Be aMultilingual Typographer

o Research is the Key- Fiona Ross believes that best practice is built upon sound research.’ when designing type, we should be familiar with conventions, and a good grounding in the tools and the evolution of shapes throughout its history will provide greater insight into the specificities of the system.

According to Ross, ‘Whether a native reader or not, however, close observation of how harmonization and yet differentiation can be achieved within a new typeface design is affected by analyzing all modes of textual communication, whether past or current, and whether by hand with a pen, stylus or brush or using digital technology. In so doing, the designer can acquire a keen sense of the letterform proportions— and how far one can deviate from them; develop an eye to perceive which elements are key to letterform identification and which treatments can lead to ambiguities; and become sufficiently informed to judge which letterform features are shared and thus can be treated similarly to provide textual cohesion.’ Ross goes on to add that awareness of cultural sensitivities naturally forms an essential ingredienttothe designprocess.

o Find a common visual grammar- The key to creating good multilingual typography is to understand common visual grammar that matches the axis (tilt), modulation (variation in the width of strokes), and apertures (enclosed, interior spaces) of letters to create a consistent appearance while preserving thedominant features ofeach script.

o Legibility is the most important- Pilar Cano, a type designer at Dalton Maag, says “We should look at letters with other eyes, we should understand how we read and what is truly important to preserve legibility.” o Try to get the essence of the typeface- When adapting the logotype from one script to another, it’simportanttoadapt the essence ofthe typefacerather than simplyreplicate itsform. o Harmonize size and weight- When dealing with two unrelated typefaces, simply setting them at the same point size may not lead to them looking like the same size. To harmonize typefaces, they must be tested against each other at incrementally higher and lower sizes and weights until the bestcombination isfound. o Make flexible layouts- A multiscript layout must accommodate the visual characteristics of all its scripts. These can range from directionality of text to vertical and horizontal proportions of letters. One way to achieve a flexible layout is to start with the most complex script first. Another approach, if possible, is to work with several scripts simultaneously so the layout is tailored for all their needs. o Handle with the care- The adaptation of English content into a regional language must be accomplished while retaining the core characteristics of the original brand identity. Thoughtlessly using different fonts on products has a high risk of error, and design may look alien and audience willspot mistakesintheir nativelanguages quickly. o Great going with native designers- “A native reader of a given script has an inherent eye for what looks ‘right’ and what is ‘readable’ and ‘appropriate.’ Depending on the availability of resourcesand opportunities, it can take a non-native designer quite some time to develop a similar sensibility. To accelerate the process, I’ve found it beneficial to collaborate with native designers who can identify areas of improvement in my work and help train my eye.” Aaron Bell (Principal of Seattlebased SajaTypeworks) o EYE for Inspirations- Typography is a visual art form that is fueled by observation and analysis. Lastbut notleast,keep an‘Eye outfor Inspirations.’

Multilingual signageof urbanculture,(Kannada,Hindi and English)Bangalore city

Brucira,Mumbai haddesigned movie posters in different Indianlanguagesfor Disney + Hotstar

Multilingual

One typeface, 93 languagesfor Sony.