Process
My goal for this project was to apply a consistent design system across every letterform, utilizing a subtractive approach in which counters are cut out of basic shapes.
Sketches
For my initial experiments, I cut letters out of paper, creating prominent “subtractions” at joins and overlaps. As I expanded into more letters, I realized this approach would not work for every letter and that I would need to simplify the system. The earlier iteration of this typeface, dubbed “Boxedge”, was the first step in simplification; however, it failed to resolve some key issues with overlaps and joins and the color of the typeface was inconsistent because certain letters contained large subtractions while others did not.
For my second attempt, “Porthole”, I built letterforms by cutting counters out of squares and rectangles. However, this approach created dramatic differences in stroke width across each letter. To yield a more consistent design, I switched to circles rather than rectangles. Using boxedge’s “b” as a starting point, I punched the counters out in a keyhole shape–removing a segment of the stem wherever a bowl meets a stem.
Solution
To produce the final design, I extended this concept across all the letters, subsequently bringing the project into Glyphs to refine the letters. Below are three different points of progress developing the typeface. In addition to revising certain letterforms that didn't fit with the overall design, I undertook a detailed process of refining each letter to maximize readability. The pure geometry of the earliest version was left behind to create clarity and definition. Rounded shapes became more oval, stroke lengths were tapered leading into joins, and the x-height was increased by shortening ascenders and descenders. To the right are three prototypes of Porthole, followed by the final version.
