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Yet, I had only very little
understanding and previous experience with the Arabic writing system - a few
months of a language course and some small typographic projects were the
only foundations I could build on. A lot of basic research and learning was
needed before I could even think of designing type. Most crucially I learned
how to write, first with a metal broad-nib pen, later with a bamboo pen. In
these exercises I did not attempt to deal with proper calligraphy, but
rather, I tried to familiarise myself with shapes and structures. Since the
inherent logic of a script is not obvious to the foreigner, an understanding
of how tools and writing techniques influence the shapes is essential.
At the same time I spent a
lot of time 'looking at stuff' - manuscripts, tiles, inscriptions and
typefaces. For example I learned a lot from an interesting parallel between
monumental inscriptions and contemporary typeface design: in both fields the
craftsman designs on a very large scale and needs to take the translation to
a much smaller size into account - one of the fundamental skills I had to
develop during the process.
After a few months a basic
understanding started to develop and I grew more confident in my judgements
and attempts. By the time I started to work on my actual Arabic design, I
had already gained significant experience with my Latin design; and it
turned out that some of the skills I had developed were equally applicable
for the non-Latin part.
In addition to the design
process, theoretical research in the field, an almost equally important part
of the studies in Reading, heavily influenced my work. My dissertation about
'The current state of Arabic newspaper type and typography' summarises the
theoretical framework in which Nassim developed and reflects findings from
the actual design practice.
In the harmonisation of
Arabic and Latin shapes, I tried to achieve a satisfying result without
compromising the integrity and authenticity of either script. Through
tedious trial and error experiments I found surprising solutions - for
example in relation to the perceived weight and "blackness" of multi-script
text. Instead of equalising the width of the main strokes of both scripts
(i.e. the elements shaped by the broad side of the pen), I had to vary their
widths to achieve a better balance of grey on the page.
Naturally, I lacked the
intuitive understanding of native readers - a skill which cannot be achieved
in a few months research. Therefore aid and guidance of both, readers and
experienced designers were of utmost importance for my decisions. In this, I
was extraordinarily lucky to receive valuable input from Fiona Ross, Kamal
Mansour, Mamoun Sakkal and others.
As mentioned above, I did
not design Nassim for a particular client or with its potential economic
success in mind. Nevertheless, the choice of quality Arabic typefaces is
still limited and, one could assume that there is room for developments -
and, presumably, a desire for new designs. For instance, Yakout, the
currently most widely used Arabic newspaper typeface, was designed in 1956.
In any case, a richer variety of typefaces would certainly benefit Arabic
publications.
For me, the fascination of
typeface design stems from its multilayered nature. 'Writing', either with
"pre-fabricated letters" (as Gerrit Noordzij defines typography), or in the
traditional sense, is one of the fundamental and defining achievements of
humanity. It is inextricably linked to politics, religion, trade and
civilisation itself. As Florian Coulmas notes, it "is not to say that
writing caused civilisation, but the reverse is not the whole truth either.
Rather, writing has to be seen as a result as well as a condition of
civilisation, as a product shaped by civilisation and a tool shaping it." As
a typeface designer, one works along this threshold. We create and define
this basic means of communication, yet our work is defined by conventions,
models, history and traditions. Apparently, we do not deal with this
background consciously at every decision, every curve and every pixel;
indeed, you would risk your own sanity if you tried. Nevertheless, these
considerations are the bits which give this craft its appeal and which
constitute the real challenge.
On a more technical level, a typeface is
an intricate system of relationships and interdependencies. The actual
complexity depends on the brief, but it is safe to assume that the bigger
the family grows, the more scripts, technical refinements and typographic
options it includes, the more challenging it gets. Seemingly small
decisions, changes or additions to the characterset might trigger multiple
reverberations throughout the system and cause, often unexpected, more work.
Therefore a clear head, good documentation and as transparent a workflow as
possible are absolute necessities - values which certainly also lend
themselves to other design problems
An edited version of this
article was first published in TYPO magazine No. 24, 2007, and is
republished on www.hibastudio.com with the kind permission of
the editors.
For additional information
please visit:
TYPO
website:
http://www.magtypo.cz/
The designer website:
http://sehstoerung.sonance.net |
