Sans-serif typefaces compensate for their basic handicap – an absence of serifs – with a softening modulation typical of roman typefaces. Grotesques often inherit a hypertrophy of the x-height, which is very efficient, but not very beautiful. They are like dogs with fat bodies and short legs. Why do we love old Garamonds? Beside beautifully modeled details, they possess aspect-ratios of parts within characters that timelessly and beauteously parallel the anatomy of the human body. Proportions of thighs, arms or legs have their universal rules, but cannot be measured by pixels and millimeters. These sometimes produce almost unnoticeable inner tensions, perceptible only very slowly, after a period of living with the type. Serifed typefaces are open to many possibilities in this regard; when a character is mounted on its edges with serifs, what is happening in between is more freely up to the designer. In the case of grotesques, everything is visible; the shape of the letter must exist in absolute nakedness and total simplicity, and must somehow also be spirited and original.

German type designer Ingo Preuss created this family between 2014 and 2016. Instance is a new classic built on the foundation of over two centuries of history. Fresh and contemporary, while feeling familiar. This typeface is a high contrast sans serif typeface family and was designed for contemporary typography, especially for use in headlines and on posters, but also for reading purposes. A flexible, medium to high contrast, sans serif less about designing a stylish decorative design and more about applying contrast onto a neo-grotesk skeleton. Instance is more than just chopping off the serifs. The classical proportions of the capitals and x-heights were maintained, but the letterforms were rebalanced for use without serifs. Contemporary modifications were made to some widths, as well as an all new Light weight was created. Please note: Instance STD Office Packages is only as TrueType (* .ttf) and Standard-Version. Also, the character set has been reduced to Standard (without OpenType-Features, SmallCaps, old style figures, etc.). Ideal for testing and for Microsoft Office applications.

A creative context 2003. Fontsmith was sharing a small, cold, whitewashed studio space in Northburgh Street, Clerkenwell. But things were on the up following prestigious custom type commissions for The Post Office and E4. “Slab serifs were on the brink of another revival, we could feel it,” says Jason Smith. “All we wanted to do was have a play with these slabs, go as far as we could within what was acceptable and readable.” “It wasn’t initially clear what was happening,” recalls Phil Garnham. “We were becoming very influenced by our surroundings, outside the studio space. We absorbed the essence and the designer grime of where we were.” Process Jason began by drawing stems on-screen. “The key aspect of the font is the upward bend of the leading shoulder serif, the way it kind of ramps up and then plummets back down the stem. “The regular and light characters are quite narrow – great for text but the bold is quite wide and chunky – better for headlines. I think ‘y’ is quite different for a slab design. We call it the Fontsmith ‘y’.” Promotion Fontsmith were determined to get FS Clerkenwell noticed. To launch the font, Ian Whalley, a designer friend of Fontsmith, captured words heard on the streets of Clerkenwell, set them in the new font and crafted a small book of typographic conversations. It was a first for Fontsmith. “I think that’s part of why this font has been so successful,” says Phil. “It really does embody the spirit of the area, as a special place for design, arts and crafts. And designers love that.” Contemporary twist FS Clerkenwell, based on influences in and around this part of London with a rich tradition of printing and design, mixes tradition with creation. Old-fashioned values meet new-school trends. Its quirky, contemporary character lends an edge to headlines, logotypes and any large-size text.