VCFA Chair Ian Lynam chats up Taro Yumiba, RISD alum and one of the team that runs Typecache. Typecache.com is an online index for type foundries and font sellers, and showcases their collections of type.

The TypeCache team:
Taro Yumiba: Interactive designer/editor
Akira1975: Curator a.k.a. font identification fantasista on WhatTheFont forum
Shohei Itoh: Back-end engineer
Shinsuke Okamoto: Front-end engineer
James Chae: Contributor

Typecache.com!

1. What made you guys decide to start TypeCache?

There are many great type foundries around the world. It has been really difficult to keep up with the activities of every single one of them…so why not collect their information and make an online compendium? This is how we started the project. As typographic literacy grows, the site will hopefully be a useful resource for designers, art directors and type enthusiasts.

Typecache font clusters

2. What are five fonts that each of you love to hate?

Helvetica, DIN, Futura, Times, and Century. Obviously those fonts are overused and we think designers are constantly looking for alternative typefaces to replace them. However, I am not surprised to hear that designers often give up on finding one and just go for Helvetica (don’t get us wrong, it’s not ugly or bad at all). We think that finding a good typeface is part of the designers’ job. There are many newer and better typefaces than Helvetica today. So here are the alternative font lists that might be helpful for you.

http://typecache.com/font-clusters/

The Typecache 2014 tee shirt collection

3. Where do you see the difference between “type” and “lettering”?

“Type” is a system that you can rearrange any characters to set words or articles yet they have consistency, rhythm, regularity, and evenness of color throughout any “type” settings. On the other hand, “lettering” is a kind of picture consists of letters which artists or designers draw with an intention of lay-outing/designing a space in a specific place/media, for instance, shop windows, cards, and packages.

4. What future plans do you have for TypeCache?

We’ll continue to share everyday font news on our website and are looking forward to adding more T-shirts and font lists.

http://typecache.com/product/tee2014/lowercases/

The Typecache 2012 tee shirt

5. Who are your favorite and least favorite celebrities, and if each were a typeface, which would it be?

TypeCache is mainly run by three Japanese type fanatics and luckily perhaps, we are not exposed to typical celebrity culture. We are neither excited nor annoyed with folk like Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton, and Miley Cyrus.

Thanks so much, Taro! Keep up the great work!

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