ff Scala

ff Scala Sans

FF Scala Jewels

ff Seria

ff Seria Sans

ff Nexus Serif

ff Nexus Sans

ff Nexus Mix

FF Nexus Typewriter

FontFont presents to you two brochures concerning excellent type designers

and their approach to designing fonts: the scribbling, the computer work, their
sources of inspiration …

The aim of the brochures is to provide an insight into the work of the nice people
behind the letters. Have a glance at the work of the two type super heroes Xavier
Dupré and Martin Majoor.

types & characters

Martin Majoor
www.fontfont.com
www.fontshop.com Æ
10 Questions to Martin Majoor
What are your inspirations and Do you think there is a connection You design books. ff Scala
what do you like about being a type between Dutch type designers? Do you like reading?
designer? There is no jealousy between us, I don’t have enough time for reading, ff Scala Sans
Old books, especially old books set rather respect, unlike in other unfortunately. But when I have time
in hot metal type, are inspiring professions maybe. But after all, I love reading. Although I recently FF Scala Jewels
for me, although new books are the Netherlands are so small that noticed that I’ve become such a nerd 1988 – 1997
inspiring, too, of course. What I like you see each other quite often. that I don’t see any texts but just type.
in my profession is that I often see
my typefaces out there used by other What problems did you have Are you living with your family in
designers. when you designed your >rst digital Poland and the Netherlands?
typeface? Yes, my wife is from Poland. Our
Which computer applications are Everything was new at the time. children are 9 and 10 years old ff Seria
you using? We had bad screens and slow and we have decided to live and work
For making fonts I still use Fonto- computers with a low resolution. in two countries. So, we are in ff Seria Sans
grapher 4.7 but also FontLab 4.6 Film exposing was dif>cult. Warsaw for 5 weeks and then in 1996 – 2000
and sometimes Adobe Illustrator, Actually, everything was a problem! Arnhem for the next >ve weeks. The
and my design tools are XPress, children go to two schools because
InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. Did you always want to become we want them to be not only bilingual
a type designer? but also bicultural. It requires a
What are you taking into account I did want to be an architect. As a child bit more organizing, but it’s worth it.
when you work on a new typeface? I built my >rst typefaces on my own, ff Nexus Serif
When I designed my >rst typeface but at the art academy I discovered that
FF Scala I intentionally made it you can learn type design. Typography ff Nexus Sans
bolder than all the other PostScript and type quickly became my favourite
typefaces that were available at the speciality. ff Nexus Mix
time. All these fonts were too thin
because they were directly transferred Is there anybody serving as a role FF Nexus Typewriter
from the old hot metal type drawings. model for you? 2004
Yes, if you mean typedesigners:
You say, „to be a good type Eric Gill, Pierre Simon Fournier,
designer you must >rst be a good W. A. Dwiggins, Jan van Krimpen.
book designer.“ Why?
You need to know how to make a
typeface but you also need to know
how to use a typeface. Just to design
type is not suf>cient, typefaces are Type Characters – Martin Majoor
made to be used.
Published by FontShop ® International 2007

www.fontfont.com
www.fontshop.com

Designed by Nina Völlink

The following text-examples [email protected]
are excerpts from “My Type Design
Philosophy” written by Martin University of applied sciences Wiesbaden
Majoor. First published in
tipoGra>ca, No 53, Buenos Aires, Typeface: ff Scala
Argentina, 2002.
We reserve the right of errors and changes.

foto: Nienke Terpsma

Regular
Regular Condensed
Italic
ff Scala
ABCDEGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&
Bold
Bold Condensed It is my conviction that you cannot As a book designer I made several com- Using sans serifs like News Gothic,
Bold Italic be a good type designer if you are not plex books where more than one typeface Gill Sans or Futura as text type is
Caps a book typographer. I am not talking had to be used in order to clarify things very acceptable, but with which
Caps Italic here about display types but about in the text. It was mostly quite useful seriffed faces should they be mixed?
Caps Bold text types. A type designer must know to take a sans and a serif typeface, but Numerous combinations have
Caps Bold Italic how type works in a piece of text, the problem was always which ones to been used without any idea of style
Hands Regular he must know what happens with the choose. Mixing Times New Roman and or knowledge of history. From an
LF Regular type on different sorts of paper, he Helvetica in the same piece of text has aesthetic point of view some com-
LF Italic must know how a typeface behaves often been done simply because these binations produce a severe headache
LF Bold with different printing techniques. fonts were available everywhere. It is (Garamond with Univers, Bodoni
LF Caps not even the worst possible combination with Gill Sans).
+ Expert one can think of.
Regular 10 pt/13 pt Italic 10 pt/13 pt Bold 10 pt/13 pt

It is my conviction that you cannot be a good type

Hamburgon designer if you are not a book typographer. I am not
As a book designer I made several complex books where
more than one typeface had to be used in order to clarify
Using sans serifs like News Gothic, Gill Sans or
Futura as text type is very acceptable, but with which
talking here about display types but about text types. seriffed faces should they be mixed? Numerous

eR
things in the text. It was mostly quite useful to take a sans
Hamburgon A type designer must know how type works in a
piece of text, he must know what happens with the
and a serif typeface, but the problem was always which
ones to choose. Mixing Times New Roman and Helvetica
combinations have been used without any idea of
style or knowledge of history. From an aesthetic
type on different sorts of paper, he must know how a in the same piece of text has often been done simply point of view some combinations produce a severe
Hamburgon typeface behaves with different printing techniques. because these fonts were available everywhere. It is not headache (Garamond with Univers, Bodoni with Gill
even the worst possible combination one can think of. Sans).

Hamburgon Regular 7 pt/10 pt Italic 7 pt/10 pt Bold 7 pt/10 pt

Hamburgon
Hamburgon
Hamburgon

Martin Majoor started designing Scala in 1987. At that time he was working
for the Vredenburg Music Centre in Utrecht which was one of the >rst
of>ces working with a dtp-system and non of the 16 PostScript fonts, he
could choose of, had any lowercase numbers, small caps and ligatures.
So he decided to design a typeface especially for Vredenburg to be named
after the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Since their release Scala and Scala Sans
have been used all around the world and won several awards.
AFi p w )!Z7 q
m
Martin Majoor even added an icon-font – the Scala Hands-Regular.

Scala was released in 1990 by FontShop International as its >rst serious text
face. It was only when Scala Sans was issued three years later that the family
became extremely popular. That may be because of its numerous features of
both forms and perhaps even of the display type joining the family in 1996 …
 Dnk
Light
Light Italic
Regular
Regular Condensed
Italic
Bold
Bold Condensed
Bold Italic
Black
Black Italic
caps
caps italic
caps bold
caps bold italic
LF Italic
LF Bold
A h
LF Bold Italic
lf caps
lf caps italic
+ Expert

ff Scala Sans
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 ()!?%&

It is only in advertising, where a Before the mixing of serif and sans published around 1816 by the William
headache can be useful, that these in text can be explained, it should >rst Caslon iv English typefoundry. This Hamburgon
combinations are possible. It became be made clear where sans serif type- display face only contained capitals
clear to me that the best solution for faces originate from, as it is only for and it is not clear where the rather Hamburgon
text was to use a combination of a about the last one hundred years that clumsy forms came from. As a design
serif and a sans that derive directly they have been used substantially. this sans serif typeface has little value. Hamburgon
from each other. The only remaining O;cially, the very >rst sans serif Much more interesting is Akzidenz
question was which combination of typeface to be used for printing was Grotesk, published in 1898 by the Hamburgon
serif and sans could meet this crite- German Berthold type foundry in Berlin.
rium? Hamburgon
Light 10 pt/13 pt Regular 10 pt/13 pt Italic 10 pt/13 pt
Hamburgon
It is only in advertising, where a headache can be Before the mixing of serif and sans in text can published around 1816 by the William Caslon iv English
useful, that these combinations are possible. It became
clear to me that the best solution for text was to use a
be explained, it should >rst be made clear where
sans serif typefaces originate from, as it is only
typefoundry. This display face only contained capitals
and it is not clear where the rather clumsy forms came hamburgon
combination of a serif and a sans that derive directly for about the last one hundred years that they from. As a design this sans serif typeface has little value.
from each other. The only remaining question was
which combination of serif and sans could meet this
have been used substantially. O;cially, the very
>rst sans serif typeface to be used for printing was
Much more interesting is Akzidenz Grotesk, published in
1898 by the German Berthold type foundry in Berlin.
hamburgon
criterium?
hamburgon
Light 7 pt/10 pt Regular 7 pt/10 pt Italic 7 pt/10 pt

hamburgon
ff Scala Sans
This sans serif immediately became But what was the basis for Akzi-
a great success and was soon imi- denz Grotesk? The Frst printing
tated by several typefounders. Like types date from the 15th century,
all sans serifs of the time, Akzidenz and they were all seriffed type-
Grotesk was meant to be used as faces because they were imitations
a display face (the German word of handwriting. When the sans

TI
Akzidenzschrift means display face serif typefaces appeared in the
or jobbing type), however as it also 19th century they could only be
included a lowercase it was suitable based on the seriffed typefaces in
for text too. use at that time.
Bold 10 pt/13 pt Black 10 pt/13 pt

This sans serif immediately became a great success But what was the basis for Akzidenz Grotesk?
and was soon imitated by several typefounders. Like The Frst printing types date from the 15th cen-
all sans serifs of the time, Akzidenz Grotesk was tury, and they were all seriffed typefaces because
meant to be used as a display face (the German word they were imitations of handwriting. When the
Akzidenzschrift means display face or jobbing type), sans serif typefaces appeared in the 19th century
however as it also included a lowercase it was suitable they could only be based on the seriffed type-
for text too. faces in use at that time.
Bold 7 pt/10 pt Black 7 pt/10 pt

ff Scala Jewels
ff sCALAjewel-pEARL ff sCALAjewel-cRYSTAL
abcdefghijklm abcdefghijklm
nopqrstuvwxyz nopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890 ()!?%& 1234567890 ()!?%&

B
Elegant white Brilliant glimmer
Elegant white Brilliant glimmer
Elegant white Brilliant glimmer

FF Scalajewel-Saphyr ff sCALAjewel-dIAMOND

fl
abcdefghijklm abcdefghijklm
nopqrstuvwxyz nopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890 ()!?%& 1234567890 ()!?%&

precious stone sparkeling light

precious stone sparkeling light
precious stone sparkeling light
Regular
Regular Caps
Italic
ff Seria ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&
Italic Caps
Bold Akzidenz Grotesk was probably cut This can be seen clearly upon superim- In 1928 Paul Renner designed his
Bold Caps by some experienced but anony- posing Walbaum and Akzidenz Grotesk Futura. It was the first time a sans
Bold Italic mous Berthold punchcutters rather characters. Yet these classicistic typefaces serif typeface was not based on the
Bold Italic Caps than designed by an individual type were far from good examples on which watered down classicistic letter-
LF Regular designer. This means the punchcut- to base a sans serif. In Walbaum the thin forms on which Akzidenz Grotesk
LF Italic ters had to have a general idea for tailends in characters like the c and in was based; instead he started his
LF Bold the serifless forms, and they could numbers such as 2 and 5 were elegant, drawings from scratch. It would
LF Bold Italic probably only derive these ideas from but when these thin parts were simply seem that the Futura was influenced
+ Expert the then popular classicistic type- made thicker the result was a sans serif by the ideas of the Bauhaus move-
faces such as Walbaum or Didot. typeface with extremely ‘closed’ forms. ment and by constructivism.
Regular 12 pt/13 pt Italic 12 pt/13 pt Bold 12 pt/13 pt
hamburgon
Akzidenz Grotesk was probably cut by some This can be seen clearly upon superimposing Walbaum In 1928 Paul Renner designed his Futura. It was
hamburgon experienced but anony-mous Berthold punch-
cutters rather than designed by an individual
and Akzidenz Grotesk characters. Yet these classicistic
typefaces were far from good examples on which to base
the first time a sans serif typeface was not based
on the watered down classicistic letterforms on
type designer. This means the punchcutters a sans serif. In Walbaum the thin tailends in characters which Akzidenz Grotesk was based; instead he
hamburgon had to have a general idea for the serifless forms, like the c and in numbers such as 2 and 5 were elegant, started his drawings from scratch. It would seem
and they could probably only derive these ideas but when these thin parts were simply made thicker the that the Futura was influenced by the ideas of
Hamburgon from the then popular classicistic typefaces such
as Walbaum or Didot.
result was a sans serif typeface with extremely ‘closed’
forms.
the Bauhaus movement and by constructivism.

Regular 9 pt/10 pt Italic 9 pt/10 pt Bold 9 pt/10 pt

hamburgon

bc
FNederland
The Irst sketches of Seria were created in the summer of 1996. Martin
Majoor was on his way from Berlin to Warsaw by train using a table napkin
from the dining car as a paper. He started the new type because of dissatis-
faction with the use of Scala in a more literary way. Another reason was the
direct question of a French art critic, Hector Obalk. He wanted to use Scala
for a book he was writing and he needed something special for complicated
texts: an extra-slanted italic. A extra-slanted Scala italic seemed impossible
to Martin Majoor. But with Seria it was possible …
Regular
Regular Caps
Italic
ff Seria Sans
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&
Italic Caps
Bold Its letterforms look very much con- Helvetica and numerous look-alikes were They pretended to be better than Akzi-
Bold Caps structed but in fact they were not published as a sort of reaction to prewar denz Grotesk, but instead they were
Bold Italic constructed at all. Renner based his geometric faces like Futura. These typefaces bereft of every bit of character and
Bold Italic Caps Futura on classic principles, like roman were all based on the old Akzidenz Grotesk, the charming clumsiness of Akzidenz
LF Regular inscriptional capitals, rather than bas- and they became extremely popular in a Grotesk. However Univers, designed
LF Italic ing it on Bauhaus principles. This was short period of time. Basing a sans serif by Adrian Frutiger, had one strong
LF Bold one of the reasons for its success, it on another sans serif is rather cheap, and it feature that was new in type design: it
LF Bold Italic is a very well balanced text typeface, is therefore not strange that these typefaces was made up of an almost scientiIc
+ Expert yet it has the aura of the then popular had hardly any new features compared to system of 21 weights and widths that
Bauhaus movement. In 1957 Univers, Akzidenz Grotesk. could be mixed perfectly.
Regular 12 pt/13 pt Italic 12 pt/13 pt Bold 12 pt/13 pt
hamburgon
Its letterforms look very much constructed but Helvetica and numerous look-alikes were published as They pretended to be better than Akzidenz Grotesk,
hamburgon in fact they were not constructed at all. Renner
based his Futura on classic principles, like roman
a sort of reaction to prewar geometric faces like Futura.
These typefaces were all based on the old Akzidenz
but instead they were bereft of every bit of character
and the charming clumsiness of Akzidenz Grotesk.
inscriptional capitals, rather than basing it on Grotesk, and they became extremely popular in a short However Univers, designed by Adrian Frutiger, had
hamburgon

eM
Bauhaus principles. This was one of the reasons period of time. Basing a sans serif on another sans one strong feature that was new in type design: it
for its success, it is a very well balanced text serif is rather cheap, and it is therefore not strange that was made up of an almost scientiIc system of 21
Hamburgon typeface, yet it has the aura of the then popular
Bauhaus movement. In 1957 Univers,
these typefaces had hardly any new features compared
to Akzidenz Grotesk.
weights and widths that could be mixed perfectly.

Regular 12 pt/10 pt Italic 12 pt/10 pt Bold 12 pt/10 pt

hamburgon

K
Seria and Seria Sans were created as a literary typeface. Exept of the extra long
ascenders and descenders the Seria family has a lot of subtle details and uncon-
ventional curves which can best be seen when used in a large size. The need to
augment Seria with a sans serif version became immediately obvious to him.
Using a black marker and some white paint, he changed the seriffed characters
into a sans. Seria Sans has the same long ascenders and descenders as Seria
and this is very unusual for a sans. The strength of Seria Sans is that its deriva-
tion has been done in a very consequent way, something that is obviously seen
most clearly in the italics and bold italics.
 Regular
Regular SC
Italic
Italic SC
Bold
Bold SC
Bold Italic
Bold Italic SC

ff Nexus Serif Italic Swash One

Italic Swash Two
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()%&
TF Regular
It was an answer to the jungle of Redesigning an old successful typeface is amongst typefoundries, the 19th TF Italic
different sans serif faces that lacked something a type designer maybe never century punchcutters were under TF Bold
a clear system of weights and widths. should consider. The form of the italic in great pressure to produce fast, and TF Bold Italic
Univers was completely redrawn Akzidenz Grotesk is nothing more than therefore they had to imitate others.
a few years ago and now has more a slanted version of the roman; but why A real italic version was probably
than 60 versions. Unfortunately was the italic not based on a real italic? too much work or too difficult to
this has not been an improvement; It would not seem too difficult to make make, while a slanted roman was
there are now too many superfluous an Akzidenz Grotesk italic based on relatively easy to copy from the roman.
versions, the justification is too tight
and the italic that was already too
the Walbaum italic. A real italic has a
different form principle than the roman.
The strange thing is that, even
today, this slanted roman is a sort
hamburgon
slanted has been slanted even more.
Regular 10 pt/13 pt
Probably, with the huge competition
Italic 10 pt/13 pt
of standard for sans italics.
Bold 10 pt/13 pt
hamburgon
It was an answer to the jungle of different sans Redesigning an old successful typeface is something a type amongst typefoundries, the 19th century punchcutters
hamburgon
serif faces that lacked a clear system of weights and designer maybe never should consider. The form of the were under great pressure to produce fast, and
Hamburgon
Nederlan

widths. Univers was completely redrawn a few years italic in Akzidenz Grotesk is nothing more than a slanted therefore they had to imitate others. A real italic
ago and now has more than 60 versions. Unfortu- version of the roman; but why was the italic not based on version was probably too much work or too difficult
nately this has not been an improvement; there are
now too many superfluous versions, the justifica-
a real italic? It would not seem too difficult to make an
Akzidenz Grotesk italic based on the Walbaum italic.
to make, while a slanted roman was relatively easy
to copy from the roman. The strange thing is that, hamburgon
tion is too tight and the italic that was already too A real italic has a different form principle than the roman. even today, this slanted roman is a sort of standard
slanted has been slanted even more.
Regular 7 pt/10 pt
Probably, with the huge competition
Italic 7 pt/10 pt
for sans italics.
Bold 7 pt/10 pt
Hamburg
Hamburgon

G W
Arnhem g Nexus is the latin word for connection, context and that also is the aim
Martin Majoor wanted to reach with his last new type creation. Once again
he acted according to his principle that serif and sans serif versions of
he did for Scala or Seria because he even more developed Nexus Mix and
Nexus Typewriter. FF Nexus was released in October 2004 as the first
OpenType font in FontFont library. The “Creative Review Type Design
one type must work together hand in hand, they should harmonize and Award” was given to the Nexus family in 2006 in London.
cooperate with another. For the Nexus family he went even further then
Regular
Regular SC
Italic
ff Nexus Sans
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&
Italic SC
Bold Typefaces like News Gothic (1908) too, but in this case it is much more a seriffed typeface should look like.
Bold SC and Helvetica all have slanted romans. understandable as there was no real old He designed Gill Sans in 1928, and
Bold Italic Consequently, even a great type seriffed model on which to base it. although this is a sans serif he used
Bold Italic SC designer like Adrian Frutiger made A more interesting italic is that of Gill his experience as a letter-cutter.
TF Regular slanted romans with his sans serif Sans. It is the first among the sans serifs While he may not have realized it, he
TF Italic designs, and it was only recently, that has true italic characteristics. His based his Gill Sans on the seriffed
TF Bold when his Frutiger typeface (1977) was first italic sketches show some very cal- typefaces in his head. Mixing Gill
TF Bold Italic redrawn in 2000, now with a real italic ligraphic features. Eric Gill was, by all Sans with his seriffed Joanna (1930)
instead of a slanted roman, that he standards, an extraordinary type designer would provide perfectly harmoni-
acknowledged that a real italic makes who started his career cutting letters ous type. You could almost say that
a better contrast with the roman. Type- in stone. When he began designing Joanna is a sort of Gill Sans Avec!
faces like Futura have slanted romans printing type he knew by heart what
Regular 10 pt/13 pt Italic 10 pt/13 pt Bold 10 pt/13 pt

hamburgon Typefaces like News Gothic (1908) and Helvetica all too, but in this case it is much more understandable as a seriffed typeface should look like. He designed

a
have slanted romans. Consequently, even a great type there was no real old seriffed model on which to base it. Gill Sans in 1928, and although this is a sans serif he
designer like Adrian Frutiger made slanted romans A more interesting italic is that of Gill Sans. It is the first used his experience as a letter-cutter. While he may
hamburgon with his sans serif designs, and it was only recently, among the sans serifs that has true italic characteris- not have realized it, he based his Gill Sans on the

x sw
when his Frutiger typeface (1977) was redrawn in 2000, tics. His first italic sketches show some very calligraphic seriffed typefaces in his head. Mixing Gill Sans with

hamburgon now with a real italic instead of a slanted roman, that

he acknowledged that a real italic makes a better
features. Eric Gill was, by all standards, an extraordinary
type designer who started his career cutting letters in
his seriffed Joanna (1930) would provide perfectly
harmonious type. You could almost say that Joanna is
contrast with the roman. Typefaces like Futura have stone. When he began designing printing type he knew by a sort of Gill Sans Avec!
Hamburgon

Warszaw
slanted romans heart what
Regular 7 pt/10 pt Italic 7 pt/10 pt Bold 7 pt/10 pt

hamburgon

Regular ff Nexus Mix

Regular SC ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&
Italic
Italic SC Had Eric Gill planned Joanna and Gill the serifs, lower the contrast, and there with a sans serif design. Superim-
Bold Sans as one family he would have you have a sans serif. But of course there posing the serif upon the sans shows
Bold SC been the first in history to design a is more to it than just that. I believe the how literally Van Krimpen based
Bold Italic family of serif and sans, but he made most logical order when making such them upon each other. Romulus Sans
Bold Italic SC them as separate designs with separate a family is to start with the seriffed was cut in four weights but unfortu-
TF Regular names. In my opinion, mixing serif design. From that basis a sans serif can nately it remained at an experimen-
TF Italic with sans only makes sense when the be made. The first attempt to design a tal stage, as it was never released. I
TF Bold seriffed typeface and the sans are de- sans based on a seriffed typeface was started designing Scala in 1987. At
TF Bold Italic signed from the same basis, or even undertaken by the Dutch type designer that time I was working as one of the
from the same skeleton. It sounds Jan van Krimpen. In the early 1930s he two graphic designers for the Vre-
simple: take a seriffed design, cut off designed the seriffed Romulus, totally denburg Music Centre in Utrecht,
Regular 10 pt/13 pt Italic 10 pt/13 pt Bold 10 pt/13 pt

hamburgon Had Eric Gill planned Joanna and Gill Sans as one
family he would have been the first in history to
the serifs, lower the contrast, and there you have a sans
serif. But of course there is more to it than just that. I
with a sans serif design. Superimposing the serif
upon the sans shows how literally Van Krimpen
design a family of serif and sans, but he made them as believe the most logical order when making such a family based them upon each other. Romulus Sans was cut
hamburgon separate designs with separate names. In my opinion, is to start with the seriffed design. From that basis a in four weights but unfortunately it remained at an
mixing serif with sans only makes sense when the sans serif can be made. The first attempt to design a sans experimental stage, as it was never released. I started

hamburgon seriffed typeface and the sans are designed from the
same basis, or even from the same skeleton. It sounds
based on a seriffed typeface was undertaken by the
Dutch type designer Jan van Krimpen. In the early 1930s
designing Scala in 1987. At that time I was working
as one of the two graphic designers for the Vreden-
simple: take a seriffed design, cut off he designed the seriffed Romulus, totally burg Music Centre in Utrecht,
Hamburgon Regular 7 pt/10 pt Regular 7 pt/10 pt Bold 7 pt/10 pt

hamburgon
Polska
ska
Regular
Italic
Bold
Bold Italic
TF Regular
TF Italic
TF Bold
TF Bold Italic

FF Nexus Typewriter ABCDEFGHIJK LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 1234567890 ()!?%&

We worked on one of the concert programmes, book- design a typeface espe- contrast and strong serifs,
first models of Apple Mac- lets and posters contained cially for Vredenburg to as I had learned that most
intosh, using PageMaker very different informa- be named after the Teatro Postscript-fonts were too
1.0, and we could choose tion, such as composers, alla Scala in Milan. The thin. The italic was based
from 16 typefaces. I was titles, conductors, or- form principle of Scala more on 16th century Ital-
typographically educated chestras, soloists, time, was definitely influenced by ian writing masters like
with lowercase numbers date and place. To design humanist typefaces like Arrighi, although to a
(also known as old style this information in a good Bembo and by typefaces large extent the details
figures), small caps and way I needed these lower- from the mid-18th century were closely related to
ligatures, none of which case numbers, small caps French typographer Piere the roman.
were available in these and ligatures. And so it Simon Fournier. But I
16 Postscript-fonts. The happened that I decided to wanted Scala to have low
Regular 10 pt/13 pt Italic 10 pt/13 pt Bold 10 pt/13 pt Bold Italic 10 pt/13 pt

We worked on one of the first models concert programmes, booklets and design a typeface especially for Vre- contrast and strong serifs, as I had
of Apple Macintosh, using PageMaker posters contained very different in- denburg to be named after the Teatro learned that most Postscript-fonts
1.0, and we could choose from 16 formation, such as composers, titles, alla Scala in Milan. The form princi- were too thin. The italic was based
typefaces. I was typographically conductors, orchestras, soloists, ple of Scala was definitely influenced more on 16th century Italian writing

m
educated with lowercase numbers time, date and place. To design this by humanist typefaces like Bembo and masters like Arrighi, although to a
(also known as old style figures), information in a good way I needed by typefaces from the mid-18th cen- large extent the details were closely
small caps and ligatures, none of these lowercase numbers, small caps tury French typographer Piere Simon related to the roman.

r
which were available in these 16 and ligatures. And so it happened Fournier. But I wanted Scala to have
Postscript-fonts. The that I decided to low
Regular 7 pt/10 pt Italic 7 pt/10 pt Bold 7 pt/10 pt Bold Italic 7 pt/10 pt

S
 ff Scala

ff Scala Sans

FF Scala Jewels

ff Seria

ff Seria Sans

ff Nexus Serif

ff Nexus Sans

ff Nexus Mix

FF Nexus Typewriter

FontFont presents to you two brochures concerning excellent type designers

and their approach to designing fonts: the scribbling, the computer work, their
sources of inspiration …

The aim of the brochures is to provide an insight into the work of the nice people
behind the letters. Have a glance at the work of the two type super heroes Xavier
Dupré and Martin Majoor.

types & characters

Martin Majoor
www.fontfont.com
www.fontshop.com Æ