Hello,
I'm a designer learning type design right now, and I'd love some critique on my first typeface, an art deco-looking display face called Nirosta. I can sense that there's plenty wrong with it, but I need some help seeing what all the problems are. (I'd like to keep fiddling around with it, plus start another one soon.)
In your eyes, what are the main problems here?
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It appears that your horizontal strokes are the same mathematical weight as the vertical strokes. This makes them appear heavier. You’ll want to lighten those if you want even strokes throughout.
The ‘M’ is far too wide. Perhaps you pulled those diagonals from the ‘N’. Consider the ‘V’ angles instead.
I'm not sure about the bar of the /G - no other horizontals are doubled.
The /4 shape strikes me as odd - the square, serifed form doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the characters, but that might just be me.
Is the /Y right or would it look better with reversed stress as per /V/W/X?
To me it looks like there's too much overshoot on the /C and /G.
Next I would want to make some words and see how the spacing looks.
There are some good references that can help you to understand better all of this, like "Shaping text" of Jan Middendorp. You can also look at how other typefaces deal with the proportions, not necessarily designs similar to yours. You can learn a lot looking at good references. Hope this is helpful.
2nd, Welcome Lindsey, it seems you’ve got a long road to go ahead of you.
3rd, before bothering with single details, a more general remark of advice seems to be called for here and now.
How far did you go by now with studying type design basicly? Do you think you have a secured feeling about how an alphabet design system works? Do you think you have a command of basic lettering skills? Do you think you have a sufficient grasp of Art Déco shaping fancies? Think twice …
The design shown in your Pdf reveals too many flaws to be talked about in extenso at this stage. Waste of time.
My suggestion: Put it aside for a while and turn to study type. Turn to old book spreads or shopfronts or Art Déco posters; sketch or draw or write script styles and letterforms which you encounter in real life. Surely you have a tutor in type … stick to what he recommends to you. Then, after a while, get back to your design idea. And see what the journey was good for …
good luck
I think this type of project is the best way to familiarize yourself with the tools of the trade. A lot of new designers start off by attempting a text font with italics, small caps, extensive language coverage and a range of weights. It's like building a house before you've attempted a spice rack.
I don't have a tutor but I'm reading Karen Cheng's book Designing Type and also the Walter Tracy one, Letters of Credit, right now. That's why all of this feedback is invaluable to me. So—thank you everyone!
All the studying in the world won't do as much for you as testing letters in words. That way, you'll be able to see where a lot of the problems are.
I haven't read Karen Cheng's book, so I can't vouch for or against it, but I do think Walter Tracy is a decent start. If you want books, I suggest you check out Inside Paragraphs by @cyrus highsmith. Although it's focused on typography rather than type design, it is from a type designer's POV.
Always, always space as you draw. Test your letters in nonsense strings, trying to get them to work with each other, between straights (H, n) and rounds (O, o).