New Spirit Italic

Miles Newlyn
Miles Newlyn Posts: 262
edited April 2023 in Type Design Critiques
New Spirit Italics have been a challenging design for Riccardo and I.

Since New Spirit is not a text face, the italics have been design to both harmonise with the Roman in the typical way, but also to stand up as a display on their own.

It's a very lively design, and we've tried to calm it wherever possible. I still feel that there are improvements to be made, but I've become too close and so I'm posting here for your wonderfully fresh eyes.





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Comments

  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 641
    edited April 2023
    I like it, especially 1. Also nice to see someone of your stature post for feedback here on typedrawers. Below is some thoughts on the regular-italic of V1 in no particular order.

    Maybe the backwards curve on f is too much, and have you considered a curve on the bottom as well?

    The o bothers me a little, always hard to get right on italics. Maybe it could be more like the caslon italic o (i.e. move the tension around in a kind of non-calligraphic way, if you see what I mean)? Currently it works with n but not with b imo, so you could also consider changing bdpq.

    Feel like the foot of k is pointing up too much.

    Have you tried ball terminals on the s?

    I would make the comma a bit taller and the dieresis a bit wider, but I might be thinking too much in terms of a text face.

    Maybe a slight curve on the diagonal of y could soften it up?

    I'm not convinced by z. Maybe keep the top straight and give the bottom more curve?

    Have you considered removing the serif on the middle of w?

    The diagonal of e could maybe be more diagonal?

    Is r too wide?

    Keep us posted!
  • Craig Eliason
    Craig Eliason Posts: 1,459
    edited April 2023
    In the non-condensed cuts, to me that “Linotype style” /f feels stingy for such a broad font. 
    Since the non-parallel quality of the sides of /n /h /U is such a signature feature of the face, I wonder if the /u or the first humps of /m /w should partake in that. 
    Should either the top of /M be a little less serify or the top of /A be more serify?
    /N could be a little wider. 
  • Mark Simonson
    Mark Simonson Posts: 1,749
    edited April 2023
    Have you considered dropping the bottom serifs on the lowercase letters (f, h, k, m, n, r) as is more usual for cursive forms? I can see why you might include them on a design like this, though.

    I really like it overall.
  • PabloImpallari
    PabloImpallari Posts: 811
    edited April 2023
    I like it as it is!

    My only suggestion will be to add a little bit of mass to the small uppercase serifs to compensate for the big spur that ends the letters, for example in the /L

  • Cristóbal Henestrosa
    Cristóbal Henestrosa Posts: 77
    To my eyes, they look great, specially the condensed version. Congrats!
  • Miles Newlyn
    Miles Newlyn Posts: 262
    Thankyou @Jasper de Waard, @Craig Eliason, @Mark Simonson, @PabloImpallari.
    I shall take all of your suggestions on and share the next update.
  • Nick Shinn
    Nick Shinn Posts: 2,271
    @Miles Newlyn
    …New Spirit is not a text face…
    I’ve seen worse, that purport to be!
  • Claudio Piccinini
    Claudio Piccinini Posts: 686
    Possibly (very) slightly reduce further the inclination of the right legs of letters like /n, /m and /h? In the Condensed they barely strike a balance, but in the regular they give too much "movement", IMO.
    Great to see you posting!
  • Miles Newlyn
    Miles Newlyn Posts: 262

  • Miles Newlyn
    Miles Newlyn Posts: 262
    edited May 2023
    I'm happier with this, but it still looks a little peculiar, especially the light weights.

    redrawn right legs of /n/m/h
    Lower serifs removed from /f/h/k/m/n/r/p/w.
    middle serif removed from /w
    ball terminated /s

    the /z still needs work.



  • Mark Simonson
    Mark Simonson Posts: 1,749
    I think it works better.

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