This work-in-progress document is a running collection of notes captured while focusing on self-directed type design research. Approaching my aesthetic interests with a contemporary perspective, I am dedicated to the extensive research, design, development, and production of fresh and original typefaces that are unique in concept, impeccable in execution, and will eventually serve the widest possible audience; keyword, eventually.
As a designer, occasionally focussing on type to use in my own work, the outcome of this endeavor will always primarily reflect my own tastes and obsessions. A library that I myself will use in my own work, through which activity letter shapes can be further examined, and continuously refined. I see type design first and foremost as an artistic domain, albeit one that is exposed to the countless challenges of an ever-changing technological landscape. As much as type needs to please the eye, engage the heart, and speak to the mind, it also needs to seamlessly function as modern, multilayered computer software, embedded in the platforms of digital topography. Drawing from my passion for technology and craft on this journey, my goal is to relentlessly work towards broadening my competences, acquire and continuously refine a skillset that in turn will enable the best outcomes possible.
Ben Kucsan is a product designer with a passion for visual design, interaction design, product thinking, strategy, prototyping, typography, and cross-functional collaboration. While at Facebook, Reality Labs, and WhatsApp, he has led the design of features and products reaching a wide range of audiences on a global scale. In 2016, he received the Real Time Innovator award from the British Fashion Council. He holds an MA in design.
Centuries before graphic design became a recognized profession in the late 1900s, typography already played an essential role in European culture. The invention of movable type in the 1500s made it possible to print Latin-alphabet texts widely during the Renaissance. Johann Gutenberg (1398–1468), a goldsmith from Mainz, Germany, is the figure most often linked to the rise of mechanical printing. While he didn’t invent the printing press, oil-based inks, or cast metal type, he was the first in Europe to successfully bring these elements together to produce books. This breakthrough made it possible to mass-produce printed materials on a scale never seen before, quickly replacing the slow methods of block printing and hand copying.
In 1455, Gutenberg published his famous two-volume Gutenberg Bible, a massive work of 1,282 pages that took nearly two years to produce. Fewer than 200 copies were printed. The Bible was set in Textura, a dense gothic “blackletter” script modeled on medieval handwriting. Gutenberg’s goal was to make printed books as beautiful as handwritten manuscripts so they could compete in a market that valued ornate craftsmanship. These early printed books were luxury items, accessible only to the wealthy, but they set a high typographic standard that shaped printing for generations. After the Bible’s release, printing technology spread rapidly; by 1500, Germany alone had more than 1,000 printers.
Although Gutenberg in Germany used blackletter, a competing style called “roman” emerged in 1460s Venice. Printers like Nicolas Jenson and Aldus Manutius established the first roman typefaces, which were clearer and more readable than blackletter. Aldus’s punchcutter Francesco Griffo created the typeface that later inspired Bembo, a classic Old Style roman. Old Style designs feature gentle contrast between thick and thin strokes and diagonal stress, reflecting humanist handwriting. In the 1500s, Claude Garamond refined the Old Style tradition, and his well-proportioned romans and italics became the model for many later book typefaces, remaining among the most influential in typographic history.
By the early 1700s, type began to evolve into the Transitional category. Designers such as John Baskerville increased stroke contrast, tightened letterforms, and introduced more vertical stress. Transitional types reflect a shift toward a more rational and engineered look. They also signaled growing interest in scientific precision, clarity, and reproducibility in printed materials. Improvements in paper quality and printing presses at the time made these sharper, higher-contrast designs possible.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Modern (or Didone) typefaces emerged, marked by extremely high stroke contrast and razor-thin serifs. The leading figure was Giambattista Bodoni, whose work defined the crisp, geometric style associated with the Enlightenment and early industrial printing. At the same time in England, William Caslon preserved the warmth of Old Style but modernized its proportions. Caslon’s types became the dominant book fonts of the 18th century and were used in early American printing — including the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
By the mid-19th century, the rise of advertising and industrial signage demanded new typographic forms, eventually leading to the first widely adopted sans serif types. Early sans serifs were often called “grotesques” for their stark, unadorned appearance. This evolution culminated in 1898 with Akzidenz Grotesk, produced by the Berthold Type Foundry in Berlin. It became one of the first major sans serif families and influenced many later designs, including Helvetica and Univers. Akzidenz Grotesk marks the shift from traditional serif typefaces rooted in Renaissance calligraphy to the functional, modernist typography of the 20th century.
Writing a brief is crucial to define the purpose and goals of the typeface. It helps clarify the target audience and the contexts where the type will be used. A clear brief guides creative decisions, ensuring consistency in style, tone, and functionality. It saves time by providing a reference point for evaluating design decisions. The brief also helps communicate the vision to collaborators or clients. Ultimately, a detailed design brief keeps the work focused, purposeful, and aligned with its intended use.
Exploring different approaches in rough form is vital because it connects research with creative experimentation, grounding new ideas in informed design decisions. By analyzing reference typefaces, it can be identified what works well and what can be refined, reimagined.
The transition from conceptual ideas to tangible letterforms. After defining the core character set of the typeface, the focus is on achieving consistency in proportions, curves, and visual rhythm. Working with words instead of isolated letters reveals how forms interact in real use. It helps identify spacing, harmony, and visual coherence early in the process. Ultimately, this stage ensures that the typeface functions well both from an aesthetic, as well as a practical perspective.
Adding symbols, punctuation marks, and special characters ensures that the type works well in real-world settings, transforming an alphabet into a fully functional typeface. Expanding to multiple language sets increases accessibility and usability across diverse regions and contexts.
Proper spacing determines how readable and visually balanced the typeface will appear. Even the most well drawn letters can look awkward without consistent and thoughtful spacing. Testing combinations of letters helps identify spacing issues that affect rhythm and flow of text. Continuous adjustment during the drawing process keeps the design cohesive and balanced. It also ensures that words and sentences feel natural and harmonious.
OpenType features enhance the functionality and flexibility of a typeface. They enable advanced typographic functions like contextual ligatures, alternate glyphs, tabular numbers, and stylistic sets. Through these features, the typeface gets more versatile and adaptable.
Exporting and testing the files helps reveal how the typeface actually performs across different software and digital environments. It ensures that spacing, kerning, and OpenType features work as intended in real-world use. Exporting in multiple formats guarantees compatibility with both print and digital platforms. Ultimately, this process ensures that technical and visual inconsistencies are caught and fixed, and the final product is polished, reliable, and ready for professional application.
A distribution model in combination with a marketing plan ensures that the typeface reaches its audience effectively. Preparing specimens, promotional materials, and a pricing model establishes a professional presentation which in turn supports adoption and recognition.
A great benefit of sharing work publicly is that standards are automatically raised. Just the sheer awareness that others will see the output sharpens focus and attention to detail. Even a small or imagined audience creates accountability that private work lacks. The edits are more careful, thinking is more clear, and ideas are expressed with greater precision. The act of publishing transforms a draft into a statement. In that pressure, the work matures, and so does its creator.
Writing a brief is crucial to define the purpose and goals of the typeface. It helps clarify the target audience and the contexts where the type will be used. A clear brief guides creative decisions, ensuring consistency in style, tone, and functionality. It saves time by providing a reference point for evaluating design decisions. The brief also helps communicate the vision to collaborators or clients. Ultimately, a detailed design brief keeps the work focused, purposeful, and aligned with its intended use.
What is to be designed and more importantly, why? What specific problem does this typeface aim to solve? What are the most important guiding principles of the work? How should the typeface differentiate itself from existing alternatives? What measurable goals or success criteria define a finished design?
How to classify the typeface according to formal principles? Which key formal attributes, i.e., contrast, proportion, modulation define the category? How to classify the typeface based on historical developments? Should the typeface adhere to a single classification or blend multiple traditions? How closely should the design follow historic models versus reinterpret them?
What is going to be the function and size range of the typeface? What environments, i.e., print, web, UI, signage must the typeface perform well in? Will the typeface require optical sizes or variable design axes? Will the typeface be released publicly or only for personal use? What technical limitations, i.e., rendering, licensing, embedding must be considered?
Who needs or wants this typeface and more importantly, why? Who is going to set and who is going to read the typeface? What cultural or industry-specific expectations does the audience have regarding typography? What level of typographic literacy can be assumed for the readers? How inclusive must the typeface be across age groups, abilities, or reading conditions?
What is the desired tone of voice intended for the typeface? What emotional qualities, i.e., friendly, authoritative, neutral, playful should the design convey? What kind of first impression should the typeface create? How expressive or restrained should the letterforms be? Should the voice remain consistent across all weights and styles?
In what broader, surrounding reality will the typeface exist in? What movements in contemporary type design relate to this project? What are the three ‘like-to-look-like’ typefaces for this project? Which competitive typefaces might influence or challenge this design? What cultural, technological, or aesthetic shifts might affect its long-term relevance?
What language blocks should the typeface support? What kind of extras and special characters are required? Should the typeface support advanced typographic features, i.e., ligatures, alternates, small caps? Are numeral styles, i.e., lining, oldstyle, tabular, proportional required? Should the character set accommodate accessibility guidelines or specialized domains?
How many styles or fonts should be designed for the typeface? Is a variable font version necessary to cover intermediate styles or custom axes? Is there consideration for a connecting typeface or superfamily? Should the style range support specific use cases, i.e., captions, headlines, text? What interpolation strategy will ensure consistency across weights and widths?
Bézier curve is a parametric curve defined by a set of anchor points and control points, used extensively in vector graphics for creating smooth, scalable shapes.
Handle is a point sitting off of a Bézier curve, controlling the path of the curve between two nodes.
Node is a point sitting directly on a Bézier curve, delimiting section of the curve. Nodes can have two, one, or no handles.
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