I am a big fan of the project myself. I’d really like to own one of the original double-sided versions. If there are any available I’d love to know…

You are more than entitled to your opinion, if you feel that the map doesn’t deserve this much attention or is an ‘obvious approach to the ISTD brief’, fair enough, that is up to you.

I do however feel it is necessary to point out a couple of things;
Aesthetically, yes, my map does look like the NB Studio map, but that is just the same as saying that the NB Studio map looks aesthetically like the London A-Z. The map is only one side of the Portsmouth Vernacular, the other side gives definitions of the colloquial terms and phrases, along with a historical introduction to Portsmouth’s dialect. It is folded to replicate an ordnance survey map. The decision to replace Portsmouth street names with its regional phrases was to reinforce the mapping of a geographical region.

Your analysis basically suggests that any use of a map in typography will be seen as a rip off of NB Studio’s map. Creating a typographical map is indeed not anything new, but that is missing the point. The point of my project is that I have used a map as a means to display the dialect of a geographical region. The NB Studio project simply shows a map of London stripped down to just the street names, typographically kerned. I would like to think most people can see beyond the fact we have both produced maps, and that they are two very different projects.

The typefaces I used were actually 5 different sans serifs, decided upon after research into commonly used typefaces for maps. It appears NB Studio have used a sans serif also, probably for the same reason!

Also, although NB Studio were on the assessment committee, they were not among the panel of judges that marked my work. My point was that if the issue of a ‘rip-off’ had been raised, it must have been disregarded by the panel as my projected passed the assessment.

I hate to resort to what may be perceived as petty feuding, but it does disappoint me when a project can simply be put down as a ‘rip-off’, knowing how much time and thought I have put into its development. No doubt within a few days another anonymous user will take the time to respond dissecting my reply once again.

Dennis:

Thank you for the congrats, I’ve sent you an email

If you send me your contact details I will be pleased to send you an invitation to chat about your map and my book “Well I’m Blowed – would you believe it!, words and sayings from Pompey and Turktown at a forthcoming booksigning event in Pompey

Dennis Boxall
Paxford
01386 593 435

I’m sure you deserved your Best in show at New Blood, for whatever other project they liked and I’m sure your a good designer, but you can’t deny the influence- you have done nothing new with this poster, the typeface is nearly identical!

“Yea”:

Actually I do take offense, after putting in so much blood, sweat & tears (and theoretical research), it is impossible not to after being dismissed as a ‘blatant rip-off’ by an ignoramus such as yourself.

First of all, you weren’t to know this, but I actually received a Best New Blood for a different project, not the map above. The map above actually received an ISTD award.

Secondly, the brief for the ISTD entry was to convey colloquialisms typographically. The dialect of my home town of Portsmouth was mapped geographically to where it was heard, replacing the street name with the recorded language. The only similarity between my project and NB Studio’s is that we have produced maps solely with typography.

Thirdly, and ironically, one of NB Studio’s designers was a member of the ISTD assessment committee. Apparently my map was not enough of a ‘blatant rip-off’ to fail.

Many thanks