TYPOGAMA | A DIGITAL TYPE FOUNDRY
Typeface design is a strange occupation; on the one hand, you see and use it everyday and yet very few people are actually aware of the work that goes into creating a typeface.
There are obviously as many ways to make a font as there are people, here we are simply laying out our process of creation to show you how we conceive, implement and test our designs to be sure that we are providing the best solutions to our users.
Phase 1
Phase one of a typeface creation is the most creative part since we are aiming to create an original design that is both functional but also harmonious in it's forms. Usually starting as a sketch, many letterforms, terminals, weights, are explored untill we find a base we are happy to pursue.
This first phase is then imported digitally into vector software like Adobe Illustrator, from the pencil drawings, we then start to actually build the base forms of the typeface.
Phase 2
Phase two is a more technical side since we move into the world of FontLab and the actual working of our typeface. Completling the basic required glyphs is simply the first step, we are also making sure the strokes are correct, the forms aligned and well balanced.
During this phase, we will also start working on the classes and kerning for the various letter combinations. This phase is critical in creating a working design since it avoids a designer having to correct every combination, we can leave that to typesetters.
We also start to implement any Opentype features that we may have imagined, be it extended glyph support for different languages, various number style solutions or the more common features of ligatures, alternates or swash forms.
Phase 3
The last phase is what we love! Finally, after many weeks or months of work, we finally start to see a finalised typeface come together and we can start testing the design in various applications or mediums. Testing the various features is an important aspect to make sure we have correct code and application. It is also at this moment that we finalise the name and promotion aspects, that can seem quite simple, but is actually a moment where we can easily get lost spending many hours debating a font name or what is the best display situation! Oh the joys of type creation, if we didn't love, we wouldn't be here!
For any questions, feel free to email:
Typogama / Parson Research
6 Rue de Fribourg, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
+41 (0)79 476 22 75