SA RTO R I A 1
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contents 4 | PROBLEM 8 | CONCEPT 12 | RESEARCH 16 | DEVELOPMENT 24 | TROUBLEMAKERS 28 | SPECIMENS 34 | APPLICATION 40 | CITATION
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the PROBLEM
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Didot: the trade-dress of superior sartorial editorials. With an effect comparable to Midas’ touch, it exudes a sense of grandeur most other typefaces cannot even dream of aspiring to. It is no wonder it has become the go-to for fashion magazines seeking to make a statement about the quality of their content. It has been used so often though, making an appearance on iconic mastheads of industry titans Vogue, Elle, W, and Harper’s Bazaar, that it begs the question—is there nothing else out there? Can nothing else accomplish the same purpose, make as bold and grand a statement, yet stand out in a league of its own?
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These fashion magazines tend to gravitate towards Didot or some serif variant and rarely opt for a sans. When the latter does come in to play, it is usually a chunky, or funky, uninspiring monoline typeface. There is no variety among the high-end mastheads and nothing high-end about the sans. I realized that sans-serifs of the same elegant caliber as Didot are sorely lacking in this arena. For so many and for so long, this high-contrast serif has been the golden standard. Thus, I decided a wardrobe update was in order.
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my CONCEPT
It began with a simple observation: upscale sans-serifs never seem to make any headlines. Didot seems to be the only option for attaining a certain unmatched level of timeless class and sumptuousness, and why is that? What are the elements that characterize it as such? There is a definite need for some variety, something fresh and unique, but not entirely radically different. I took note of the properties of Didot that make so it successful in order to flesh out the basics of my own typeface. Didot’s exaggerated contrast, sharpness, and hairline serifs are all part of what makes it so effective. Its downstrokes, bold enough to stand out, are countered by runway-worthy thin lines, a combination that enables placement of the characters over a variety of backgrounds. The vertical axis and icy geometry emphasize the impressive architecture of the letterforms. Serifs recall traditional values, but with a twist—unbracketed and razor thin. Having established the need, and equipped with the knowledge, I posed a question to myself: can a fashion magazine typeface achieve the same timeless grandeur and elegance so iconic to Didot, but in a sans-serif unique enough to actually stand out?
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This question planted the seed of conception that birthed a two-headed brain-child. To create a typeface for a magazine masthead, as well as to function for headers inside, there has to be a magazine. I could have re-branded an existing publication, designing a Didot replacement for one of the many existing ones featuring it. But to replace the primary visual would be to alter the brand identity of well-established fashion industry operators. An entirely new, individualized typeface deserved its own distinct magazine, and vice-versa. I knew I wanted to create a higher-contrast, couture-worthy sans in the same vein as Didot, embodying that same sense of prestige, but distinct. It made the most sense to be for a magazine that could compete with Vogue, but in a league of its own. Not having the same historic credibility, it would instead embrace its newness, embodied by its custom typeface—a bit more contemporary, more accessible, humanist, no pretentious leanings. The name of both, Sartoria, is of dual-origin, from an Italian word referring to dress-making or tailoring and from an English word meaning of or related to fashion.
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Didot ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZabc defghjklmnopqrstuvwxyz
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RESEARCH
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While Didot was my primary frame of reference and inspiration, I sought out and examined various forms of contrast-rich typefaces and unconventional sans-serifs. Identifying their different strengths and weaknesses was helpful to glean ideas of what I wanted to emulate and avoid.
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Hoefler and Co.’s Chronicle Hairline exemplifies beautifully delicate transitions between thick and thin on a dramatic vertical axis. This sensitivity went on to play a role in my own letterforms. Coco is a striking, organic, contrasting sans but one that, despite its tall x-height that I went on to borrow, fails legibility. Yves Saint Laurent’s logo aims to bridge the gap between calligraphic old styles and contemporary sans, a similar thought to my own, yet an outcome I did not want. Stuart Weitzman’s helped steer me in the right direction, but in my opinion, fails to achieve the kind of contrast I wanted. La La Land’s typeface had the kind of extreme contrast in a sans-serif I was looking for, but it is almost cartoonishly exaggerated, which works for the film, but is not successful in any other context. I also spent time studying what terms such as calligraphic, old style, warm, cool, contemporary, and humanist meant, how letterforms can portray such characteristics, and what sort of implications they have. This helped me further clarify my vision for Sartoria.
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DEVE LO P MENT
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From the onset of development, I established a running list of roles and subsequent technical parameters Sartoria had to satisfy. Identifying a problem and establishing a clear concept are such vital steps in the creative process because they become the driving force behind all decisions. How else was I to decide my x-height, apertures, letter widths, and proportions? Knowing the purpose, what I wanted to get out of my typeface, determined what I put in to it.
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As a typeface intended for a magazine masthead that could also be utilized in headers, Sartoria had to be legible, scalable, versatile, elegant. Though aiming for the same air of refinement and sophistication as Didot, Sartoria still needed to be firmly its own. Thus, I wanted it to be warmer and a bit more contemporary, in touch with its newness, yet still recall some classic values. Once I had defined these objectives, design decisions could be made. Thus, I outfitted Sartoria with a high x-height for legibility and open apertures to suit placement over a variety of backgrounds. Didot’s anorexic strokes virtually disappear at smaller scale, decreasing its effectiveness as heading, so I strengthened my own to be able to stand up to sizing down. Modeling after the pattern of traditional romans, I kept the down-strokes heavier to still maintain the richness of contrast. In that vein, I also strove for sensitivity in variations between the thick and thin strokes. Sans-serifs often tend to be cooler and I wanted to give Sartoria a touch of warm old style feel, maintain an element of classical within the contemporary, and further enhance legibility and elegance. The vertical axis and slightly narrow letter widths emphasize height and exude chic. 18
A barrage of initial sketches and experimentation led to one particular minuscule e sketch, my first breakthrough. A minuscule d was my second. Both contain repetitive DNA from which many other characters came forth. From e came c and o. From d came p, q, b, a, and g. I was able to identify stroke weights and get a sense of transitions. It was fascinating to see how many common elements individual characters share. Designing the majuscules came slower. It was difficult to gauge their relative width and stroke weights compared to the minuscules. The minuscules seemed to flow rather naturally and for the most part did not vary much in width. But the majuscules vary greatly and it was hard to know where to begin. I knew that the strokes had to be thicker on the majuscules than the minuscules, but it was difficult to know by how much. Having Didot as a reference helped massively. Comparing the ratio of thick minuscule stroke weights to thick majuscule stroke weights, as well as letter widths, gave me a proper start. There seemed to be less core anatomy in common with the majuscules than the minuscule, which made for more work. Z, E, I, F, T, and H are essentially the same,
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however, which helps. Originally I thought that my minuscule set was my personal favorite, but once they were all pathed and I began creating words, I fell for that majuscule set that had really taken the most. The majuscule and minuscule W’s are my strongest (and personally favorite) characters. A perfect Glyphs-worthy alphabet does not just come straight from sketches. I sketched, re-sketched, refined, scanned, enlarged, traced, re-drew, and measured with rulers, stencils, and French-curves. As I worked and my work evolved, the parameters remained the same, but the technical decisions following them adjusted dramatically. For example, initially I considered and attempted a diagonal axis for the distribution of stroke weights on my letterforms. My thought was to further encourage the eyes left-to-right movement in reading to increase readability. However, it only made the letters look crooked, set at an uncomfortable angle, full of awkward visual tension that actually decreased legibility. Hence, the switch to the vertical axis, which not only made the forms more resolved, but also accentuated their verticality in a way that even better fit my concept. 20
There was a short-lived stint where I considered making my forms shorter, more rounded. I disregarded this quickly, however, because it lacked the refinement of the tall, narrow forms. Another adjustment in the beginning addressed a weakness of Didot’s that had snuck into my own typeface, and been exacerbated. The contrast ratio of my early letters was tremendously exaggerated. Any smaller than my three-inch renderings and the stick-like strokes would be crushed under the massive bulk of their counterparts. I had to even out some of the weight and develop a milder contrast that transitioned more smoothly, in order to simply work at all, as well as surpass Didot for use at smaller scale. This was challenging to accomplish while still maintaining my high-contrast concept, but not impossible.
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Even once digitally pathed, letters continued to be tweaked. Necessary optical adjustments were brought to light at this stage upon placing them next to each other and into words. Left to right: before, original in black under adjustments in red, and the final product after.
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TROUBLE MAKERS
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Some letters were especially difficult to design. Those that share little DNA in common with others, who have unconventional stances or unique angles are all opportunities to trip you up. Majuscules S and M were two characters that gave me the most grief.
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The troublesome features of the M were the angle and union of the diagonal strokes, the distance between the stems, and the distribution of weight. It can often share similar characteristics to the W, but not in mine. I examined Didot's M and experimented with a variety of angles and junctions. I reverted back to my original plans for development and made the downstrokes thickest. Then, however, I struggled with finding the most natural width and trying to force the two diagonal strokes to lay at the same angle. Once I settled on a more narrow width that fit the rest of my characters, I relaxed the angles of the diagonals to not be identical. This proved to be the key and what led to my final character.
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The S seemed to fight me tooth and nail. Its slippery curves make it so unlike other letters that it almost feels like an entirely new alphabet. It refused to behave with my stroke weight-distribution method. I had thickened the downstrokes with all of my other letters, and attempted to with the inner curves of the S. This pinched the spine and destroyed the clean elegant aesthetic. Opening up the apertures made it worse. Shifting down the thickness to the spine allowed for a much smoother transition and successful character.
M
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SPECIMENS
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Majuscules, minuscules, numerals, special characters, and punctuation.
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A F K P U 30
B C D G H I L M N Q R S V W X Y
E J O T Z
a b c f g h k l m p q r u v w x
d i n s y
e j o t z 31
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typeface APPLI CATION
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Created for Sartoria the magazine, Sartoria the typeface would be utilized in a variety of ways: the magazine masthead, headers, website, and merchandise.
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image CITATIONS
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Cover image: http://ell.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/11/5502bd421f806_-_elle-02-cover-break-rihanna-v.jpg Contents: https://techcomsdigital.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/shot-03-0331.png Problem: https://media.timeout.com/images/103505614/image.jpg L'Officiel: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/33/d6/f2/33d6f2fd937aa545f21aee3a274a7859.jpg Vogue: http://assets.vogue.com/photos/5877049471b368a625a08fff/master/pass/jennifer-lawrence-december-2015-cover.jpg InStyle: http://celebmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nicole-kidman-instyle-magazine-march-2014-issue_1.jpg Marie Claire: http://mac.h-cdn.co/assets/16/01/768x1060/gallery-1452094591-mcx020116nscover-rgb-small.jpg Allure: http://www.fashiongonerogue.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Demi-Lovato-Allure-Magazine-February-2016-Cover-Photoshoot01.jpg Elle: http://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/s3/digital-cougar-assets/Elle/2015/08/21/65591/ Jennifer-hawkins-elle-australia-cover.jpg Concept: http://irenebrination.typepad.com/irenebrination_notes_on_a/2014/09/drawing-onstyle-gray.html Research: https://fashionbeyondfashion.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/agostino-fabio_14.jpg Chronicle Hairline: https://www.typography.com/blog/introducing-chronicle-hairline YSL Logo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yves_Saint_Laurent_Logo.svg Stuart Weitzman: http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20150504006333/en/465993/5/SW_ logo_stuartweitzman_highres.jpg Coco: https://www.behance.net/gallery/5411701/COCO-Free-Fashion-Typefamily La La Land: http://pics.filmaffinity.com/la_la_land-262021831-large.jpg Development: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/photo-gallery/2016/05/18/Australian-Fashion-Week.html Troublemakers: http://d6vrtzdlbankn.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/9973808444 _7173b794ce_h.jpg Specimen: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/photo-gallery/2016/05/18/Australian-Fashion-Week.html#slide=6