Unica Deux Lowercase

Designed by André Gürtler and Team'77 as a research project for the Haas type foundry - looking at how to improve Helvetica, turned into a significant redesign of the font and a plan for the expansion programme of the typeface, shown in the Unica edition Typografische Monatsblätter No.4 April 1980.

This version redrawn and modified by Michael Hernan
First Draft 16.07.2006

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Comments

willster says:

More crispness.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

tjvl says:

you did it!

- on rasterization:
diwww.epfl.ch/w3lsp/publications/typography// frsa.pdf

- more of André Gürtler:
www.klingspor-museum.de/KlingsporKuenstler/Sc hriftdesigne...
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

Fernando Lins / Sequent says:

I know I might get shot after saying this, but I think Helvetica is a very dull font, specially on the regular weight. It looks beautiful on Ultra-Light weight though. Are there any plans for the Light and Ultra-Light versions of Unica? It would look very sexy.
Great work nonetheless!
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

ekusupo says:

What interests me are archetypal forms, whether in architecture, clothing or typography. I believe Unica is closer to achieving the the architypal roman form compared with other sans serifs and superseeds Helvetica's former achievement, helvetica being 20 years its elder. Here we are 26 years after the original Unica and 47 on from Max Mendinger's original creation. With a fraction here and a fraction there gets it closer.

I am considering a lighter weight from which I intend to work out from to create other weights. Consider it a archetypal skeleton. I am hoping it can service both serif and sans serif.

Each weight will look good when it is used correctly. Helvetica regular is a body-text and so is more concerned with legibility (balance between black and white (positive and negative space). I agree thin looks elegant used large and bold looks great when used for titling, especially when letter space is condensed like this:

www.flickr.com/photos/ekusupo/115242371/in/po ol-kissfit/

www.flickr.com/groups/kissfit/pool/

Also to consider is how neutral can you make it (optically) before it becomes geometric. Geometric fonts (like Lubalin Graph or Renner's Futura) exhibit the extreme graphic forms of the circle square and triangle which look nice individually but work less well as a unified effort.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

ekusupo says:

Production Notes

All characters have been reshaped (perhaps allowing for a modern interpretation of a font which is 20+ years old), especially elements like the arm of the r, the hanging loop of the g (rounder) and the connection of the juncture of the a (is straight). The b and d (inner/outer counter lines) are weighted slightly differently from each other as a straight horizontal flip of b to d looks wrong.

s is wider

e has a thicker cross bar

f, t match the e cross bar

z has its own horizontal bar thickness (slightly thicker than the e cross bar, same as original)

v, w ,y, z angled bars have proportional thickness depending on their angle. "l" bar as basic thickness, progressively getting thicker to 45 degrees.

t, f, j have the same terminal. t was drawn first as is used most commonly, then flipped to make up f and j.

m central connection (link) is low (does not match up to connection to the left even though weight if shape is thicker.
y "v' is more symmetrical (not sure if it should open more to right)

shape of n, h, u is more square than original - causes problem when creating m (where the m need to have more rounded bowls because of condensed form) and u bowl may look a bit flat?
Remember to thicken top of h!! after extending the n.

for p, q dropped stems down and modified top and bottom stem thickness (thin on top like n and r)

x has be optically optimised - but don't know logic. Simulated regular version thickness proportionally.

Generally letters are more strict to x and o heights - original was moving around (perhaps for optical consideration). However this font is intended to be used at large sizes - logo and titling, so I believe a strict alignment was required.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

Joequbik says:

Very nice. Will this be available?
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

ekusupo says:

It will remain an exercise for the foreseeable future. Caps, numbers and special characters remain un-drawn. Though some minor alterations have been worked into the design (some due to lack of experience), my aim was to get as close to the original as possible - to see if I could. Even though not currently commercially available, these drawing above are based on an established design. I do not feel the changes warrant "original work" which would be required for wider distribution of artwork or a licence. Things would be alot easier if it was available, but then I would'nt have been encouraged to do the redraw.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

* INVERSEFUNCTION says:

love it*
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Danas paris says:

its very nice typography, i like
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

video586 says:

I love it.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Scheiße says:

i have to say, wow.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken on July 18, 2006
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Unica Deux Lowercase

Comments

willster says:

tjvl says:

Fernando Lins / Sequent says:

ekusupo says:

ekusupo says:

Joequbik says:

ekusupo says:

* INVERSEFUNCTION says:

Danas paris says:

video586 says:

Scheiße says:

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