Out of a lifelong inner struggle, Philip Bouwsma unleashes a masterpiece that reconciles classic calligraphy with type in a way never before attempted. Maestro takes its cue from the Italian chancery cursive of the early sixteenth century. By this time type ruled the publishing world, but official court documents were still presented in calligraphy, in a new formal style of the high Renaissance that was integrated with Roman letters and matched the refined order of type. The copybooks of Arrighi and others, printed from engraved wood blocks, spread the Italian cancellaresca across Europe, but the medium was too clumsy and the size too small to show what was really happening in the stroke. Arrighi and others also made metal fonts that pushed type in the direction of calligraphy, but again the medium did not support the superb artistry of these masters or sustain the vitality in their work. As the elegant sensitive moving stroke of the broad pen was reduced to a static outline, the human quality, the variety and the excitement of a living act were lost. Because the high level of skill could not be reproduced, the broad pen was largely replaced by the pointed tool. The modern italic handwriting revival is based on a simplified model and does not approach the level of this formal calligraphy with its relationship to the Roman forms. Maestro is the font that Arrighi and his colleagues would have made if they had had digital technology. Like the calligraphic system of the papal chancery on which it is modelled, it was not drawn as a single finished alphabet, but evolved from a confluence of script and Roman; the script is formalized by the Roman to stand proudly in a world of type. Maestro came together on screen over the course of several years, through many versions ranging widely in style, formality, width, slant, weight and other parameters. On one end of the spectrum, looking back to tradition it embodies the formal harmony of the Roman capitals and the minuscule which became the lower case. On the other it is a flowing script letter drawing on the spirit of later pointed pen and engravers scripts. As its original designers intended, it works with simple Roman capitals and serifs or swash capitals and baroque flourishes. The broad pen supplies weight and substance to the stroke which carries energy through tension in balanced s-curves. Above all it is meant to convey the life and motion of formal calligraphy as a worthy counterbalance to the stolid gravity of metal type. The Maestro family consists of forty fonts distributed over two weights. The OpenType version compresses the family considerably down to two fonts, regular and bold, each containing the entire character set of twenty fonts, for a total of more than 3350 characters per font. These include a wide variety of stylistic alternates, ligatures, beginning and ending letters, flourishes, borders, rules, and other extras. The Pro version also includes extended linguistic support for Latin-based scripts (Western, Central and Eastern European, Baltic, Turkish, Welsh/Celtic, Maltese) as well as Greek. For more thoughts on Maestro, its background and character sets, please read the PDF accompanying the family.

Meposa is more than just a typeface; it is a bold statement of individuality and creativity. It’s a unique, tough, and quirky design that defies convention. Meposa’s mixed-case letters with open apertures deviate from the traditional roots of wood-block typography, bringing a fresh and modern twist to an old-school classic. This hybrid typeface is an amalgamation of various design elements from different eras and cultures. The result is a unique and mesmerizing typeface that defies categorization. Meposa also draws inspiration from the 1970s custom van culture, where artists and designers would showcase their creativity by customizing their vehicles with bold and colorful graphics. This typeface channels that same spirit of creativity and individuality, inviting you to break the mold and think outside the box. With historical wood type influences, Meposa pays homage to the timeless and authentic craft of typography. Yet, it also features retro-tech and modern design elements, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind typeface that bridges the past and the present. In summary, Meposa is a unique and tough display typeface that is both historical and modern, quirky and bold. Its mix of design influences makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking to break the mold and stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re a graphic designer or a creative professional, Meposa is sure to leave a lasting impression. Most Latin-based European writing systems are supported, including the following languages. Afaan Oromo, Afar, Afrikaans, Albanian, Alsatian, Aromanian, Aymara, Bashkir (Latin), Basque, Belarusian (Latin), Bemba, Bikol, Bosnian, Breton, Cape Verdean, Creole, Catalan, Cebuano, Chamorro, Chavacano, Chichewa, Crimean Tatar (Latin), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dawan, Dholuo, Dutch, English, Estonian, Faroese, Fijian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Frisian, Friulian, Gagauz (Latin), Galician, Ganda, Genoese, German, Greenlandic, Guadeloupean Creole, Haitian Creole, Hawaiian, Hiligaynon, Hungarian, Icelandic, Ilocano, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Jamaican, Kaqchikel, Karakalpak (Latin), Kashubian, Kikongo, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kurdish (Latin), Latvian, Lithuanian, Lombard, Low Saxon, Luxembourgish, Maasai, Makhuwa, Malay, Maltese, Māori, Moldovan, Montenegrin, Ndebele, Neapolitan, Norwegian, Novial, Occitan, Ossetian (Latin), Papiamento, Piedmontese, Polish, Portuguese, Quechua, Rarotongan, Romanian, Romansh, Sami, Sango, Saramaccan, Sardinian, Scottish Gaelic, Serbian (Latin), Shona, Sicilian, Silesian, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Sorbian, Sotho, Spanish, Swahili, Swazi, Swedish, Tagalog, Tahitian, Tetum, Tongan, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswana, Tumbuka, Turkish, Turkmen (Latin), Tuvaluan, Uzbek (Latin), Venetian, Vepsian, Võro, Walloon, Waray-Waray, Wayuu, Welsh, Wolof, Xhosa, Yapese, Zapotec Zulu and Zuni.

Firstland-Handwritten Fonts have many alternatives that give you the possibility to make your text almost handwritten with all the imperfections and captivating variations that the original handwriting has. Firstland will work perfectly for fashion, brand e-commerce, blog trends, boutiques, store brands, logos, weddings or any business that wants to look luxurious.

The title and credits for the 1951 Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming film “Cry Danger” were hand lettered in a freehand brush lettering often seen on store signs and show cards. Serving as the model for Show Card Freehand JNL, this pleasant and casual typeface is available in both regular and oblique versions.

The Ornaments of Paris were inspired by a recent trip to Paris. Each tiny Paris icon is distilled from a church, a fence, a doorway, a railing, the Louvre, graphics in a store window, a feeling, a rainy day, a glass of wine... For more of the similar see Fleurons of Paris.

True bold font, only available in uppercase but with different styles. This font of 106 characters is really easy to use in your design and takes his inspiration from the old school post graffiti. The name comes from the movie "Natural Born Killers" by Oliver Stone. UPPERCASE 
lowercase 
Numerals 
Punctuation 106 characters

Introducing the Bonaro Vintage Retro Serif All Caps Font, a versatile collection that brings timeless elegance and a touch of nostalgia to your design projects. With its 10 distinct styles, this font offers a treasure trove of possibilities, making it an essential asset for designers seeking to infuse their work with vintage charm.

An alphabet based on classic Roman letterforms. As a model for our typography since ancient times, Roman stone inscription remains the starting point for all Latin letterforms. Working with these classical letters is an eternal dance for the graphic artist. The constant drawing and refinement of detail. A typographical relationship for ever.

Meet AeroBlend Display Font, a modern and futuristic typeface that brings a touch of sleekness to your creative projects. With its clean lines, intersecting curves, and contemporary vibe, AeroBlend is the perfect typography solution for bold and innovative projects. Designed with precision, this font strikes the right balance between style and readability. It offers a single weight/style that effortlessly combines elegance with a touch of technological sophistication. This makes it incredibly versatile and suitable for a wide range of design applications. From attention-grabbing headlines to memorable branding projects, AeroBlend Display Font helps you make an impact. Its strong presence adds a sense of modernity to your designs, ensuring that your message stands out from the crowd. With AeroBlend Display Font, you have access to an extensive character set. It includes lowercase and uppercase letters, numerals, special characters, accented characters, and a variety of symbols. This comprehensive collection gives you the freedom to express your creativity and bring your vision to life with clarity and precision. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this font is available in the .OTF (OpenType) file format, ensuring compatibility across various design software and platforms. One of the notable features of it is its set of alternates. Certain letters have carefully designed alternatives, adding even more versatility and creative possibilities to your designs. Whether you’re a graphic designer, web developer, or simply a typography enthusiast, AeroBlend Display Font is a must-have in your toolkit. It’s crafted to meet the demands of modern design, offering versatility, legibility, and a hint of futuristic charm. It’s perfect for branding, headlines, posters, packaging, monogram designs and more. Take your projects to the next level with AeroBlend Display Font and unleash your creative potential. Let AeroBlend add a touch of modern sophistication to your designs and create an unforgettable visual experience.

Unconventional beauty FS Kim is bold and intriguing – exuberant and unmissable, but playing a supporting role when needed. This typeface shines brightest as a display font, and is perfect for applications across fashion, theatre, cultural projects and pretty much any brand that wants to make a statement. While FS Kim is dramatic, it’s incredibly versatile, too, and works to showcase content in a stylish, striking way. This font makes you look, and makes you curious – perfect for brands and publishers that relish unconventional beauty. A playful text version While FS Kim’s text version is more constrained than the display, the strength and playfulness remain. Modifications for the text version include larger x-heights, longer ascenders and descenders, wider proportions and spacing, longer and more defined serifs and a lower contrast. “The overall idea is that it’s not an optical size,” Radoeva explains. Text and display maintain a strong connection that mean they can be used together. A display with a twist The calligraphic starting point helped to create familiar forms, while a contemporary display feel is achieved through short wedge serifs, with bold touches added through the font’s exaggerated forms and details. FS Kim’s narrow proportions, short ascenders and descenders, and tighter spacing make the font suitably compact for display use. The overall aesthetic feels bold and sharp, but closer inspection reveals that all the corners are softened. Decorative inlines In an unusual twist, FS Kim’s display version was first drawn using a broad-nib pen to create familiar forms and elegance while still breaking from serif traditions and making it all about standout character. There are also two additional styles, based on the Regular and Black with inlines – in uppercase, figures and symbols. The inline brings an extra option for an even stronger, more decorative display use.

Unconventional beauty FS Kim is bold and intriguing – exuberant and unmissable, but playing a supporting role when needed. This typeface shines brightest as a display font, and is perfect for applications across fashion, theatre, cultural projects and pretty much any brand that wants to make a statement. While FS Kim is dramatic, it’s incredibly versatile, too, and works to showcase content in a stylish, striking way. This font makes you look, and makes you curious – perfect for brands and publishers that relish unconventional beauty. A playful text version While FS Kim’s text version is more constrained than the display, the strength and playfulness remain. Modifications for the text version include larger x-heights, longer ascenders and descenders, wider proportions and spacing, longer and more defined serifs and a lower contrast. “The overall idea is that it’s not an optical size,” Radoeva explains. Text and display maintain a strong connection that mean they can be used together. A display with a twist The calligraphic starting point helped to create familiar forms, while a contemporary display feel is achieved through short wedge serifs, with bold touches added through the font’s exaggerated forms and details. FS Kim’s narrow proportions, short ascenders and descenders, and tighter spacing make the font suitably compact for display use. The overall aesthetic feels bold and sharp, but closer inspection reveals that all the corners are softened. Decorative inlines In an unusual twist, FS Kim’s display version was first drawn using a broad-nib pen to create familiar forms and elegance while still breaking from serif traditions and making it all about standout character. There are also two additional styles, based on the Regular and Black with inlines – in uppercase, figures and symbols. The inline brings an extra option for an even stronger, more decorative display use.

This type of Richard Gans, has always seemed very striking, despite having the complexity of the sources extrusion, has its own personality, and readability unusual for this type of letters. Use it for composing posters, programs or logos was very common at the time. My father, Antonio Lage Parapar, typographer by profession, who composed the texts, which not only had it for profession, but he liked to do, always he spoke of sources and decorative elements of the type foundry Richard Gans, as well as other foundries, especially those that required the mender of them, exercised creator, many of these types they have already been recovered by professionals and companies with excellent results. I've been surrounded by these movable type, and the occasional catalog unfortunately lost. One of those guys that has always struck me visually speaking was the type IMAN Richard Gans, the typographer and more of German origin arrived in Spain, back in 1874, also a pioneer. This work to revive the type mentioned, as well as create non existing glyphs between documents and parts I've been finding, is and has been a personal pleasure all I want serve as a tribute to my father (of aopodo curiously "Richard"), the only sadness it has not been completed. Richard Gans, arrived in Spain in 1874 as a representative of several European factories. then liaised with journalistic and publishing companies, which led him knowledge required of the first sector art. In 1878 he created a center importer gadgets graphic arts and three years later he created his own type foundry. The first rotary newspaper ABC, very famous and the most advanced of the time, the brand manufactured Richard Gans.

Gementine is a modern serif font that exudes an elegant charm and understated sophistication. Its graceful lines strike a delicate balance between subtlety and strength, making it an ideal choice for branding logos aimed at the feminine market, particularly within the fashion industry. Each letter is intricately detailed, showcasing well-proportioned elements that impart a soft touch while retaining a commanding presence. Gementine evokes an exclusive and refined aura, perfectly suited for brands seeking to showcase gracefulness and beauty in their logo designs. With its seamless blend of finesse and assertiveness, this font stands as a prime option for brands aiming to embody the beauty, grace, and empowering essence of femininity within their brand identity.

SAMURI is our newest font with Japanese style features, developed with an exotic and relaxed shape, this font is extremely attractive to match your extraordinary project, using this font will instantly make your project look exquisite, charming, and everyone will be glad to view the look. Unlike the rest, your project will be one-of-a-kind. Logotypes, food banners, branding, brochure, posters, movie titles, book titles, quotes, and more may all benefit from this font. Of course, using this font in your various design projects will make them excellent and outstanding; many viewers are drawn to the striking and unusual graphic display. Start utilizing this typeface in your projects to make them stand out.

Introducing Manly Beard , the typewriter font. Typewriter font is a timeless and iconic typeface, seamlessly bridges the realms of nostalgia and functionality. Inspired by the mechanical simplicity of traditional typewriters, this font exudes a distinct charm that harks back to an era when the written word was synonymous with the rhythmic clatter of keys striking paper. Characterized by monospacing, each letter and symbol occupies the same amount of horizontal space, mirroring the uniformity of characters produced by the typewriter's fixed-width mechanical arms. The result is a text that maintains a deliberate and organized appearance, evoking a sense of order and precision. We're honored and proud if Manly Beard can be the part of your special masterpiece. Thankyou! :)

Janek is a semi-serif typeface inspired by old Polish signage. Rather then mimic specific style, it synthesises various inspirations. It is named after an Author of a classic Polish manual, that kickstarted this project, „Techniques of Lettering“ by Jan Wojeński. Large character set and style selection allows for richness of expression. Pointy upright and slightly decorative italic bring unique blend of aesthetics. It works well in rich text and as a striking display. Janek consists of seven italic and seven upright styles ranging from Light, to Black. With extensive language support and wide selection of features, it is suited for range of latin use cases. Janek is a contemporary throwback to the past.

Ramisa is a Japanese-style font that is designed as uniquely as possible to create a beautiful and easy-to-read combination of sentences. Of course, this font is also very flexible for you to use in your various projects, ensuring that your project has a fantastic and appealing appearance that will be remembered by all audiences. Logotypes, food banners, branding, brochure, posters, movie titles, book titles, quotes, and more may all benefit from this font. Of course, using this font in your various design projects will make them excellent and outstanding; many viewers are drawn to the striking and unusual graphic display. Start utilizing this typeface in your projects to make them stand out.

Introducing Navigated, a captivating script font that seamlessly combines boldness with balance. Navigated showcases a unique connected letterform design, where each letter is expertly linked, resulting in a fluid and harmonious appearance. With consistent proportions and a low-contrast style, Navigated offers both stability. Adding a touch of flair to Navigated, you'll find striking swinging endings on select letters. These graceful flourishes bring an element of charm and sophistication to your words, making them stand out with a captivating visual appeal. Navigated fits in headlines, logos, posters, flyers, branding materials, print media, editorial layouts, and many more designs. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview.

Sequel 100 Black is a neogrotesque font family for forceful headlines, confident titles, and striking posters. An extension of Sequel Sans and primarily designed for display use, it has wider proportions than the original typeface. It also sports a larger x-height that allows for maximum impact on the page. And Sequel 100 Black ain’t no lightweight: it’s the boldest member of the Sequel superfamily, with weights starting at 45 (a sturdy medium style) and going all the way up to an ultra-black 115. Use Sequel 100 Black whenever you want to combine a touch of cool mid-century modernism with the scintillating tension of maximum ink use and minimal whitespace.

Askan is a new serif face which is suitable both for a pleasant experience in reading texts as well as for striking headlines and for subtext applications with the heavier weights.  Askan shows that it was designed in 2019, generally avoiding any reference to historical models. The reduced number of formal elements results in a clear and contemporary look.  The Askan family consists of 18 styles and is well equipped for advanced typography. It comes in OpenType format with extended language support. All weights contain small caps, ligatures, superior characters, proportional lining figures, tabular lining figures, proportional old style figures, lining old style figures, matching currency symbols, fraction- and scientific numerals, matching arrows and alternate characters.

Sumera Dita is a contemporary serif font that seamlessly merges classic sophistication with a modern aesthetic. Its refined and elegant letterforms exude a sense of timeless grace, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of design applications. With a balanced and harmonious design, Sumera Dita strikes the perfect equilibrium between tradition and innovation. The subtly sculpted serifs and distinctive letter shapes contribute to its unique character, ensuring readability while adding a touch of personality to any project. Whether used in print or digital media, Sumera Dita brings a touch of refined professionalism to typographic compositions, making it a go-to choice for those seeking a modern serif font with a timeless appeal.

HAMIBA is a display font with a dramatic letterform and a Japanese flair. Imagine having a project with a charismatic, original, and exquisite appearance that many people remember. You may use this Asian font anyplace for any type of project. If you utilize this font in your project, you can easily achieve all of this. Logotypes, food banners, branding, brochure, posters, movie titles, book titles, quotes, and more may all benefit from this font. Of course, using this font in your various design projects will make them excellent and outstanding; many viewers are drawn to the striking and unusual graphic display. Start utilizing this typeface in your projects to make them stand out.

BEJO is a display font in the Japanese style, with each letter having its own individual personality. This font is appropriate for a wide range of project demands, particularly those involving Asian features. By utilizing this typeface, you will create a project with a gorgeous, original, and elegant appearance that will be remembered by many people. Logotypes, food banners, branding, brochure, posters, movie titles, book titles, quotes, and more may all benefit from this font. Of course, using this font in your various design projects will make them excellent and outstanding; many viewers are drawn to the striking and unusual graphic display. Start utilizing this typeface in your projects to make them stand out.

SECONDS OUT! ROUND ONE!  The champ comes out swinging, there’s a left hook, a right hook, another left, another left to the chin, a box to the ears, a punch to the stomach, the challenger is reeling, he’s on the ropes, there’s another left to the chin and here’s the knockout, RIGHT IN THE KISSER! The Kisser. The Mouth. You know, what you kiss with? SMAK! It’s a font with a fat lip or one that makes you look like you’re talking’ with a fat lip. Or if you’re more of a lover than a fighter, it’s a big wet kiss from your loved one when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. Either way, you win!

The Ctoxina family is growing. Due to the success the author decided to add an outline version of the font. The typeface is now available in 6 different styles: light, light italic, regular, italic, bold and bold italic. The Atoxina family is designed especially for the burgeoning market of starships and other space cruisers. The fonts are ideal for internal and external use (including zero-g and occasional bursts of cosmic rays), and with their simplified forms are expected to survive well in non-linear galaxies. With their unusual diagonal half-pixels the fonts are striking as abstract designs at astronomical sizes, where small text may be placed within the black holes formed inside the letters.

Holystain is a Foundation display font that strikes the perfect balance between sophistication and approachability. Its classic charm makes it perfect for more traditional designs, while its casual feel makes it good for modern design. This font perfectly made to be applied especially in logo, and the other various formal forms such as invitations, labels, logos, magazines, books, greeting / wedding cards, packaging, fashion, make up, stationery, novels, labels or any type of advertising purpose. Features : Uppercase & lowercase Numbers and punctuation Alternates & Ligatures Multilingual PUA encoded We highly recommend using a program that supports OpenType features and Glyphs panels like many of Adobe apps and Corel Draw, so you can see and access all Glyph variations.

Hopeless Diamond is a contemporary display typeface inspired by the sculptural muscle of 19th century carved lettering and the radical forms of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth strike aircraft. The typeface itself contains three different styles, each with an italic and an alternate character set that can be used to generate a number of interesting permutations. The name was taken from the derisive term that test pilots used for Have Blue, a late '70s stealth demonstration aircraft –and early prototype for the F-117— designed and built by Lockheed's Skunkworks division. Due to its unusual shape and departure from received aerodynamic wisdom, Have Blue was referred to as the ‘Hopeless Diamond’.

Mojito Youth is a charming display font that combines the timeless charm of a vintage aesthetic with a vibrant retro spirit. This font was carefully crafted to evoke a feeling of nostalgia while exuding a youthful energy that aligns with contemporary design trends. Equipped with a modern touch, Mojito Youth exudes a cheerful and youthful elegance. This font strikes a balance between past and present, making it versatile for a variety of applications, from branding to product packaging. Mojito Youth reflects the authenticity of handmade writing. Irregularities and imperfections in the design contribute to its authentic vintage appeal. Let your creativity flow with the perfect blend of vintage charm and contemporary style with Mojito Youth.

HS Gold is based on some modern lines of Naskh calligraphy which supports Arabic, Persian and Latin with a Sans Serif with subtle round on stems and corners. The typeface has been optimized for corporate identity work, editorial design and modern projects when a contemporary and simple look with a similarity between Arabic and Latin is requested. It features swash, ligatures and swash ligatures. Its proportions allow high impact on the tightly set lines of big and small text alike. This font consists of two weights (regular and bold) which can constitute a striking addition to the library of Arabic and Latin contemporary fonts models that meet the purposes of various designs for all tastes and projects.

Ambigane is a modern and elegant serif font that seamlessly blends sophistication with contemporary design. Its refined, timeless aesthetic is characterized by the subtle curves and clean lines of its letterforms, exuding a sense of luxury and professionalism. Ambigane strikes a harmonious balance between traditional serif elements and a fresh, modern twist, making it versatile for a range of design applications. With its well-crafted serifs and balanced proportions, Ambigane communicates a sense of refinement and style, making it an ideal choice for projects that require a touch of sophistication and a contemporary edge. Whether used in print or digital media, Ambigane conveys a sense of timeless elegance that elevates any visual composition.

Rotulo is a contrasted sans family which combines the Thick & Thin signpainter's style and some 70s feeling in a huge font family with 90 styles. A visit to an exhibition of Spanish movie posters by Jano was the beginning of Rótulo (Spanish for Sign) project. Classic thick & thin signpainter style was featured in many letterings of those posters, as it was a very common style in 60s and 70s Spanish design. Unfortunately, today very few Contrasted Sans are seen, something that was quite common years ago has fallen into disuse in favor of Helvetic monotony. Rótulo recapture all that personality, with an extense range of weights and widths to be used in striking headlines and short texts.

Banished was inspired by posters for the 1968 Cult Cinema Classic, “Astro Zombies”, but it exudes the rough and tumble, chewed up and spit out Old West era. Banished dives head first into all of the nostalgic clichés of the old west, as well as the cult classic that inspired it. Here's what's included with Banished: 388 glyphs - including Capitals, Lowercase (Alt. Capitals), Numerals, Alt. Numerals, Punctuation and an extensive character set that covers multilingual support of latin based languages. (see the 6th graphic for a preview of the characters included) Contextual Alternates that auto-switches between Capitals & Lowercase (Alt Capitals) glyphs, as well as Numerals and Alt Numerals for visual randomness. To access the Contextual Alternates feature, you will need to be using software with Opentype compatibility otherwise you can access the alternate glyphs via a Glyphs panel. Stylistic Alternates feature that swaps all default Numerals with their Alternates Numerals Font is provided in TTF & OTF formats. The TTF format is the standard go to for most users, although the OTF and TTF function exactly the same. Here's why Banished is for you: You're in need of a good rustic slab serif typestyle with a narrow width and gritty feel You're planning a Western themed party and need a unique western typeface You're a fan of the 1968 Cult Classic "Astro Zombies" as just have to have the font to match You've got one of those Old West photography studios and need a great Wanted poster font You just like to collect quality fonts to add to your design arsenal

I saw a cool UT-Ligature on an old (maybe 70's or 80's) Texas Longhorns fan-shirt - it was in 3D and I wanted something like that with my own initials A and B to print it on a baseball hat. I started drawing it and when I was finished, I thought it might be nice to do the same for my officemates. I needed another G, T and K. After finishing that I thought it might be cool to do this for other people as well. Since the source of all the 3D glyphs is found in the regular ones which get moved by a 45 degree angle and then connected with lines , I first draw all the uppercase regular glyphs. The thing that followed was kind of an addiction: after finishing the uppercase letters, I wanted to add lowercase letters, after finishing the 3D letters, I thought it would be nice to have a fill version to layer with the 3D letters. Having a rough, woodcut version of the regular style would be cool, too. And the font is also pretty much suited to make a stencil version. When all this was done, I was interested on how the font would look like without the serifs and curves instead of the 45 degree angles, so I did the Longhorn Sans. Good to use for all sports-related designs, especially retro-style soccer/football shirts. Uppercase characters can be combined to form ligatures or logotypes.

The font Speech Bubbles offers a convenient way to integrate text and image. While the font can be used to design comics, it also gives the typographer a tool to make text speak – to give words conversational dynamics and to emphasize visually the sound of the message. The font includes a total of seventy outlines and seventy bubble backgrounds selected from a survey of historic forms. What follows is a discussion of my process researching and developing the font, as well as a few user suggestions. My work on the Speech Bubbles font began with historic research. My first resource was a close friend who is a successful German comic artist. I had previously worked with him to transform his lettering art into an OpenType font. This allowed his publishing house to easily translate cartoons from German to other languages without the need to use another font, like Helvetica rounded. My friend showed me the most exciting, outstanding and graphically appealing speech bubbles from his library. I looked at early strips from Schulz (Peanuts), Bill Waterson (Calvin & Hobes), Hergé (TinTin), Franquin, as well as Walt Disney. The most inspiring was the early Krazy Kat and Ignatz (around 1915) from George Herriman. I also studied 1980’s classics Dave Gibbon’s Watchmen, Frank Miller’s Ronin and Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V for Vandetta. Contemporary work was also a part of my research—like Liniers from Macanudo and work of Ralf König. With this overview in mind I began to work from scratch. I tried to distill the typical essence of each author’s or era’s speech bubbles style into my font. In the end I limited my work down to the seventy strongest images. An important aspect of the design process was examining each artist’s speech bubble outlines. In some cases they are carefully inked, as in most of the 80’s work. In others, such as with Herriman, they are fast drawn with a rough impetus. The form can be dynamic and round (Schultz) with a variable stroke width, or straight inked with no form contrast (Hergé). Since most outlines also carry the character of the tool that they are made with, I chose to separate the outline from the speech bubble fill-in or background. 
This technical decision offers interesting creative possibilities. For example, the font user can apply a slight offset from fill-in to outline, as it is typical to early comic strips, in which there are often print misalignments. Also, rather than work in the classic white background with black outline, one can work with colors. Many tonal outcomes are possible by contrasting the fill-in and outline color. The Speech Bubbles font offers a dynamic and quick way to flavor information while conveying a message. How is something said? Loudly? With a tint of shyness? Does a rather small message take up a lot of space? The font’s extensive survey of historic comic designs in an assembly that is useful for both pure comic purposes or more complex typographic projects. Use Speech Bubbles to give your message the right impact in your poster, ad or composition.

I love geometric sans serifs, their crispness and rationality. Le Havre taps into this style, but for a while, I've wanted to create a font recalling the printed Futura of the 1940s, which seems to have an elusive quality all its own. After seeing an old manual on a World War II ship, I developed a plan for "Le Havre Metal" but chose to shelve the project due to Le Havre's small x-height. That's where Steagal comes in. When Robbie de Villiers and I began the Chatype project in early 2012 (a project which led one publication to label me the Edward Johnston of Chattanooga!), we started closely studying the vernacular lettering of Chattanooga. During that time, I also visited Switzerland, where I saw how designers were using a new, handmade aesthetic with a geometric base. I was motivated to make a new face combining some of these same influences. The primary inspiration for the new design came from the hand-lettering of sign painters in the United States, circa 1930s through 1950s. My Chatype research turned up a poster from the Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which exhibited a number of quirks from the unique hand and style of one of these sign artists. Completing the first draft of Steagal, however, I found that the face appeared somewhat European in character. I turned then to the work of Morris Fuller Benton for a distinctly American take and discovered a number of features that would help define Steagal as a "1930s American" vernacular typeface--features I later learned also inspired Morris Fuller Benton's Eagle. The overall development of Steagal was surprisingly difficult, knowing when to deliberately distort optical artifacts and when to keep them in place. Part of type design is correcting optical illusions, and I found myself absentmindedly adjusting the optical effects. In the end, though, I was able to draw inspiration from period signs, inscriptions, period posters, and architecture while retaining just enough of the naive sensibility. Steagal has softened edges, which simulate brush strokes and retain the feeling of the human hand. The standard version has unique quirks that are not too intrusive. Overshoots have almost been eliminated, and joins have minimal corrections. The rounded forms are mathematically perfect, geometric figures without optical corrections. As a variation to the standard, the “Rough” version stands as the "bad signpainter" version with plenty of character. Steagal Regular comes in five weights and is packed with OpenType features. Steagal includes three Art Deco Alternate sets, optically compensated rounded forms, a monospaced variant, and numerous other features. In all, there are over 200 alternate characters. To see these features in action, please see the informative .pdf brochure. OpenType capable applications such as Quark or the Adobe Creative suite can take full advantage of the automatically replacing ligatures and alternates. Steagal also includes support for all Western European languages. Steagal is a great way to subtly draw attention to your work. Its unique quirks grab the eye with a authority that few typefaces possess. Embrace its vernacular, hand-brushed look, and see what this geometric sans serif can do for you.

Hawkes is an extensive handmade typeface family that comes with a bundle of weights, widths and styles, all designed to work cohesively. Here is a breakdown of the Hawkes family. Hawkes Sans: The primary subfamily is a sans-serif typeface that includes nine fonts: three weights (light, medium and bold) and three widths (narrow, regular and wide). Within this set are an array of stylistic features; including small capitals, character style alternatives, discretionary ligatures and contextual alternatives. See details below for more information on OpenType Features. Hawkes Variable Width Sans: The secondary subfamily is the same base sans-serif fonts but combined in variating widths. Essentially, it takes all three widths of each weight and randomly mixes them together. This creates a funky and creative alternative to the more traditional sans-serif set. The variations are for the uppercase, lowercase, small capitals, ligatures and numbers. Hawkes Script: The last subfamily is the script typeface. It’s a quirky script with variations of its own, including ligatures, swashes and contextual alternatives (again, see below for further details.) The script font works great as a complimentary style to the sans-serif, or on it’s own. FEATURES Alright, let’s get into all the extra goodies this typeface has to offer. Small Capitals: Small caps are short capital letters designed to blend with lowercase text. These aren’t just capital letters just scaled down but designed to fit with the weight of both the lowercase and capitals. With Hawkes, small caps can either sit on the baseline (in line with the base of the capital and lowercase) or to be lifted to match the height of the capital letters by applying the discretionary ligature setting in the OpenType panel. These small capitals have a dot underlining them that sit along the baseline. The feature offers a unique display affect that is great for logos, titles and other headline needs. Discretionary Ligatures: A discretionary ligature is more decorative and unique combination than a standard ligature and can be applied at the users discretion (as the name indicates.) The specific styling for these ligatures varies for different fonts. With Hawkes, they are used as an all capital styling feature, or to lift the small capitals to align with the height of the capitals. In the former setting, both lowercase and uppercase letters are first changed to all capitals, then a specialized set of letter combinations are transitioned so small characters are positioned within a main capital letter. These combinations only happen with main characters that include an applicable stem, such as C F K L R T Y. Some of these combinations include two or three characters. When Small Caps is turned ‘on’, this feature will lift the small caps to the height of the capital letter. For more information, please check out the user guide! Stylistic Alternatives: Stylistic alternates are a secondary form of a character, often used to enhance the look or style of a font. For Hawkes, these alternatives provide a slightly more handmade feel. A - the capital and small capital A will lose its pointed apex and become rounded. Think of it more as an upside-down U than an up-side-down V ;-) Oo, G, Ss, Cc- these characters’ topmost terminal becomes a loop. The O is applied automatically, the G S and C need to be turn on individually. Titling Alternatives: This feature does sort of the opposite of what it intends. Instead of being used for titling purposes, this feature makes the text look better in paragraph text settings. Kk Rr h n m - curved terminals on the are straightened e - the counter stroke also gets straightened from a more looping motion y - the shape of y is changed from a rounded character to a sharper apex (think more like a ‘v’ than ‘u’) Contextual Alternatives: Contextual alternates are glyphs designed to work within context of other adjacent glyphs. With Hawkes Sans, there are three slightly different variations per character. The feature rotates the application of each variation. This helps with organic authenticity, so if you have two e’s next to each other, they won’t look identical (reflecting the natural variations in handwriting and lettering.) With Hawkes Variable width fonts, I have created a contextual pattern that randomizes the widths of each character. So, when the feature is turned ‘on’ in the OpenType panel, the widths would alternate in a pattern such as: Narrow, Wide, Regular, Narrow, Regular Wide, Narrow, etc. It happens automatically so the user doesn’t have to think or worry about getting a random seed. With Hawkes Script, contextual alternates allow strokes to connect properly from one character to the next while maintaining a believable, natural flow. Connecting strokes are present for two letters next to each other but are replaced by a shorter stroke when located at the end of a word or sentence. Some characters have in-strokes when located at the start of a word. When a character is preceded by a capital letter that doesn’t connect, it too needs an in-stroke or altered spacing. This feature is complicated and messy, but luckily you don’t really have to think about it! I’ve done all the coding so all you have to do is turn ‘on’ the feature in the OpenType panel and you are off to the races! I’m just letting you know what’s happening behind the scenes. Swashes: These are just for Hawkes Script and provide tail swashes to the start and ends of letters. There are three different options. You can pick the basic option by turning ‘on’ the swash feature in the OpenType panel, or you can pick using the Glyph panel. Stylistic Sets: This feature work in new versions of Illustrator CC and InDesign CC. You can pick specific styling sets instead of turning on an entire feature. For example, let’s say you want to have a loopy S, but not a loopy C or O, you can just turn on the S in the Style Set. It also helps create the little drop box that pops up when you hover over a character, showing you the alternates associated with that character. This makes it easy to pick and choose specific styles you want in a word or headline. ---------- And there it is folks! That’s all the basic info on Hawkes, I know it’s been a lot and I appreciate you hanging on. If you are like me and need more of a visual reference to accessing all these goodies, I’ve made a user guide to help navigate Hawkes and everything it has to offer. Altogether this extensive family boasts 14 total fonts in a wide array of styles, weights and widths, making it a great addition to any handmade type collection. Enjoy!

Letters in circles are certainly nothing new typographically, but nonetheless they were a favorite tool for sign makers in past decades for emphasizing names or key words in a message. Inspired by an image of an old-time hardware store sign in New York City with Franklinesque lettering, it has been reproduced as Circuletter JNL.

Morta is a handwritten unicase typeface with a slight calligraphic influence. Its design, like a centuries-old cold dark stones, has carved edges and polished corners, and represented by two styles: more legible “Brute” for general use, and more contrast “Grace” for large text size. Scripts: Latin, Greek, Cyrillic Languages: 480+ Hinting: Manual PostScript

Nocturne Serif – font is inspired by the lettering on stone tablets commemorating the victims of World War II and Warsaw architecture. Nocturne is a text font that features clean geometrical shapes and high contrast, and is modernist in character. The family consists of over 750 glyphs, including: Latin, Cyrillic, small caps and many others…

Aspidistra is a modern vintage typeface; which is to say a Studio K original with a period feel: it has a strong Art Nouveau influence (a distant cousin of Arnold Bocklin). Why Aspidistra? In the first half of the last century an Aspidistra was a must have accessory of the aspiring middle classes (see George Orwell's Keep the Aspidistra Flying), and to my mind this font evokes the chintzy charm of that era.