
The great enigma There are hidden depths to FS Silas Sans. First impressions are of a functional, multi-purpose typeface with a cool, edgy, angular character. Gaze into its eyes a little longer, though, and you'll detect a more nuanced, colourful personality, with full, open, satisfyingly squarish forms balancing the abruptness of the sharply-angled terminals and ascenders. Authoritative, official and stern on the outside; amiable and welcoming on the inside. Youâre so Dane The designers, led by Phil Garnham, were trying to capture something straight-talking, authentic, and a little... Scandinavian. âWe were thinking about some of the characters in Danish dramas that were on in the early stages of the fontâs development, like The Killing and The Bridge,â says Phil. âThe police officers, that is, not the psychopathic killers. Smart and a bit cool, but with a warm heart.â For a good Danish name, we settled on Silas. It was that or Hans-Christian. The finer points Silas Sans rewards close inspection. Study, if you will, its amply squarish forms, the roomy âoâ and âeâ, in particular. Observe the angular ascenders and terminals of, for example, the âLâ, âIâ, âdâ and âiâ, inferring the movement and lift of a pen. Consider the cuts to the âAâ and âvâ that create harmony with adjacent letters. And scrutinise the subtle ink traps set within the âAâ and âYâ for reproduction at small sizes. A fine subject, we think youâll agree, and available in a versatile range of weights to make (with FS Silas Slab) a typographic system with a comprehensive hierarchy.