make up a cool typeface

There’s a kind of a hush this week and since Rat has always been a piker when it comes to New Year’s festivities, it seems like a good time to put paint to paper and develop the new typeface.

I know what I want to do. It’s going to be another variation of quirky handwriting, but with more emphasis on serifs and flourishes of optional characters. Perhaps it’ll be the world’s first semi-serif hand-lettered typeface. There’s a good goal.

but I can’t bear to take it down. Is it possible to create an entry in the typeface of one’s choice?
While Nick the fontographer is in Russia promoting his foundry, secretly I am stirring up the beginnings of a sister typeface.

additional stuff coming later.
I’ll wait to mark the goal ‘done’ until the corks pop!

It’s almost ready. The fontographer wishes to add swash capitals in time for an official launch party…but will put the typeface in MyFonts now. Can’t wait!

is in the fontographer’s hands.
He has all my flourishes, all my prosaic script.

My next step is to create a thematic series of iconic drawings to accompany the typeface.

To boldly go, etc. etc.

I have asked the fontographer to add an alternate set of flourished gothic capital letters which I will draw over the next few days. These can be used at the whim of the user for decorative purpose, design interest, emphasis, or whatever.

...sort of. The fontographer is wisely toning down the whips, burrs and flourishes (here I expect the hawk’s ears to prick up- no bad puns allowed) because the point of this exercise is to make a typeface that has some edge but must in the end be legible, usable, of quiet quirk.

making the symbols and dingbats now.
We’re almost there!

It’s going to be based on the peculiarities of my handwriting (or lack thereof- it’s a hybrid of printed scrawl and cursive). There will be a series of accompanying dingbats and quasi-Gothic icons.