Ooh so soft, so curvaceous, so voluptuous and so swash-buckling. Hey, I'm talking ’bout Petals BF! Here’s a design inspired by the work of Dave West and infused with a plethora of pleasingly plump letterforms, with swashes reminiscent of 60s and 70s types. But here’s the twist: where you might typically expect to find ball terminals, you'll experience some sensuous curls; and some playful letterforms such as lowercase h, k, m, and n, may even call to mind that groovy look of ’60s bell-bottoms. Spread across its capitals and lowercase are swash variants for beginning, middle and ending letterforms —candy for your eyes. Petals BF is where Didone style happily marries the organic and curvaceous forms of Art Nouveau. Strange I know, but so is a duckbill platypus —and somehow they all seem to work surprisingly well. Among the many typographic niceties you'll discover, are such Opentype features as Contextual and Stylistic alternates, Ligatures, Case-sensitive forms and Fractions. Please note: these magical features demand the use of opentype-savvy applications such as Adobe Creative Suite, QuarkXPress and etc. Petals BF is multilingual, and speaks the languages of Western, Eastern and Central Europe, in addition to Turkish and Baltic. It gets around. So let your creativity blossom with Petals in projects that involve headlines, magazine layouts, product packaging, logos, signage, branding and etc.

The Pagnol typeface has been designed with a principle developed by A. M. Cassandre in 1937, when the great French designer created the Peignot typeface following paleographic studies on the evolution of letterforms. Researches in the history of writing have proved that the lowercase "a" is at its origin nothing but the "A" shape transformed through centuries by scribes until the invention of printing. A large number of lowercases meanwhile kept their original shapes. If the scribes’ hand didn’t find the necessity to simplify them, it is only because these letters could be easily written. Integrating the classical shapes of capitals to the lowercases has already been used, keeping the lowercases which are only a deformation of capitals. Nevertheless, the respect of readability imposes to keep ascendants and descendants from traditional lowercases which serve as optical focus points in a text and make reading easier. The particularity of Pagnol is to use rounded shapes on top and bottom of pointed capital letters to make them fit with corresponding lowercases (Aa, Mm, Nn, Vv, Ww, Zz). Lowercases proportions are wide, to be in tune with classic lowercase shapes in order to optimize readability. Five weights in roman and italic have been designed to offer a wide palette of typographic possibilities in all sizes and all paper and screen supports.

Night Scream is a spine-chilling display font that brings a horrifying twist to your designs. With its big letters and bold weight, this font commands attention and instills fear. The details of the letters are carefully crafted to resemble menacing plant roots, adding a nightmarish and eerie touch to the font. Each letter in this font is bold and impactful, demanding to be noticed. The large size of the letters adds to the font's imposing presence. The root-like details in Night Scream give the font an organic and otherworldly appearance, reminiscent of sinister, twisted plant life. These details add an element of the unknown and create an atmosphere of dread, immersing the viewer into a world of dark and chilling horrors. For the best legibility you can use this font in the bigger text sizes. Enjoy the available features here. Features: Multilingual Supports PUA Encoded Numerals and Punctuations Night Scream fits in headlines, logos, movie posters, flyers, invitations, branding materials, print media, editorial layouts, headers, and any project that requires a terrifying touch. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview. Thanks for purchasing our fonts. Hopefully, you have a great time using our font. Feel free to contact us anytime for further information or when you have trouble with the font. Thanks a lot and happy designing.

Redfighter is an attention-grabbing display font with a games theme, featuring large letters and a rectangular shape with sharp corners. This font shows large letters that demand attention and make a statement. The generous size of each character ensures maximum visibility and impactful design elements. This design choice allows this font to stand out and grab the viewer's attention with its imposing presence. The rectangular shape with sharp corners in Redfighter adds a sense of structure and strength to the font. The clean lines and defined angles create a visually bold and striking appearance. This unique feature evokes a sense of power and precision, reflecting the intensity and competitiveness found in the gaming world. For the best legibility you can use it in the bigger text. Enjoy the available features here. Features: Stylistic Sets Multilingual Supports PUA Encoded Numerals and Punctuations Redfighter fits in headlines, logos, posters, titles, branding materials, print media, editorial layouts, website headers, and any other projects that aim to create a strong visual impact. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview. Thanks for purchasing our fonts. Hopefully, you have a great time using our font. Feel free to contact us anytime for further information or when you have trouble with the font. Thanks a lot and happy designing.

Wooden Alphabet is a peculiar wood texture and shape-inspiring display font having unique, attractive letter designs in prominent uppercases along with wood textures to express natural nuances. All of the font letters are very carefully, smoothly designed in detail as if they were made of real wood. In fact, wood textures on the letters leave the impressions of warmth and nature on the designs. Wooden Alphabet excels at the ability to create natural impressions and warm nuances in order to make your designs look interestingly different for increasing the product’s attractiveness. Such a wood-themed font is a perfect match for any nature, environment, or organic related products. To be greatly legible, you can use it for big text sizes. Wooden Alphabet provides a clipart in accordance with the font theme as a bonus and features you can enjoy. Features: Multilingual Supports PUA Encoded Numerals and Punctuations Wooden Alphabet fits best for various design projects, such as brandings, headings, magazine covers, quotes, printed products, merchandise, social media, etc. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview. Thanks for purchasing our fonts. Hopefully, you have a great time using our font. Feel free to contact us anytime for further information or when you have trouble with the font. Thanks a lot and happy designing.

This font is based on an alphabet published by Luca Pacioli in his 1509 mathematical treatise De divina proportione. In this book, Pacioli describes how to build the Roman alphabet geometrically using lines, squares and circles. Pacioli was not the first or the last man in his era to describe the building of letters mathematically. Felice Feliciano did this before Pacioli, and Albrecht Dürer further developed these forms years after. According to Pacioli, the thick strokes should be 1/9th of the height, and the thin strokes should have 1/2 the weight of the thick strokes. I felt that this beautiful alphabet needed to be restored to its full geometric glory and set out to construct an accurate replica using Pacioli's instructions. Included in the font you'll find the letters that have the grid overlay and also the letters without the grid. The letters J, W, U, and Z were not included in the book, so I have created my own versions of these characters that fit into Pacioli's grid. Pacioli shows two different Os in the book, so I have included the second O as well as a second J, Q, and Z as OpenType stylistic alternates. Also included in the font are border patterns and a fleuron taken from the cover of the book.

Introducing Dunver - a display typeface font inspired by vintage albums and posters from 1960s music bands. The classic typeface, combined with fun and groovy impressions, make Dunver a unique and distinct font choice. This font is perfect for any kind of display purpose, including album covers, posters, labels, t-shirts, apparel, signage, quotes, logos, greeting cards, and logotypes. Dunver is especially well-suited for music and party events. With its retro feel and bold design, it can help you create designs that perfectly capture the energy and excitement of the event. Whether you're designing posters, flyers, or social media graphics for your next gig or music festival, Dunver can help you make an impact. The font comes with a range of features, including alternate characters divided into several OpenType features such as Swash, Stylistic Sets, Stylistic Alternates, Contextual Alternates, and Ligature. These OpenType features can be accessed using OpenType savvy programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop CorelDRAW X version, and Microsoft Word. In the zip package, you will find Dunver in otf, ttf, and woff formats. It comes with uppercase and lowercase letters, opentype alternates and ligatures, numbers, punctuation, and symbols, as well as multilanguage support. Dunver is not just a font - it's a versatile tool that can help you bring your creative vision to life.

Scary Notes is a spine-chilling display font designed to evoke fear and horror. With its big letters and bold weight, this font demands attention and is sure to send shivers down your spine. The details of the letters are meticulously crafted to resemble brush strokes, adding an unsettling and handcrafted touch to the font. Each letter in Scary Notes is bold and commanding, creating an impactful presence that cannot be ignored. The big size of the letters adds to the font's intensity. The brush details in this font give the font an organic and chaotic appearance, reminiscent of chilling hand-painted writings. These details add a sense of unpredictability and terror, immersing the viewer into the world of horror and fear. For the best legibility you can use this font in the bigger text sizes. Enjoy the available features here. Features: Multilingual Supports PUA Encoded Numerals and Punctuations Scary Notes fits in headlines, logos, movie posters, flyers, invitations, branding materials, print media, editorial layouts, headers, and any project that requires a terrifying touch. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview. Thanks for purchasing our fonts. Hopefully, you have a great time using our font. Feel free to contact us anytime for further information or when you have trouble with the font. Thanks a lot and happy designing.

Introducing Dominant Youth, a bold and impactful display serif font that exudes confidence and strength. With its commanding presence, Dominant Youth is designed to make a lasting impression on any creative project. The font’s robust and assertive letterforms showcase a unique blend of classic elegance and contemporary style. Its tall and slender structure adds a touch of sophistication, while the sharp serifs give it a distinctive edge. Dominant Youth is carefully crafted to capture attention and evoke a sense of boldness and youthfulness. Whether you’re working on branding, editorial design, headlines, posters, or any other project that demands attention, Dominant Youth is the perfect choice. Its versatile nature allows it to excel in both digital and print mediums, ensuring your message stands out in a captivating manner. The well-defined characters of Dominant Youth provide excellent legibility, even at smaller sizes. The font’s wide range of weights and styles offers flexibility, allowing you to experiment and find the perfect balance for your design needs. From light and elegant variations to bold and impactful options, Dominant Youth empowers you to create visually striking compositions that leave a lasting impression. Don’t settle for ordinary typography when you can make a statement with Dominant Youth. Embrace its commanding presence, embrace its youthful energy, and elevate your designs to a new level of distinction. Features: Dominant Youth Multilingual Support Thank you

Biloner is a font in simple, clean sans serif base forms. Its letters have no ornaments and serifs making them look modern and simple. The firm, straight letter shapes look strong and evident. This font shows enlarged capital letters to create a brave, prominent look enabling it to be the center design and to make an explicit message. Despite its original sans serif font base form, Biloner adds detailed brush touches to the letters to give extra rough textures on the letter lines. The brush scratches are on the edge or certain parts of the letters adding dimensions and attractive visuals. Fortunately, this font is applicable for any text sizes thanks to its great legibility, and you may also enjoy the available features here.) Features: Ligatures Multilingual Supports PUA Encoded Numerals and Punctuations Biloner’s flexibility enables it to adapt to any design styles, either the modern and contemporary, or brave and creative ones. It surely fits for any design contexts such as titles, posters, book covers, and brandings. Find out more ways to use this font by taking a look at the font preview. Thanks for purchasing our fonts. Hopefully, you have a great time using our font. Feel free to contact us anytime for further information or when you have trouble with the font. Thanks a lot and happy designing.

Have you ever searched for a font that looked like it was really someone's handwriting, only to find that it was too feminine or too hard to read? I used to want a font like that, too, until I discovered that a font like that had been residing in my attic, in letters to me from my late grandfather. Not only was I thrilled to have a font like this at hand, but also one that would be a memory of my grandfather every time I used it. He was a hard-working man, raising a family during the Depression, yet was still fun-loving, kind, and generous. We called him Grandhappy. As a wedding present, I received from him rolling pins and a cutting board made of 8 different kinds of wood that he pieced together. In this font, the bullet is a rolling pin in honor of that! Other than the fact that this is a font from the hand of one greatly loved, my favorite thing is that although a True Type Font, it has some features of an Open Type font. There are many alternative letter choices available through the use of little-used keys on the keyboard and alt codes. This font was chosen to portray Jay Gatsby's handwriting in The Great Gatsby (2013).

This is Lady Slippers, a delicate and beautiful typeface resembling one of Eliza Gwendalyn’s popular modern calligraphic styles! She is the full blown version with many OpenType bells and whistles such as, swashes, ligatures, discretionary ligatures and stylistic alternates. Enabling them makes it possible to create beautiful and seemingly hand-written calligraphy designs. Then there’s Lady Slippers Basic, Lady Slippers Loops, and Lady Slippers Align. These fonts are toned down versions of Lady Slippers. Still beautiful and delicate handwritten script typefaces, they are meant for users who don't require all of OpenType goodies. Each of these fonts support some basic OT features, like fractions, superiors, and ordinals. In an interesting twist, we have redrawn the lowercase in Lady Slippers Align to align on the baseline, giving Lady Slippers a more traditional calligraphic appeal. Finally, Lady Slippers Ornament is offered as a companion for any font in the Lady Slippers family. It contains decorative ornaments, crests and other hand drawn elements, as well as a set of figures, minimal punctuation, and some catchwords useful for invitations and bridal pieces. The package includes a key map so finding the ornaments is made easy. All the glyphs are accessible from any standard keyboard. You can purchase the fonts separately, or one of the discounted bundles we've put together, Lady Slippers 4 Pack (includes Basic, Loops, Align and Ornaments) or the Lady Slippers & Ornaments pack.

Conrad X. 'Cobb' Shinn (Sept. 4, 1887- Jan. 28, 1951) was a Fillmore, Indiana-born post card illustrator who sold a series of successful novelty postcard lines which included (among others) Charlie Chaplin, automobiles and the Dutch culture in the beginning years of the 20th Century. After serving in World War I, Shinn found the market for novelty postcards dwindling, and he also lent his artistic skills to cartoon features and illustrating many children's books [including his own, under the nickname 'Uncle Cobb'] which taught easy step-by-step drawing methods. Some time in the 1920s, he eventually migrated into the field of supplying electrotypes and stereotypes of 'stock cuts' of photos and line art to the printing trade. In the days of letterpress printing, this was the forerunner of paper clip art and its successor, electronic clip art. Purchasing many of his designs from 'journeyman' artists of the time, the diversity of Cobb Shinn's stock cuts library grew with the passing years, reflecting changing times, styles and topics. Some of the illustrators whose signed works were presented in Shinn's 'CUTalogs' [as he called his stock cuts catalogs] include Mary Clemmitt, Louis H. Hippe, E.C. Klinge, Nelson White, Harvey Fuller, Bess Livings, Lois Head, Harvey Peake and Van Tuyl. Upon his passing in 1951, it's not known how long the Indianapolis-based company existed before finally closing its doors. One of the more popular series of cartoons were the line illustrations of men and women affectionately called 'little big head guys' by many modern fans of these cuts because the heads of the characters were drawn somewhat larger than the rest of their bodies. Shinn Kickers JNL is a collection twenty-six of these illustrations, and just like a kick in the shin (as the pun in the name implies), these charming cartoons get your attention.

Linotype Univers is a completely reworked version of the original Univers typeface family designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1957. After a long process of painstakingly detailed revision, Frutiger and the design staff at Linotype completed this large joint project in 1997. The result: a brilliant and cohesive font family of 63 weights and styles including the 4 monospaced typewriter weights. All the existing weights were completely redrawn, with careful attention paid to making the proportions more consistent with each other and improving fine details such as curves and thick-to-thin stroke ratios. The family was expanded from 27 to 63 weights, providing a much larger framework to graphic designers for choosing just the right style. The bold and condensed weights were reworked for improved legibility and on-screen application. The stroke weights were revised for consistency within each face as well as in relationship to the other weights. By following Frutiger's original designs, the humanist character of the sans serif Univers now comes through more distinctly. T he systemized numbering system has also been updated. With its sturdy, clean forms Univers can facilitate an expression of cool elegance and rational competence. In fact, the strong familial relationships between all the styles and weights make it a serviceable choice for large graphic design projects that require versatility with consistency. Frutiger was successful in staying true to his initial aims; the new Linotype Univers does indeed work in longer texts as well as for display settings. In 2010 the typeface family was extended and renamed into a more logical naming of "Univers Next" to fit better in the Platinum Collection naming. Univers Next Variable are font files which are featuring two axis and have a preset instance from Light to Heavy and Condensed to Extended. Univers® Next font field guide including best practices, font pairings and alternatives.

DESCRIPTION With Skill I wanted to create something wild. Something that splashed the letters with life. To do this, I knew I'd have to break the barrier between analog and digital, so I took my best brush and started to play. Throughout the years as a type-designer I've met and become fan of many calligraphers. My belief that only a good calligrapher can make good typography (1) has become even stronger. I'm now absolutely sure that only practice improves the skill, especially in this field. So, with this in mind, I started a font which was a challenge for me because sometimes the gap between paper and screen can be gigantic. Skill is another of my attemps (2) to capture the spirit of the pointed brush, its expressiveness, the passions and fears of the artist. This font is about freedom. Freedom everywhere. Movement, velocity, passion. To achieve this, many alternates and ligatures per glyph were designed. Use it on magazines, posters, book covers, music albums, t-shirts, skates, tattoos. NOTES (1) This is mostly referred to script fonts, though text fonts made by designers with a deep calligraphic background have at least to me, an extra charm. (2) See my fonts Live and Indie. TIPS Thanks to Open-Type, the font gives the user the chance to play and get many wonderful results: In example, using the font with “discretionary ligatures” activated will give more life to the written word. Some letters will jump of the base, while others will ligate or not with the following (typical of gestural calligraphy). Adobe Illustrator is recommended. STYLES Skill is the most complete style. It has all the alternates and ligatures that can be seen in the posters and more! Skill Standard is a variant with no decorative glyphs. It has the basic alphabet and some ligatures for better legibility.

Cooper Black's second coming to American design in the mid-sixties, after almost four decades of slumber, can arguably be credited with (or, depending on design ideology, blamed for) the domino effect that triggered the whole art nouveau pop poster jam of the 1960s and 1970s. By the early 1970s, though Cooper Black still held its popular status (and, for better or for worse, still does), countless so-called hippie and funk faces were competing for packaging and paper space. The American evolution of the genre would trip deeper into psychedelia, drawing on a rich history of flared, flourished and rounded design until it all dwindled and came to a halt a few years into the 1980s. But the European (particularly German) response to that whole display type trend remained for the most part cool and reserved, drawing more on traditional art nouveau and art deco sources rather than the bottomless jug of new ideas being poured on the other side of the pond. One of the humorous responses to the "hamburgering" of typography was Friedrich Poppl's Poppl Heavy, done in 1972, when Cooper Black was celebrating its 50th anniversary. It is presented here in a fresh digitization under the name Gator (a tongue-in-cheek reference to Ray Kroc, the father of the fast food chain). To borrow the title of a classic rock album, Gator is meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. It is one of the finest examples of how expressively animated a thick brush can be, and one of the better substitutes to the much overused Cooper Black. Gator comes in all popular font formats, and sports an extended character set covering the majority of Latin-based languages. Many alternates and ligatures are included in the font.

Introducing "Beachy," the ultimate summer display font that effortlessly blends elegance with nostalgic 90's and 00's vibes. Uniquely crafted, this multilingual typeface captures the essence of beachy aesthetics, offering both regular and outline variations. Whether you're designing posters, marketing materials, T-shirts, or headlines, "Beachy" infuses your projects with a touch of sophistication. Its versatility shines through, reflecting the sun-soaked days and gentle coastal breezes. What sets "Beachy" apart is its ability to evoke a sense of timeless charm while embracing the retro styles of the past. It pays homage to the bygone era while remaining relevant in modern design trends. Pairing "Beachy" with other related font families or typefaces further enhances its appeal. Consider combining it with complementary styles to create harmonious typographic compositions that exude a cohesive visual experience. Apart from its aesthetic appeal, "Beachy" boasts a wide range of functional aspects. Its character set includes support for multiple languages, allowing you to communicate your message effectively across various cultures and regions. The regular and outline variations offer flexibility, empowering you to experiment and create eye-catching designs that suit your specific needs. The design concept behind "Beachy" was born out of a deep appreciation for the carefree spirit and timeless beauty of coastal living. It aims to encapsulate the feeling of warm sand between your toes, the sound of crashing waves, and the nostalgia associated with 90's and 00's aesthetics. We created "Beachy" because we believe that design should not only be visually captivating but also evoke emotions and memories. By using this font, you can transport your audience to a place where summer never ends, allowing your creativity to flourish in a world of endless possibilities. Let "Beachy" be your gateway to capturing the magic of sun-soaked days and embracing the allure of the coastal lifestyle.

Y’all ready for this? Now starting for Insigne: the new serif Mirantz. This rookie all-star plays a precise game every game, cutting at all the right angles to leave your reader impressed and ready to see more. You can always count on Mirantz to lead with solid mechanics and a clean style, but don’t be surprised when the face keeps it real with a little individual flare and creativity. This personal touch is nothing short of elegance in every appearance. So what makes us love this rookie above the other great players in the field? Contrast, for one. Mirantz brings more contrast to the game than most serifs out there. The serifs on this face have a crisp, sharp wedge that naturally draws the reader’s eye. You can’t help but fall in love with its clean, natural style. Mirantz also features a tall x-height and regular proportions that can play a number of positions on the page and still stay strong through the last half of the copy or even the final period. Mirantz is a solid powerhouse player, containing a complete set of small capitals and nine weights from thin to bold. It can play well both down low and up top with its subscripts and superscripts and can move your reader’s eye easily across the copy with its titling capitals, condensed and extended variants, and open style figures. With its options covering more than 72 Latin-based languages, look for this newcomer to have international success in the near future. It you haven’t set your draft picks for this next round of projects, think hard before passing up Mirantz. A capable serif like this one is a guaranteed asset to any team of fonts. Production assistance from Lucas Azevedo.

Introducing Toughton Handwritten Font Unveil the beauty of handwritten elegance with Toughton, a font that breathes life into your creative projects. Designed to capture the essence of human touch, Toughton transforms words into a poetic dance of strokes and curves. The Art of Personalization Toughton isn't just a font; it's a journey through the art of personalization. Whether you're crafting wedding invitations, designing branding materials, or adding a human touch to your digital creations, Toughton's unique character will infuse your work with warmth and authenticity. Timeless Appeal With a timeless appeal that transcends trends, Toughton embraces the charm of handwritten script. Its fluid strokes and carefully crafted ligatures ensure that every word flows effortlessly, making it the perfect choice for projects that demand elegance and readability. Versatile Application From logos to social media graphics, packaging to editorial designs, Toughton adapts seamlessly to a variety of design contexts. Let your imagination run wild as you explore the versatility of this handwritten gem. Features and Functionality OpenType Features: Toughton comes with a set of OpenType features, including ligatures and alternates, to add depth and character to your text. Multilingual Support: Express yourself in various languages with Toughton's extensive multilingual support. Web and Print Ready: Whether it's for web design or print publications, Toughton is optimized for both digital and physical mediums. Elevate Your Creations Elevate your design game with Toughton Handwritten Font. It's not just a font; it's an artistic tool that allows you to tell your story with flair, grace, and a touch of humanity. Unlock the potential of your creative projects and make your message resonate with the world. Experience the magic of handwritten authenticity. Get Toughton today and let your words dance with elegance.

MMC Insignia, is an Iconic & Emblematic Neogothic Geometric Capitals Display… Assembled by Trivial Squares and Diagonals Symbols Pattern from a puzzled grid Aftermath!! Includes Stylistic Alternates!! +Extra Monospaced Figures. In 22 styles, with Obliques, both for single display and layer Typesetting, plus OpenType Features & Bonus Blocks Fonts! MMC Insignia is a Small Caps Typeface, which default lowercases character set is included in the Pro family, its cursive version, apart from it, has also Exclusive Stylistic Alternates… Its atmosphere stands by on both Corporative to Decorative, Modern, Fashion, Federalist, Bohemian, Romantic, Ludic, Treasured Look, Etc. This Display font-family is the result of the repeated applications of this unique infamous Icon or Symbol, of two counterpointed triangles, implicit as hourglasses, in order to compose an innovative and unprecedented typographic pattern and modulation concept through the letterforms, in an extremely Geometric style. The Graphic Sign used throughout this type, is a remarkable trend used already in Logos of different businesses, whose most famous case refers to a famous International Bank, which doesn’t need to be mentioned, as it is instantly associated! This characteristic innovation was the main motivation while creating this type. Usage Suggestions: Type Fancy Titling texts, Display Remarkable Logos, Branding Projects, Labels, Emblems, Fashion Patterns, or in everything Noble and designed for Excellence as a type of Insignia, or distinguished marks and attributes of Royalty and Power!! That’s also forwardly, the reason why it was named MMC Insignia… TIPS: 1-Combine styles into innumerous possibilities of Chromatic Typesetting, by ‘central pasting’ layers… You may dislocate layers for improvisations! 2-USE BLOCK “FREE-STYLES” 1 & 2 also to add default 3D! Change 3D directions by switching Block 1 to Block 2, that way you can Zig-Zag words and lines. *Also shift the block layer up to bottom limit, it makes the 3D direction turn upside down. Greetings! André, MMC-TypEngine.

Over the past couple of years I received quite a number of unusual and surprising requests to modify my type designs to suit projects of personal nature, but none top the ones that asked me to typeset and modify tattoos using Burgues Script or Adios. At first the whole idea was amusing to me, kind of like an inside joke. I had worked in corporate branding for a few years before becoming a type designer, and suddenly I was being asked to get involved in personal branding, as literally “personal” and “branding” as the expression can get. After a few such requests I began pondering the whole thing from a professional perspective. It was typography, after all, no matter how unusual the method or medium. A very personal kind of typography, too. The messages being typeset were commemorating friends, family, births, deaths, loves, principles, and things that influenced people in a deep and direct way, so much so that they chose to etch that influence on their bodies and wear it forever. And when you decide to wear something forever, style is of the essence. After digging into the tattooing scene, I have a whole new respect for tattoo artists. Wielding that machine is not easy, and driving pigment into people’s skin is an enormous responsibility. Not to mention that they're some of the very few who still use a crafty, hands-on process that is all but obsolete in other ornamentation methods. Some artists go the extra mile and take the time to develop their own lettering for tattooing purposes, and some are inventive enough to create letters based on the tattoo’s concept. But they are not the norm. Generally speaking, most tattoo artists use generic type designs to typeset words. Even the popular blackletter designs have become quite generic over the past few decades. I still cringe when I see something like Bank Script embedded into people’s skin, turning them into breathing, walking shareholder invitations or government bonds. There’s been quite a few attempts at making fonts out of whatever original tattoo designer typefaces can be found out there - wavy pseudo-comical letters, or rough thick brush scripts, but as far as I could tell a stylish skin script was never attempted in the digital age. And that’s why I decided to design Piel Script. Piel is Spanish for skin. In a way, Piel Script is a removed cousin of Burgues Script. Although the initial sketches were infused with some 1930s showcard lettering ideas (particularly those of B. Boley, whose amazing work was shown in Sign of the Times magazine), most of the important decisions about letter shapes and connectivity were reached by observing whatever strengths and weaknesses can be seen in tattoos using Burgues. Tattoos using Adios also provided some minor input. In retrospect, I suppose Affair exercised some influence as well, albeit in a minor way. I guess what I'm trying to say is there is as much of me in Piel Script as there is in any of the other major scripts I designed, even though the driving vision for it is entirely different from anything else I have ever done. I hope you like Piel Script. If you decide it to use it on your skin, I'll be very flattered. If you decide to use it on your skateboard or book cover, I'll be just as happy. Scripts can't get any more personal than this. Piel Script received the Letter2 award, where they selected the best 53 typefaces of the last decade, organised by ATypI.

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.