Old French shop fronts, with music.

[ianp]

I was enjoying listening to some French accordion music on YouTube and noticed that this track is accompanied by pictures of closed-down shop fronts. You may enjoy it too, in a melancholy sort of way.

 

[rue_d_etropal]

I thought I was the only one who listened to this type of music. I even used to use a CD as backgroud for some of my layouts at exhibitions.

Managed to screen print all the shop fronts, might give me some inspiration for my artwork.

Edited November 26, 2018 by rue_d_etropal

[ianp]

I thought I was the only one who listened to this type of music. I even used to use a CD as backgroud for some of my layouts at exhibitions.

Managed to screen print all the shop fronts, might give me some inspiration for my artwork.

 

I love the typefaces of the shop signs. Are there any good books about French typography?

[Barry Ten]

Thanks for this link, Ian - great stuff.

[Pacific231G]

Thanks Ian

These are a really good source, particularly of some of the building details like street drains as well as the shops themsleves. It's hard to date the typography, especially as some of it is probably deliberately "retro" but I'd hazard a guess at mainly1960s to 1980s. Some of them, such as the Cooperative Agricole are paticularly interesting as it looks like the original or early post war signage. 

 

Typography is a good way of "placing" the viewer in a particular country (or era) as are certain arcihtectural details such as the shape of arch commonly used for doors and windows. .

There's quite a good reference to typical French typography here https://typography.guru/list/region/french-fonts-typefaces/

It doesn't go as far as giving the TrueType files but most of them can probably be got by using the names.   

[Andy Hayter]

Great link David

[Welchester]

There's quite a good reference to typical French typography here https://typography.guru/list/region/french-fonts-typefaces/

It doesn't go as far as giving the TrueType files but most of them can probably be got by using the names.   

 

Thanks for that. I'd not come across 'Buvez de ce whisky que le patron juge fameux' as a French equivalent of 'The quick brown fox'. It's more concise than 'Zoë ma grande fille veut que je boive de ce whisky dont je ne veux pas'.

[Tim Chambers]

Fascinating! (and very sad).Many thanks

Tim