ITC Zinzinnati is based on a font called Ohio, released in 1924 by Die Schriftguss A.G. Typical of the Plakatstil letterforms of the time, the original font had a rough outline, as if drawn with a brush. Nick Curtis has smoothed the rough edges, which enhances the design's playful curves and engaging charm. As for the name: it's the punchline to an old vaudeville routine that starts with the question, Name a city in Ohio that begins with a 'Z.'" Pie in the face, comin' atcha!"

Claudium started as an attempt to create a sans serif version of Garamond. As time went on it gradually became a meditation on the nature of French typography from Garamond to Excoffon. It was especially influenced by Cassandre's type for the Orly airport which seems to epitomize certain aspects of the French character�at least in typography. Attempts to create an italic met with disaster. Gradually, after lots of Cotes du Rhone, a cursive, based on Garamond�s Greek forms, emerged. It came at a time when I was looking at lot at Victor Hammer�s uncial and Andromaque cursive. So Claudium Cursive was developed as a lower case only and mated to the Claudium Regular caps ala Griffo�s original italic type. In keeping with the cursive lowercase there are cursive oldstyle numbers.

I'm not sure where the inspiration for Tirade originally came from, but it looks like a good rant, hence the name.