This antique-aged version of Monkton can be used to imitate old letterpress printed documents such as old English text. The rough edges resemble ink spread on paper to give an old look. The inspiration for this typeface family came from my childhood experiences at Monkton, amidst an historic part of the South West of England. Studies of the original incised capitals of the Trajan column in Rome were analysed and polished for this modern version. The lower case letterforms and numerals were then created in sympathy, taking their proportions from the incised letters of local gravestones. Its name honours not only the area where the original alphabet was conceived and drawn, but also the people responsible for fostering my initial interest in letters.

The German typeface artist Lucian Bernhard designed Bernhard Antiqua as the first of his many text typefaces. The first weights were produced in 1912 by the foundry Flinsch in Frankfurt am Main. Further weights followed in the 1920s, produced by the Bauersche foundry, which had acquired Flinsch in the meantime. Bernhard font is an alphabet with a marked historical influence. It brings the viewer back to the early 20th century, when the bold forms of this typeface graced advertising displays and posters. Distinguishing characteristics of this typeface are the cross of the capital W and the rounding of the capital R. Linotype's Bernhard condensed bold, with its narrow, robust forms, is best for headlines in medium and larger point sizes.

Here is a boxy, extremely squared alternative to display designs like Eden or Glamour. In comparison, Centric Serif does not share the fragile and delicate nature of these old 1930s classics. Instead it is fairly robust with a splayed M and a simple flattop A. It is interesting to note that Centric Serif (unlike Centric Geo) sports serifs in exaggerated and curiously bizarre ways. Centric Serif is now available in the OpenType Std format. Some new stylistic alternates and historical forms have been added to this OpenType version. Advanced features work in current versions of Adobe Creative Suite InDesign, Creative Suite Illustrator, and Quark XPress. Check for OpenType advanced feature support in other applications as it gradually becomes available with upgrades.

Here is a boxy, extremely squared alternative to display designs like Eden or Glamour. In comparison, Centric Geo does not share the fragile and delicate nature of these old 1930s classics. Instead it is fairly robust with a splayed M and a simple flattop A. It is interesting to note that Centric Serif (unlike Centric Geo) sports serifs in exaggerated and curiously bizarre ways. Centric Geo is now available in the OpenType Std format. Some new stylistic alternates and historical forms have been added to this OpenType version. Advanced features work in current versions of Adobe Creative Suite InDesign, Creative Suite Illustrator, and Quark XPress. Check for OpenType advanced feature support in other applications as it gradually becomes available with upgrades.

We are proud to present to you our new Latin+Cyrillic font Fedorro! Fedorro typeface is a classy example of a modern Ukrainian style of type design. It is inspired by traditional fonts of the past, but with a strong modern twist to its appearance. The main feature of this font are round and playful letters combined with a relatively tiny negative space, making it unique like no other: many typeface elements were borrowed from historical exemplars of Ukrainian handwritten letters and redesigned with modern trends in mind. Fedorro is perfect for all the situations when you need the text to pop and catch the viewer's eye: posters, books and magazine covers, headlines, banners and ads, logotypes, corporate branding, lables, ads etc.

Luke is a contemporary adaptation of historic English Blackletter, inspired by the creativity of leading English type-creator: Caslon Foundry. Their highly unique 19th century Blackletter typeface provided the core elements of Luke, with the name paying tribute to the Caslon family tomb in the churchyard of St Luke Old Street in London. This modern and versatile type family offers a wide range of styles — from thin to thick contours, and with half-filling to complete — allowing it to work best for headlines, short text and branding. Details include twelve styles and 641 glyphs. Opentype features include superscript, denominators, numerators, scientific inferiors, ordinals, stylistic alternatives, case-sensitive forms, fractions, contextual alternates and discretionary ligatures. Luke supports 37 languages, covering South, East and Western Europe.

Think of Garamouche as Garamond's drunken cousin. This font replicates a long lost document ravaged by time and the elements (with a little sloppy printing for good measure.) Unlike the fake bolding option found in software programs, Garamouche Bold is a variant with more appropriate thick and thin features. The "dancing along the baseline" that has made Garamouche a favorite, is also a feature in Garamouche Bold, but the letters align and tilt in on their own terms. Using the two Garamouche fonts together can produce much more expressive results than just hitting "bold". P22 Garamouche Ornaments is a set of 72 ornamental embellishments designed to complement the Garamouche fonts but can be used with almost any layout that calls for historical decoration.

The hand composition typeface was developed at the Ossip Lehmann type foundry (St. Petersburg) in 1904-07 (after designs by Alexander Leo?). It was redeveloped at Polygraphmash in 1960s for slugcasting composition. Named after Russian Empress Elizabeth I (1709-61). Based on typefaces of George Revillon type foundry of 1840s, though some characters’ shapes were redrawn similar to Russian Academy of Sciences typefaces (mid-18th century). Sharp contrast, strong weight Modern Serif with archaic flavor. The typeface is useful in text and display composition, in fiction, historical, and art books, especially connected to the 18th or 19th centuries. It looks great in Russian classical literature such as Pushkin and Gogol works. The revised, improved and completed digital version was designed at ParaType in 2001 by Lyubov Kuznetsova.

The Adinkra name, by legend, comes from the King who was conquered by the Ashante people of Ghana. The king, Adinkra, wore wonderful patterned fabrics. Adinkra means “goodbye,” and the symbols were reserved for funeral garments. Today the symbols are part of the Ghana popular culture and around the world. You will find the symbols on everything from housing, clothing, to tattoos. These 100 symbols are accompanied by the Ghana name, a loose translation and what the symbol has come to represent. The meanings and symbols are by no means the complete list and some people do not use the exact same translations and meaning as you will find here. These are for casual use and not historical or anthropologically completely accurate.

When they say everything’s already been invented, they’re exaggerating a bit. But not much. When we design new typefaces, whether we like it or not, we have in our memories the historical legacy and invention of our predecessors. That’s also true for more detailed work on optical sizes, intended for the largest or the smallest typesetting. Although for display sizes we give room for fantasy and elegance when shaping fine serifs or smooth drawings full of refined details, for styles designed for footnotes and other small texts we do the exact opposite – pragmatically and rationally, with knowledge of the optical properties of small text. And that’s precisely the case for the Tabac Micro subfamily, a sans-serif typeface derived from Tabac Sans.

Gardner Sans is a humanist sans serif with a range of weights, italics, small caps stylistics alternates and a set of decorative ornaments. The light and regular faces work at smaller sizes and the heavier weights are good for display lettering. It is inspired by a few historical sources including Stephenson Blakes' Granby, Gill Sans, as well as some old hand-done lettering for sales tickets. The name (and the basis for the small caps) derives in-particular from the Roy Gardner collection of sales tickets from early 20th century that can be found on spitalfieldslife.com The heavier weights were particularly influenced by a later cut of Gill Sans, Extra Bold 321. The italic is more of a contemporary mix of humanist styles.

During the period of the Great American Depression, “hobos” created a system of symbols to communicate and assist fellow travelers. These symbols would mark a home, farm, fence or other structure to indicate what to expect in the area. They would tip off travelers on how to find food, stay safe and what to avoid and more. In some areas of the USA, these symbols are still visible and have also become part of the American popular culture. These 96 symbols are accompanied by a pdf describing what the symbol was used to indicate. The meanings and symbols are by no means the complete list and there may be additional or alternative meanings. These are for casual use and not historical or anthropologically completely accurate.

Honesty is sans serif font with flared stems. As such, it belongs to the incise genre which is historically inspired by the roman civilisation and letters carved in granite or marble. One of the major example of it is the Trajan’s Column in Rome which inspired a font called Trajan, designed by Carol Twombly in 1989. Honesty is also inspired by more brutal font such as the Albertus, designed in 1938 by Berthed Wolpe, and its shape is highly influence by the work of the hammer. Despite this brutality and urgency due to the carving technique, the design of Honesty bring softness to it thanks to its low contrast and smooth curves. Honesty’s design include 16 styles, from thin to black in roman and italic.

At VetteLetters we like food but we also appreciate our drinks. Yes, of the non-alcoholic kind as well. Like milk. Contrary to what Arnold Schwartzenegger once said, Milk is not just for babies. It contains a whole lot of stuff that is genuinely good for you. Like proteins, carbohydrates, minerals (calcium a.o.) and many vitamins. One time visiting The Hague, Donald DBXL spotted a tile tableau on a brick wall, advertising a dairy factory called ‘De Sierkan’. Yellow sans serif letters on a bright blue background, dating back to the late 19th century, immediately grabbed DBXL’s attention. Especially because the tableau showed both regular and bold letters with some lovely peculiarities here and there. De Sierkan appeared to have been a milk factory solely operating in The Hague from 1879 until 1961. A number of these wall adverts are still to be seen in The Hague streets today. Photos were taken for later reference. Later is now, the lettering has been digitized, missing characters added, and VLNL Melk sees the light of day. VLNL Melk is an all-caps geometric display sans serif family of three weights, Regular, Bold and Black. The basic shape of the letters is a rectangle with rounded corners, leaving a sturdy no-nonsense look and feel. It has a distinct historic aura, but with both feet in this digital day and age. It can equally well be used for the logo of a hipster coffee place, as the cover of a historic novel. Actually, VLNL Melk kan be applied in a wide range of designs like logos, posters, flyers, book covers and magazine headlines.

Introducing "Trace," a captivating display font that seamlessly marries the ancient mystique of Nordic symbols with a bold, futuristic modernity. This unique typeface transcends traditional boundaries, emerging as a striking fusion of historical symbolism and cutting-edge design. "Trace" is not merely a font; it's a visual journey that bridges the past and the future, offering a distinctive and versatile aesthetic. Inspired by Nordic symbols, "Trace" breathes new life into these ancient motifs, infusing them with a sleek and contemporary vibe. Each character carries the rich storytelling heritage of Nordic culture, interpreted through a lens of modern sophistication. The result is a font that is both timeless and forward-thinking, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a balance between tradition and innovation. As a display font, "Trace" commands attention with its bold and commanding presence. Its carefully crafted letterforms embody a sense of strength and purpose, while the subtle Nordic influences add an air of mystery and intrigue. Beyond its role as a traditional typeface, "Trace" transcends expectations by doubling as a symbol font. Unlock a treasure trove of symbolic possibilities, allowing you to weave intricate narratives or create visually stunning patterns that go beyond the constraints of traditional alphabets. Whether you're designing for futuristic branding, creating a visual language for a tech-forward project, or simply seeking a font that tells a story of cultural richness, "Trace" is your creative companion. Versatile and impactful, this font opens doors to a realm where ancient symbols and modern design converge, allowing you to explore uncharted territories in your creative endeavors. Embark on a design journey that spans centuries with "Trace. What you get, you will get: 1. Trace - Clean San serif font including Uppercase & Lowercase (ALL CAPS) characters, 2. Numbers and Punctuation 3. Support Multi language (Western Europe Latin)

There is plenty of lyric and literature about looking over one's shoulder in contemplation. What would you have done differently if you knew then what you know now? This is the kind of question that comes out of nowhere. When it does and whether its context is personal or professional make very little difference. It's a question that can cause emotions to rise and passions to run hot. It can trigger priority shifts and identity crises. It's never easy to answer. Three years ago, I published a font called Semilla. My aim with that was to distill the work of Bentele, a lettering artist from early 1950s Germany. Picking such an obscure figure back then was my way of pondering the meaning and efficiency of objectivity in a world where real human events and existences are inevitably filtered through decades of unavoidably subjective written, printed and oral history. And maybe to pat myself on the back for surviving surprises mild and pleasant. Having been fortunate enough to follow my professional whims for quite some time now, I took another, longer look at my idea of distilling Bentele's work again. I suppose the concepts of established history and objectivity can become quite malleable when personal experience is added to the mix. I say that because there I was, three years later, second-guessing myself and opining that Bentele's work can be distilled differently, in a manner more suited to current cultural angles. So I embarked on that mission, and Bowling Script is the result. I realize that it's difficult to reconcile this soft and happy calligraphic outcome with the introspection I've blathered about so far, but it is what is. I guess even self-created first world problems need to be resolved somehow, and the resolution can happen in mysterious ways. Bowling Script is what people who like my work would expect from me. It's yet another script loaded with all kinds of alternation, swashing and over-the-top stuff. All of that is in here. These days I think I just do all that stuff without even blinking. But there are two additional twists. The more noticeable one is ornamental: The stroke endings in the main font are of the typical sharp and curly variety found in sign painting, while the other font complements that with ball endings, sometimes with an added-on-afterwards impression rather than an extension of the actual stroke. In the philosophical terms I was mumbling earlier, this is the equivalent of alternate realities in a world of historical reduxes that by their very nature can never properly translate original fact. The second twist has to do with the disruption of angular rhythm in calligraphic alphabets. Of course, this is the kind of lettering where the very concept of rhythm can be quite flexible, but it still counts for something, and experimenting with angular white space in a project of a very dense footprint was irresistible. After playing for a bit, I decided that it would interesting to include the option of using optically back-slanted forms in the fonts. Most scripts out there, including mine, have a rhythm sonically comparable to four-to-the-floor club beats. So the weirdly angled stuff here is your chance to do the occasional drumroll. Everyone knows we need one of those sometimes. Bowling Script and Bowling Script Balls fonts comes with 1600 characters and features extended Latin-based language support. There are also a basic version of both fonts without all the alternates and extra OpenType features. Bowling family ships in cross-platform OpenType format. We also want to present “Mute”, a visual essay narated by Tomás García and Valentín Muro, about digital life created specially to introduce Bowling Script.