Street Typography: Mack the Knife - Meghan Matty Interview

This is a rare treat and a bit longer read than normal but for the first time ever on the path I get to interview another type lover. Meghan Matty, originally from Vancouver Island and now living in Vancouver, took this great photo of a hand painted address. Again I see the basis for a great typeface and hopefully you see the potential too.

59amblepath: What was it about this "2840" address that initially caught your eye?

Meghan Matty: The first thing that caught my eye was how awesome the 4 was. It looks like some sort of knife. Also, it was on Halloween night at around 3 in the morning when Thomas and I were walking through an alley when we came across it. It's just painted on a fence in some strange dark alley. Pretty cool.

59: If a street address is done in a unique way, what does it say to you about the building or people inside it?

MM: I always love when street addresses are a little bit quirky. I assume the people inside love typography as much as i do so i in turn love them. and want them to be my friend.

59: When did you first get interested in type?

MM: I have always loved type but never really became obsessed with it until we were in school. It was then that I really started noticing different fonts, and how diverse they can be. It also showed me how much I hate papyrus.. and jesus. everyone uses it. Avatar even used it! I thought that movie was pretty rad until the subtitles came up and they were in the cheapest, lamest font known to man... Anyways, I digress.

59: What are currently some of your favourite typefaces?

MM: Fave typefaces? I will always love Helvetica Neue Ultra Light.. oooh so pretty. Also I enjoy apple li gothic (Futura Demi) just for the fact that the lower cased j is straight.. just like how i write them! Every day I find myself on free font websites milling around, downloading whatever I can in the hopes that I can use them in some sort of project. I am more partial to san serifs in general but if I had to pick a serif that i love it would be falstaff.


I want to thank Meghan for allowing me to use her photo and answering my questions. If you're interested in her work, check out her website meghanismundane.com.

Street Typography: Get A Grip

Hard to see from the street, this address has seen better days. The idea of using door handles as a canvas for address numbers might have been better in theory than in practice; If you're opening the door, hopefully you're at the right place. It was #6 that caught my eye though. Whether the carver made a mistake or the wood chipped off over time, there is something interesting about that really thick curve (or lack thereof). It could almost be inspiration for a new display type based on Helvetica. Typeface: Helvetica Bold.
*Thank you to Elaine Song for taking this photo.
**If you see any street address that you believe should be featured on this blog please send it too 59amblepath@gmail.com

Street Typography: Brass Serif

Smooth like they've been tumbled by the ocean for a millennia, these brass address numbers are from another time. I can almost see the hands of the blacksmith, cracked but strong, working these numbers into perfect curves. This address made me realize something about type in the 3D space. A serif typeface has so much more going on in depth than a sans-serif. There are no true "corners" like there would be in a three dimensional Helvetica. I wish ink would dry just like these numbers protrude from the wall. Typeface unknown. Any guesses?