Tenth Letter of the Alphabet

Monday, March 17, 2014

Lettering: Frederick W. Tamblyn

Born January 4, 1870, near Gardner, Kansas

1885 Kansas State Census
“Freddie” Tamblyn, 15, lived in Sugar Creek, Miami County, Kansas. His parents were William, 46, and Emily, 43. His father was a farmer.

The Sedalia Weekly Bazoo
(Missouri)
July 28, 1891
F.W. Tamblyn and Misses Pearla Neal, Laura Connor and Anna Gottschalk of Sedalia, are visiting friends in the city.

December 27, 1892
…Among the many pupils of the Central Business college who will go home for the holidays, may be mentioned the following: …F.W. Tamblyn, Sugar, Kans...

August 8, 1893
Blood Flowed Freely.
James Painter Stabbed Professor Tamblyn, of Bobbins’ Business College.

American Journal of Education
February 9, 1897
Lessons in Business Writing

March 9, 1897
Lessons in Business Writing

1900 United States Federal Census
“Fred” W. Tamblyn, 30, resided at 818 West 39th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. He was a teacher of penmanship and the head of the household which included his mother, a widow, and stenographer, Molly Berkley, a boarder. Tamblyn’s parents were born in England.

Hoye’s 1900 Directory
(Kansas City, Missouri)

Penmen
National Penmanship Co 408 Lyceum bldg
Tamblyn F W 408 Lyceum bldg

Hoye’s 1903 Directory
(Kansas City, Missouri)
Tamblyn Fred W tchr Brown’s Bus College r 818 w 39th

Kansas City Star
(Missouri)
August 20, 1903
Brown’s Business College advertisement

The Natural System of Penmanship
A Self-instructor in Practical Penmanship and Guide to Teachers
Otto August Hoffmann
Hoffmann Metropolitan Publishing Co., 1903

Penman’s Art Journal

September 1904
Lessons in Lettering

October 1904
Lessons in Lettering

November 1904
Lessons in Lettering

July 1905

Practical Lettering

August 1905
Sickels Letters

Hoye’s 1906 Directory
(Kansas City, Missouri)
Tamblyn Fred W tchr Brown’s Business College r 3620 Walnut

The Blue Book
Containing Photographs and Sketches of a Few Commercial Teachers
L.E. Stacy
1907

Kansas City Star
(Missouri)
December 7, 1907
advertisement

Gould’s 1908 Directory
(Kansas City, Missouri)
Tamblyn Frederick W teacher Brown’s Business College r 3620 Walnut

Kansas City Star
(Missouri)
January 29, 1908
advertisement

The Jackson Herald
(Missouri)
November 26, 1908
Central Business College Items, Sedalia, Mo.

Kansas City Star
(Missouri)
January 17, 1909
advertisement

1910 United States Federal Census
Frederick W. Tamblyn, 40, resided at 3620 Walnut Street in Kansas City, Kansas. He was a teacher of penmanship, married with two children.

New-York Tribune Magazine
May 14, 1911
advertisement

F.W. Tamblyn’s Home Instructor in Penmanship
Kansas City, Missouri, 1911
Fourth Edition, 1917

1915 Kansas City, Missouri Directory
Tamblyn Fred W penman Progressive Business College r 3620 Walnut

1918 Kansas City, Missouri Directory
Tamblyn Fredk W (Tamblyn School of Penmanship) h 3620 Walnut

System the Magazine of Business
June 1918
Learn to Write advertisement

1920 United States Federal Census
“Fred” W. Tamblyn, 50, remained at the same address in the 1910 census. His occupation was unchanged. His wife’s name was Florence, 39, and his children were William, 16, and Frances, 9. Hattie H. Swartz was a lodger.

The Tamblyn System of Business Writing

Containing a Course of Illustrated Lessons on Plain Business Writing
F. W. Tamblyn, 1929

1930 United States Federal Census
Frederick W. Tamblyn, 60, lived with his wife and daughter at the same address. Tamblyn was the owner of a correspondence school. He was 30 when he married Florence, and did not serve during World War I. His house was valued at $9,500.

How to Become a Good Penman
advertising packet by F.W. Tamblyn

1932 New York Passenger List
Fred W. Tamblyn
Florence F. Tamblyn
Frances Tamblyn
Port of Departure: Havre, France, April 11, 1932
Port of Arrival: New York, New York, March 21, 1932
Ship Name: Alaunia

1935 Kansas City, Missouri Directory
Tamblyn Fred W (Florence F; Tamblyn School of Penmanship) h 3620 Walnut

1940 United States Federal Census
Fredrick Tamblyn, 70, and his wife still resided at 3620 Walnut Street in Kansas City, Kansas. He had completed four years of high school and never attended college. He did not work in 1939. His house was valued at $3,5000.

Popular Mechanics
advertisements

Popular Science
advertisements

Kansas City Times
February 17, 1947
Frederick W. Tamblyn: Handwriting Expert Was 77 Years Old

Find a Grave
Frederick William Tamblyn
1870–1947
Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri

Ziller of Kansas City & Orlando
Frederick W. Tamblyn profile

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(Next post on Monday: 100 Ampersands, Part 3)

Monday, March 10, 2014

Street Scene: Transportation Building

• N E W Y O R K C I T Y •

225 Broadway, Manhattan

(New post on Monday: Frederick W. Tamblyn)

Monday, March 3, 2014

Anatomy of a Logo: Mezz Galactic Tour 2493

In the second week of November 1992, Dark Horse editor, Anina Bennett, called and offered two logos to me: Hammer of God (shown last week) and Mezz. (They were followed by Will to Power and Barb Wire.) I said I was interested and waited for her package.

Anina’s package included photocopies of a few finished pages, some penciled pages. Her cover letter, dated November 16, 1992, described the book’s concept.

Thumbnail sketches

Thumbnail designs

Preparing to develop the top design

Refining the design and adding effects

Photocopy enlargement of thumbnail design
and preparation to develop it

Tracing paper overlay

Refining the design

Various effects

Photocopy enlargement of design

and preparation to develop it

A single letterform for M and E. Optically,

the M looks shorter than the E and Z.

Subtitle in a square grid

Various effects and alternate arrangement of subtitle

Anina selected sketch 1A.

Spacing adjusted between letters and words of subtitle

A same-size photostat was made of the original art for my
files. Below is a scan of the stitched-together photostat.

Mezz, scheduled for 1993, takes place 500 years in the future. Mezz was delayed a year, so someone at Dark Horse adjusted the subtitle’s year to 2494. The comic book cover had a May 1994 date.

(Next post on Monday: Transportation Building)

Monday, February 24, 2014

Anatomy of a Logo: Hammer of God

In the second week of November 1992, Dark Horse editor, Anina Bennett, called and offered two logos to me: Hammer of God and Mezz. My first job for them. (They were followed by Will to Power and Barb Wire.) I said I was interested and waited for her package.

Anina’s package included photocopies of a few finished pages, some penciled pages and the covers published by First. Her cover letter, dated November 16, 1992, described the characters and shared her thoughts on the logo.

First, 1991

I made a number of sketches in a sketchbook and enlarged them on a photocopier. I chose to emphasize GOD by making it larger than the other words. The raised fist was treated as ornaments in some designs. It was an easy decision to use the raised fist emblem in place of the O in GOD. Guidelines were drawn over the sketches.

The G and D designed to be mirror images of each other.

Tracing paper was placed over the photocopies
to make the first refinements.

Second refinements were made and faxed on November 30.

Anina selected the third design. I drew guidelines

on the photocopy then placed tracing paper over it.

Some of the letters were modified and the spacing adjusted.
The raised fist was moved inside the O.

The revised logo was photocopied and faxed to Anina.

Anina approved the design. I enlarged it about one-and-a-half times and drew guidelines for the arc, the weight of the outline, the shape of the letters, shadows, and raised fist, which was tilted slightly. The photocopy was positioned on a light box, then a sheet of LetraMax was placed over it. The inking was done with Rapidograph pens and an assortment of ellipse templates, an adjustable triangle and a flexible French curve.