New Additions: August 2017
14th September 2017
We add hundreds of fonts to the Identifont database every month. Most of these are recent releases, and some are simply new acquisitions from foundries who were not yet represented on our site. Stephen Coles gives his take on the most interesting recent additions.
TypeTogether’s library is full of young talent. The foundry continues to attract rookie designers from type design master courses. Their attractiveness is bolstered by a Typeface Publishing Incentive Program which shepherds the release of student work through a combination of professional feedback and a monetary stipend.
Juan Bruce was the second recipient of this benefit (after Roxane Gataud) and the result is the newly released Noort. The typeface has all the hallmarks of what I lovingly call a “Reading reader” (after Reading University): a contemporary text face with low stroke contrast, sturdy serifs, a large x-height, and semi-casual demeanor. It’s a style that is not uncommon among graduates from the UK university’s MATD program, perhaps due to the fingerprint of visiting instructor Gerard Unger. Noort has a little more personality than some due to its cupped serifs, and deep cuts where curves meet stems. There are also some unexpected breaks in the B, K, P, Q, and R, as well as a set of understated swashes.
Design school can be the best time for experimentation. (The cynical among us might say it’s the last chance to try bold things before the harsh reality of client-based work and its inevitably watered-down results.) Louisa Fröhlich took full advantage of her time at Reading, testing the limits of traditional text type by twisting conventional calligraphic strokes into a novel upright italic in five weights. An additional Display style cranks up Lisbeth’s effect and the contrast. The struggle is well documented on TypeTogether’s blog.
Speaking of Professor Unger, TypeTogether also carries a handful of his typefaces. The latest release actually feels like it’s from a much earlier time. Sanserata has a meek informality and gentle flaring that is, to me, reminiscent of the early ’90s. The bones for this face actually come from Unger’s confidently chiseled Alverata, where I think they fit much better.
The first good news about Lagu Sans from newcomer Alessio Laiso is that it brings new attention to the singular (and mostly forgotten) Cosmos, by Gustav Jaeger in 1982. Laiso’s attempt is not as accomplished as Jaeger’s, who was a seasoned designer, but I commend him for going down an less-trodden and treacherous road. A high-contrast geometric sans is not an easy venture and any inexperience shows when curves get bumpy. Drive along the inside lane of the ‘Ss’ to see what I mean.
Dalton Maag is best known for their corpID sans serifs and high-profile commissions for international brands, but once in a while they let loose with something more fanciful. Volina is Francesca Bolognini’s calligraphic reflection on the mesmerizing flow of a ribbon wand. The delicate effect is convincing, but only when set very large. In smaller settings the breaks tend to look more broken than intentional. This is a script that demands to take center stage wherever it appears.