How I created my own typeface from scratch.
By: Aparna Ashok
Tags: Design, Typography, Typeface, Design Process, Typeface Design

Its always fascinated me how the shape and visual appearance of letters could have a significant impact on how you perceive any kind of written text. Almost as if these letters have their very own personalities. Using a serif font automatically makes my writing seem much more polished and classy (even though it probably isn’t). Most of us take type for granted and completely overlook the painful, tedious process that goes behind the creation of these beautiful letterforms.

I did typography as a course during my BA. It was a basic introduction to type, we went over the rules and various nuances involved with typography. What I realised with time is that gaining a sense of what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ typography can never be taught, but it is just a matter of practice and being exposed to different kinds of type.

I was given the opportunity to create a typeface as part of my course at the Royal College of Art. You can imagine how excited I was when the course started. Since I wasn’t familiar with the ways of typeface creation, I decided to base it on something that I could relate to the most. I wanted to create a typeface that harmonised two different cultures. A culmination of east and west.

Step 1-Ideate

I began by mind-mapping my ideas that lead to a sea of endless possibilities, which was counterproductive for me because it was intimidating and confusing. Eventually, I managed to narrow it down to three different topics of representation. The option that resonated the most with me was the one that was based on a South Indian music festival called the ‘Margazhi’ season, which is hosted from mid-November until up to early January, a time that is filled with culture and tradition.

Step 2-Create a foundation

Next, I created a mood-board that acted as a constant source of visual reference. Since my groundwork was in place, I had to decide how my typeface was going to be used. Was it a serif or sans-serif typeface? Was it going to be a display typeface that would be better to view at larger sizes or was it body copy only? Was it digital or was it exclusively meant for the print medium? I had to establish when and how the typeface would be used.

As a visual designer, it is vital that I constantly ask myself these questions. It not only simplifies the process but it always keeps a check on my wandering mind. The answer to these questions then become the DNA of the typeface. It determines the way it will look, the way/s it will be used, and more importantly, how it can impact the way we perceive the product or object it is on.

Step 3-Sketch, sketch and sketch

Once I established and determined the structure and anatomy of the typeface, I began sketching. I started with the letter ‘A’, I explored many variations within the letterform. My sketches started off as tiny diagrams that lacked confidence. I tried combining and morphing the Latin script with the Dravidian Tamil script, which was when I realised that I couldn’t force-fit shapes that didn’t match. I changed my strategy and began analysing the two scripts side-by-side and in isolation, when I discovered that there were in fact, many similarities between the two.

I decided to start fresh, and re-sketch. This time, my sketches were big and sharp, packed with lots of confidence. By the end of the week, I was beginning to get the hang of things and had progressed to creating 9 other letters.

Step 4-Reduce and refine

I always prefer doing my initial work on paper. It helps me think and get a better sense of what I’m trying to achieve with my designs. Once I gained a sense of direction, I decided to go digital. Since I had my core letters in place, creating the rest of the family became much easier. At this stage, the design process begins to focus purely on refinement and reduction of unnecessary elements. I found this the hardest because it's always very difficult to strike the right balance between simplicity and detail. After weeks of experimenting, I was satisfied with the outcome and I was ready to let the whole world see my very own typeface.

There are still many more aspects to typeface creation that I need to learn. But this was an incredible experience I had lots of fun working on this project. It took me on a journey of self-learning and self-critique which is very important in my line of work. I hope to continue experimenting and creating new interesting typefaces.