Monday 2 April 2012

Hand-made typeface for a Machine-made age

There is something very appealing about a hand-made element in a digital or print design. Perhaps the reason is that we are so accustomed to this idea of perfection this machine-age has created for us, that when we come across handmade forms it achieves different goals. Ones that cannot be generated by machine such as craftsmanship and humanity.

The beauty of handmade fonts is that it can adopt characteristics of other elements it is made from. For example, typeface that is created with thread and needle may symbolize feelings of comfort, and a domestic environment. While a typeface created with twigs and leaves, symbolize nature and organic impressions. Finally, just plain graphite or pen handwritten letters reclaims the Humanist style, and restores its missing humanity that is void from a computer generated font.

What makes a handmade typeface so unique from a computer generated font is that it is void of geometric restrictions. Straight lines and symmetry are abandoned, giving us the opportunity to break free of formulaic rules and create something truly unique.

1 comment:

  1. I love the character that handmade typefaces show... you get so much more feeling when each letter is different!
    Megan R

    ReplyDelete