have a great week and see you soon!