Pleased with works!

[plasticpigeon]

It looks great, your plasterers are obviously a cut above, and I like the even blocks. However, I personally think the blocks look a bit on the small side. In my minds eye, ashlar blocks are big heavy solid things.

 

[Feltwell]

Looks great Joce, really nice job.

 

[tobydog]

Looking really good Joce.

 

[a twig]

It looks great, your plasterers are obviously a cut above, and I like the even blocks. However, I personally think the blocks look a bit on the small side. In my minds eye, ashlar blocks are big heavy solid things.

They are a similar size to the "real" ashlar at our old place in Bath, depends whereabouts really I guess.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thanks for all the nice comments. It's because of this forum they happened in the first place!

I have seen little ashlar stones on local cottages, and even churches, but in truth the size is completely my mistake. We had worked out a height - 7 to 8 inches - but we never agreed on a specific width. Chris and Gareth said 2 and a half times ratio but when it came to the crunch I panicked, didn't understand ratio, and said 8 by 16. They should have been 8 by 20 so quite short and wide, but I'm not about to make them undo the day's work.

 

[Feltwell]

I wouldn't worry Joce. You've no idea what was there originally, there's nothing to match up to and no precedent, so it's down to pure aesthetics - they look just fine at 1:2 to me.

 

[Penners]

And if they're pleasing to your eye, that's all that matters.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Actually Joce, the measurements of the blocks are fine--you have not got vast 20-40 feet high walls, so small is beautiful and perfect for BC.

 

[JoceAndChris]

You are all just lovely. Xxx

 

[jackpoint]

Yes we are

 

[Flyfisher]

And so is BC . . . It looks good to me Joce, though Penners is absolutely right that you are the only one who really matters.

 

[Penners]

Yes we are

Well, I am. I'm not so sure about those others.


:wink:

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

A mock up of the motto, made with bits of paper and sticky tape. Lots of angst about spacing and font, but I'm happy with this ( Bodoni).

 

[Nigel Watts]

Just seen the pics on my return from the US. It looks fabulous! I wish I had had the sense to employ a firm as competent as yours.

 

[Penners]

Bodoni is one of my favourite classical, serifed fonts. An excellent choice.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thanks Mr P! Isn't it amazing how a tiny tweak of an angle or nuance of a serif on a letter shifts the whole mood of a word? Very very odd, and shows really how sensitive the brain is!

Nigel - I've used your wonderful house as a pattern and showed the photos to Skils, they were so impressed. The colour we achieve here won't be as good as your copperas blend. I've been luckier than you in that it's easier to begin afresh than to repair stucco, but yours is a gorgeous creation and you must give yourself credit.

 

[Penners]

Just one tiny observation: to my eye the S and the C of "CRESCAT" are half-a-whisker too close together.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Well observed! I just stuck them up by eye. If I'm to properly mark their place for Phil, I need a formula for measuring. But what? Take the window measurement, divide by the number of letters? Or just decide on what spacing looks nice and carefully mark, say, 6 cm between each letter? or leave it to Phil? He isn't here to ask, and my fear is if theses letters get done when I'm out I may not have much say in the spacing.

 

[Penners]

Letter spacing is called kerning. There are all sorts of rules governing it, which typographers know and (sometimes!) follow. In the final analysis, however, if it looks right to you, then that's all that matters.

If you want to do a bit of reading on the subject, this is quite a good website:

http://designshack.net/articles/typography/8-simple-and-useful-tips-for-kerning-type/

If you still feel that you'd like a bit of help with your kerning, perhaps my desktop publishing software might be useful. I could type your legend into it (in Bodoni caps) and email you a PDF. You could then scale up the kerning spaces to suit your needs.

Let me know if you want me to do this.

But, as I said, the important thing is that it should look comfortable to your eye. Rules are definitely secondary to this.

 

[JoceAndChris]

That's a very kind offer Mr P. I'll have a read and a play, and see how I get on. Who knew it was so complicated!