About Aspect

The concept behind Aspect was to produce an upright script typeface. Understanding of the term script varies. It can refer to an individual writing style of any kind, writing informed by a cursive or flowing construction and especially as practised by the writing master, or the informal brush script of the commercial lettering artist. To take even the most specific idea of a script – as a series of letter or typeforms following a flowing construction – is then further riddled with difficulty. When does a calligraphic form become a typographic form?

Aspect sketchbook [open/close]

The process of translating written forms into the typographic medium is not as straighforwardly imitative as it might seem. The first so-called italic typeface was produced in 1501 in Italy. Cut by Francesco Griffo for the printer/publisher Aldus Manutius and based on the writing of the humanist scribes, it was intended as an independent text face for pocket-sized books. Yet, over time as typographic tastes changed, italic types came to be used in an increasingly auxiliary role to that of roman text types. Eventually italics were to lose many of their written features and made to formally harmonize with roman styles.

To preserve the sense of the calligraphic within this typeface Aspect introduces many alternate character forms reflecting the formal diversity of writing. In fact the freedom of approach adopted during the early design stages of Aspect has resulted in some intriguing character variations and combinations with well over 200 single and ligatured forms on offer.

Ligature development [open/close]

These many unusual and unique forms all add to the distinctive appearance of Aspect. Yet, Aspect can still be used in a more traditional manner by setting text with only the standard character forms and the basic ligatures such as fi and fl. Or customization of a text might be limited to the considered use of a single special character. From simple finial forms and swashes through to incredibly elaborate ligatured swashes, Aspect certainly offers huge flexibility and if you should choose to pursue a more exotic design path, it is clear to see the many creative possibilities readily available.

Fonts

Live sample

Sample