Hi guys, after few years without putting any project under public judgment, so here I decide to post this old one that I started to draw in 2013 and keep developing it from time to time until these days.
As a real fan of the Capital Roman model (as in typographic and calligraphic form) I focus my attention on the classical "Capitalis Monumentalis" proportion scheme.
Then I translate this handmade drawing into a digital vector version, in order to get a more accurate idea about the resulting letter shapes.
After this geometric mess, I tried to find every letterform out of it.
Then I get a rough first idea of how it looks the whole alphabet.
Then the current 2021 version is now quite different and less mathematically geometric to be a more optically balanced.
Then I simplify the scheme structure in order to start the lower case design process and decide a harmonic proportion for them.
I will post more images about the design progress in a while.
You can check closer details on the attached PDF below.
Comments
In the latest, 2021 version, the C and G seem just a bit too wide relative to the other letters. I like the amount of presence they have, so wouldn’t make them too much narrower, but a bit would help balance better with D and O.
This is still a very light weight design, which makes sense coming from the linear geometric foundation. Have you experimented with heavier weights yet? They are usually less forgiving, so it is a good idea to work out the heavier stroke versions before committing to structures in a lighter weight, especially in the lowercase.
Could closing the aperture a bit solve the mismatch without (or in addition to) narrowing the form?
It could, but I think that would be way less interesting. The opening of the aperture and the more ‘reaching’ arch is a nice feature introduced in the 2021 version: much more dynamic than the earlier, tighter form.
Have you tried a version of the light weight without the heavy dot on i and filled triangle on the t? I do find them distracting.
Most of the lowercase letters are very stable, because of the geometric construction and vertical counter alignment, but the g has a strong dynamic push towards the lower right, which I think is because the hook does not extend far enough to the left.
I think the little spur on the bar of the G is unnecessary and a bit distracting. There’s nothing else like it in the other caps.
I would make the heavy lowercase t just very slightly lighter, taking a couple of units off the vertical and the hook.
The aperture on /e and /g on the thin weight (2.19) seems to open for me. The /e looks like it about to fall to the right.
Also, the /S and /s doesn't look like it shares the same DNA to me. The /S have a narrower top, while the small caps and lowercase have about the same proportion top and bottom.
The /k on regular weight looks a bit heavy on the joint. The bottom leg needs an optical correction I guess? Make it a bit tapered/flared.
For /G I like the left one, the spur have same angle as the exit stroke on /L
P.S I'm a beginner.
First of all, you have such an eye to see subtle details, that's a very good starting point for (as you said) a "beginner".