Probably the first lesson every budding designer with a new Mac and burgeoning Fonts folder learns: Don't use too many typefaces at once. But rules, as they say, are meant to be broken.
Here, in order, Thomas uses: a woodtype for "iDEAS", Knockout and Ziggurat for "should be worth" and "sharing" (respectively), Gotham Condensed for the quote, and Hoefler Text (replete with alternate swash cap) for the attribution. All but the woodtype are faces from the good people at H&FJ.
This just in from sideline reporter/league commissioner/post-match bartender Jim Coudal: the woodtype for "iDEAS" is not a digital typeface, but was printed manually by Thomas using a Chandler & Price printing press, then scanned. A lovely touch.
Worth pointing out: Gotham was the identity face used by the Obama campaign, for which Thomas served as Design Director. Gotham was plenty popular before that, but its use by Obama arguably made it the most popular new typeface of the decade, and Thomas will forever be associated with it. (Condensed, capped, and set tight like it is here, it has a similar vibe to Futura Condensed, no?)
In contrast to his profligate use of typefaces, the color palette is restrained: white and dark blue against a black background. It feels like the opening credits to a movie.
The message, I think: an olive branch to Weaver, offering collaboration and a shared direction for the match ahead. The only mystery: why lowercase the "i" in "iDEAS"?
Play by play commentary for this match is provided, as it happens, by John Gruber.
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Congratulations to Mig Reyes, Layer Tennis Season 3 Champion.
Thanks to all the players, commentators and fans who made Season Three of Layer Tennis a big success. And thanks to the crew at Goodby Silverstein & Partners and all the folks at Adobe Creative Suite for making it possible. Watch this space (or sign up for Season Tickets or follow us on Twitter) for news about some special exhibition matches being planned and about Season 4.
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