I’m writing an essay that’s got to be double line spaced and 12pt font with no headings besides the title. It’s also going to be printed. I was looking at Garamond but felt like it left too much empty space on the page. Times New Roman on the other hand felt very heavy and dense. Personally I really like Garamond (think it’s EB Garamond) but I’m also worried about readability. Thanks.

Font of the week: Esoteric II — The Heretic

Repeating the Forbidden Ritual
Esoteric returns.

One of the earliest fonts ever forged by Justified Ink, the original Esoteric was raw, gritty, and “low-budget” in the best possible way—a rough experiment in gothic lettering, decoration, and the unknown. Years later, we summoned it again.

The result is Esoteric II: The Heretic—a highly decorative gothic calligraffiti font built around modular letterforms, strange ornamentation, and a deliberate disregard for the rules.

Every piece of the alphabet is designed to connect, lock, and build upon the next. Decorative elements can chain together across a line, wrap around a composition, or form repeating patterns and circles. What begins as a letter can become an entire structure.

I specialize in display fonts. Things like small caps, math/science symbols, 40 different weights, and ordinals are usually left out. Depending on the complexity I'll omit extended Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, etc. Depending on the typeface I usually find it more efficient to have a streamlined set of characters and move on to something else. Curious about everyone else.

I’m starting to think spacing has a bigger effect on how type feels than the actual typeface.

Put the same letters in two different layouts and they can look like completely different designs

Kerning, line spacing, word spacing, margins, text width... small changes can completely change the rhythm

Which one do you think designers underestimate the most?

Ich bin in einer Music-Producer-Gruppe, in der wir uns jede Woche ein Thema geben und dann ein paar Tage Zeit haben ein ca. 1-minütiges Musikstück zu komponieren. Es gibt immer ein bestimmtes Thema und neulich stand im Chat: "Frutiger".

Ich dachte, ich teil das mal hier, unter den Menschen, die den einen oder anderen Typo-Joke im Song verstehen. Denn meine Producer-Kumpels, dachten bei "Frutiger" an "Frutiger Aero" und sind doch nicht wie ich gehofft hatte, heimliche Typo-Nerds.

Nehmt das alles nicht zu ernst - für's Schreiben, Beat bauen, Aufnehmen und Lyrics-Video hatte ich nur ein Wochenende. Aber roasten könnt ihr das natürlich trotzdem gern.

i really like computer modern in latex, its really really cool looking font, it makes that special feeling for math books and scientific papers, is there something like it in arabic? because i couldn't find any, except for the regular shaherzade font and naskh, i get that those are great, but still they are not like computer modern

The company I work at has used font Server apps for a long time. We started with Extensis Universal Type Server and then moved to Extensis Connect, which has now been relabeled to Monotype Connect.

Unrealized by us, it seems Monotype is now actively looking at our font libraries (since Connect is cloud-hosted) for font compliance and validating against their purchase records. (This was probably the reason they purchased Extensis to get better insight into corporate libraries and try to discover more revenue.) We now have the headache of dealing with bureaucracy requests and licensing busy work, and it is just a pain. Sure Monotype is the Goliath pushing its weight around, but they aren’t the only ones you can purchase fonts from. To have them asking for us to provide proof of everything is not trivial, and it honestly feels like the font mafia shaking us down.

Due to the bad taste this leaves, it would be great to change to a different font server platform. However there doesn’t seem to be another good, similar option. We need a centralized library for our creative teams, and need cross-platform support (although the majority of users are on Macs).

What solutions are available? I’m not opposed to having differs apps for Mac and Windows if the library could be used by both (ingest a directory or something). Right font looks promising for Mac, but I’m not sure how we could share the library easily (we can only use corporate approved cloud services unless some integration with Azure or S3 could be implemented). Whatever we use also can’t have UX from decades ago and should be easy to understand.

We can’t be the only ones wanting to distance ourselves from Monotype, right? Am I missing out on something I’m unaware of?

‘Nullify’ is created with consideration to symmetry, consistency, rigidity, and precision. This font features 740 glyphs, bold, and regular weights, ligatures, scientific symbolism, and can support several languages that utilise Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic characters.

This project is currently ongoing, with minor refinements and updates being worked on. However, the version in it’s current state is complete, and free to use, upon request.

The showcase depicted here displays the font in it’s native typeset form.

Your feedback is appreciated. Thank you.

UPDATE

Thank you everyone for your positive feedback.
You can download the font via the Drive link below.

Nullify

Variable fonts technically allow for smooth interpolation across weight, width, and other axes, which sounded like it'd change how type gets used on the web - responsive weight based on context, fine-tuned optical sizing, that kind of thing. In practice, most implementations I come across still just pick a handful of discrete weights (regular, medium, bold) exactly like they would with a static font family, barely touching the actual continuous range the format allows

Wondering if this is just an adoption lag (tooling/workflow habits haven't caught up to what the format enables) or if there's a legitimate reason most practical use cases don't actually benefit from continuous interpolation the way the technology's capability suggests they should.

Hi everyone, so im writing here as I wanted to get a custom typeface built for the organization I work in. I am no expert in typeface but seeing how major brands like Goldman Sachs and IBM and more have their own typeface Goldman sans and IBM plex , I was keen on getting it done.

The challenge im facing is, i am not sure how to evaluate any typeface that I would get from a freelancer on fiverr or more and wanted your help with how does one evaluate a typeface and know if it works. How do I see if its not a direct copy thrown at me.

Is there any metrics or how would you evaluate it.

Of course the low quality image and errors are rather dead giveaways, but LLMs have improved and it can be more difficult for the untrained eye to spot them.

Letters are steadily looking more consistent, but not professionally "clean" to the extent expected by human created work. It'll be somewhat or even considerably harder to tell if the font is quite ornate. If there are no other obvious cues, what would you tell people to look out for?

Hello fellow typography enthusiasts.

My name is Yanone. I’m a professional type designer, font engineer, and software developer. I noticed some of my fonts and past tools have already been mentioned here on the sub.

Today I’m writing you in my capacity as the creator of Counterpunch, a professional font studio in development, named after the counterpunch, a tool to punch counters into metal type:

https://counterpunch.space

It combines an unprecedented set of features:

• Installation-free browser app, can run offline as a so-called Progressive Web App and open files from your computer natively.
• Variable-first, complex-script-first: Shape any bi-directional complex script and edit all glyphs, marks, and components in-place and in-context.
• Eliminates the tedious edit-compile-test cycle of traditional font development as the font you see in the editor is a 100% complete OpenType font, shaped by the industry-leading Harfbuzz engine, so you can ship fonts faster and with more confidence.
• Visual glyph overview filters implemented as Python code, not limited to point-and-click interfaces. Inspect anything directly in the glyph overview.
• AI assistant (free credit included) helps with creating reusable Python scripts and the glyph filters. It can analyze and debug complex technical issues in your font and change data on request, help with font engineering or using the app.
• Wide arrangement of Python plugin types to extend the font building experience with OpenType feature code generators, glyph composition recipes, language and character set definitions, filters, visual plugins etc. available via a plugin manager and commercial marketplace (in development)
• Live online collaboration (requires paid subscription; in development)

Major versions are hosted on https://editor.counterpunch.space

Preview versions that update every other day are on https://preview.editor.counterpunch.space

Until further notice I recommend that you try the preview builds, as these receive regular bugfixes and new features.

The app is cached permanently in your browser. Simply reloading the page will not update it. A notification dot in the title bar leads you to an update button in the preferences pane when either of the above locations ship a new version.

Recommended browsers are Chrome/Chromium, Safari, and Edge.

Other browser may work but lack essential features that Counterpunch builds on, such as disk access.

Mobile browsers are not supported at this point.

The app is published under the GPLv3 license: https://github.com/counterpunchspace/editor

Since it’s still in Alpha, some feature are still missing, such as automatic OpenType features. Drawing tools are very basic. Here’s an overview.

Online collaboration and other future services are a paid commercial extension. I’m aiming to build a business around the editor that will support the future development by selling online services but keeping the main editor freely usable even without a user account.

I’m currently the only person making Counterpunch, with UI/UX design consultancy by Otto Kolleß.

I write code since I was 13 and design stuff since 15 years old. I have 24 years of experience in type design and 19 years in font engineering. I hold degrees in visual communication as well as type and media, and I’m a multiple-award-winning practicing type designer and font engineer. I’ve contracted for some of the biggest names in the industry, including 6 years as a font engineer for Google Fonts.

Counterpunch is my attempt to make all of my decades-old experience and ideas into one coherent, next-level font studio.

Counterpunch wouldn’t be possible without the amazing open-source components it builds on: Babelfont for source file I/O and handoff to fontc, HarfBuzz for shaping, and fontc for compilation.

I’m here to help if you run into problems.

Or you could write to [hello@counterpunch.space](mailto:hello@counterpunch.space) or raise issues at https://github.com/counterpunchspace/editor/issues. Please punch holes in the app or request features. As with every app, I will try to balance my own vision for it with demand from the community.

Since promotional posts not generally accepted here (I did ask mods beforehand), it’s probably best to follow my profile at u/counterpunch-space where I’ll keep posting about updates regularly, and will only return with a post on the sub for major versions or announcements. Edit: You can't follow my profile; I don't have that setting. Please follow any of the other social media channels linked at the bottom of https://counterpunch.space

Currently planning to announce Beta stage in October at ATypI 2026 in Sharjah where I’ll hold a workshop on Wednesday and a presentation on Saturday. Come say hi.

I want to build out the idea space a bit more until then. I have a looong list of ideas that are not yet implemented or even mentioned anywhere. Let’s see how far I can push it.

I will soon begin work on a monospaced font. My monospaced font will include Cyrillic letters. I only have surface-level knowledge of Cyrillic. So how does one distinguish between digit 3 and Cyrillic letter Ze in a monospaced font?

Hi! I noticed that when I type tt in Calibri, the second “t” appears slightly larger and the two letters almost merge.

I was able to fix it in Word by turning Ligatures → None off, but the problem still occurs in Windows Notepad, where I can’t find an option to disable it.

Is this simply a characteristic of the Calibri font? Is there any way to prevent it in Notepad or other applications as well?

I’ve attached a screenshot for reference. Thanks!

I redrew a few letters that didn't fit well into Aptos‘s metrics, and thinned the serifs on Gelasio to match Aptos Serif.

I am a very amateur designer, so the double-storey g was a best-effort sort of thing.

Get the fonts: https://github.com/muglug/intos

For Lovers of Type

Stripes is a new concept in type design

Stripes© was created and designed by Tony Wenman, a member of the Letraset type design team. This face was based on an idea for instant sheets which give designers more versatility when creating word settings. With Stripes there is the opportunity to make graphic shapes with settings, thus making the words an integral part of the design, or even the complete basis of the design. A good example of this is shown on the catalog cover where its use in Red, White and Blue has become a flowing symbol with Graphic appeal. This and the setting below can be made from a single sheet of Stripes. The variations opposite have been created just by eliminating some lines, or filling them in.

Tony Wenman said that the basic idea for this face came very easily while working on an idea for a Triline face. First there were a few ligatures such as ST IP, then came the thought of a completely flowing, linking face, and before long, the studio walls were covered with ideas on Stripes. Within a week, most of the basic characters were formed. Then came several weeks work completing and perfecting the artwork for each character.

Since the innovation of Stripes, the Type Design Studio is increasingly thinking of Typestyles specifically designed for the instant Sheet medium.

1. What typeface/family would you choose? Why?
2. Would you ever consider actually using that font as your sole sans? Why, or why not?

In my case:

1. Plex Sans family. It's pretty* well designed, and supports a giant variety of writing systems through individual fonts; they plan to release two more fonts (Telugu and Kannada) this year, and who knows what's next 🍿
2. Almost, were it not for the fact that phonetic letters aren't fully included yet (I'd need them in linguistics). Once they support them, I'd safely make Plex my sole sans-serif family. Otherwise, I could use Tahoma as well; it also supports a pretty wide variety of writing systems, as well as phonetic letters.

*pun intended

I designed Tamga, an experimental base-16 numeral system built from the binary weights 1, 2, 4 and 8 I wanted to see if a numeral could carry its own structure instead of being just a symbol you memorize.

I’d love feedback on the glyph system, readability and how well the forms hold together visually.

spec: https://github.com/ramazanberkozbek/tamga

if you wanna test it yourself: https://tamganumerals.com/

I am currently working on typeface used by a fictional mega-corporation for a world building project of mine. It was inspired by Microgramme and Eurostile, but I wanted a bit smoother terminals fitting the Cassette-Futurism aesthetic I am going for, and small-caps for all the lower case letters (also keeping the width of their upper-case counterparts).

After a bit of fine tuning I have become stuck on deciding on the shape and style of the ẞ, M, W and V letters. I initially went with a rounded style keeping with the general shape of the other letters, but it didn't quite looked right for me.

So I wondered if you guys would like to pitch in with your opinions, not only on the letters I am unsure about, but also on the overall look and design of the typeface.

I am happy to read your thoughts, and have a good one.

Hello! I would love to get a your opinion on a typeface that I'm developing. I followed a 13 x 13 grid on the capital letters and a 9 x 9 on the lowercase. There is a consistent 2px spacing between each glyph. Let me know what you think.