Ray Larabie
Encyclopedia
Ray Larabie is a designer of computer TrueType
and OpenType
fonts
. Beginning in 1996, Larabie distributed his designs over the internet
as freeware
, operating as his own independent type foundry
LarabieFonts.
Larabie became interested in fonts in the early 1970s when his grandmother gave him sheets of Letraset
. He eventually became familiar with typefaces, and could identify hundreds of fonts by name. He began creating typefaces with pen and paper and later, on his first computer, a TRS-80
.
Larabie was employed at Rockstar Toronto
and had contributed his designs to multiple video game titles, including the hit series' Grand Theft Auto
and Max Payne
, before he quit the company in 2002 to focus full-time on type design.
Other Larabie fonts, such as Degrassihttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/degrassi/ and Electroharmonixhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/electroharmonix/, were creations of Ray Larabie’s own imagination. Early designs were typically science fiction
, futurist and techno-oriented, but he eventually produced fonts in a wide variety of styles, including pop culture, 1970s retro, decorative, handwritten, experimental and novelty faces. This visibility lead to Larabie's designs becoming commonly used in advertising, in particular within the music and clothing industries.
Larabie released over 400 freeware fonts before announcing in 2001 that he would focus exclusively on commercial fonts that he sold through his new independent type foundry
Typodermic.
TrueType
TrueType is an outline font standard originally developed by Apple Computer in the late 1980s as a competitor to Adobe's Type 1 fonts used in PostScript...
and OpenType
OpenType
OpenType is a format for scalable computer fonts. It was built on its predecessor TrueType, retaining TrueType's basic structure and adding many intricate data structures for prescribing typographic behavior...
fonts
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
. Beginning in 1996, Larabie distributed his designs over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
as freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, operating as his own independent type foundry
Type foundry
A type foundry is a company that designs or distributes typefaces. Originally, type foundries manufactured and sold metal and wood typefaces and matrices for line-casting machines like the Linotype and Monotype machines designed to be printed on letterpress printers...
LarabieFonts.
Larabie became interested in fonts in the early 1970s when his grandmother gave him sheets of Letraset
Letraset
Letraset is a company based in the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate in Ashford, Kent, UK.It is known mainly for manufacturing sheets of artwork elements which can be transferred to artwork being prepared. The name Letraset was often used to refer generically to sheets of dry transferrable lettering of...
. He eventually became familiar with typefaces, and could identify hundreds of fonts by name. He began creating typefaces with pen and paper and later, on his first computer, a TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
.
Larabie was employed at Rockstar Toronto
Rockstar Toronto
Rockstar Toronto is an in-house game development team for Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive, located in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, a town located approximately thirty-five kilometres west of Toronto...
and had contributed his designs to multiple video game titles, including the hit series' Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto (series)
Grand Theft Auto is a multi-award-winning British video game series created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones, then later by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by Edinburgh based Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games...
and Max Payne
Max Payne
Max Payne is a BAFTA Award–winning third-person shooter video game developed by Finnish developers Remedy Entertainment and published by Gathering of Developers in July 2001 for Microsoft Windows. Ports created later in the year for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and the GameBoy Advance were published by...
, before he quit the company in 2002 to focus full-time on type design.
List of Larabie Fonts
Many of his designs were inspired by corporate and rock band logos, whose names paid sly tribute to their sources:- Crystal Radio Kithttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/crystal-radio-kit/ - From the 1970s-vintage RadioShackRadioShackRadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
logo and named for a product once sold by that retailer. - Chinese Rockshttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/typodermic/chinese-rocks/ - Inspired by lettering on a shipping carton of Chinese-madeChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
dinnerware and named for the 1977 punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
song about heroin addiction. - Gyparodyhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/gyparody/ - based on the well-known television quiz show "Jeopardy!".
- Joystixhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/joystix/ - This font is very similar to the font used in early video games, notably Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
, GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
, and Super Mario Bros. In the 1980s it was used throughout such games, but by 1995 the font had been relegated to menu screens and story lines that took place between levels. - King Richardhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/king-richard/ - From the 1970s-vintage Plymouth logo. It is named for a nicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of racer Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
who raced Plymouths for much of his career. - Pricedownhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/pricedown/ - based on the logo of the 1972-to-present game show The Price Is RightThe Price Is Right (U.S. game show)The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
. - Zrnichttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/zrnic/ - based on the original logo for the PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. - Sudbury Basinhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/sudbury-basin/ - Named for the Sudbury BasinSudbury BasinThe Sudbury Basin, also known as Sudbury Structure or the Sudbury Nickel Irruptive, is a major geologic structure in Ontario, Canada. It is the second-largest known impact crater or astrobleme on Earth, as well as one of the oldest....
, a major mining area in Ontario, and based on the angular lettering of Inco's corporate logo. - Zip'N'Stripz - based on the font used on the titling of the chicken snack of the same name. Ray also created their slogan, "Zip A Strip!"
- Symbol - A multi-use font which contains a wide variety of symbols used for computers/computing. Based on symbols from the 1960s-present.
- StereofidelicStereofidelicStereofidelic is a computer font, made from Typodermic Fonts. It's a retro 1980s typeface. This font was released in several Microsoft Windows Vista computers. The Stereofidelic font is also available for Macintosh computers for TrueType and PostScript. Stereofidelic is in its own family,...
- based on the Sixties lounge record.
Other Larabie fonts, such as Degrassihttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/degrassi/ and Electroharmonixhttp://www.myfonts.com/fonts/larabie/electroharmonix/, were creations of Ray Larabie’s own imagination. Early designs were typically science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, futurist and techno-oriented, but he eventually produced fonts in a wide variety of styles, including pop culture, 1970s retro, decorative, handwritten, experimental and novelty faces. This visibility lead to Larabie's designs becoming commonly used in advertising, in particular within the music and clothing industries.
Larabie released over 400 freeware fonts before announcing in 2001 that he would focus exclusively on commercial fonts that he sold through his new independent type foundry
Type foundry
A type foundry is a company that designs or distributes typefaces. Originally, type foundries manufactured and sold metal and wood typefaces and matrices for line-casting machines like the Linotype and Monotype machines designed to be printed on letterpress printers...
Typodermic.
External links
- Ray Larabie at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Typodermic Fonts