Special Mention
Spore
by Damien Hou Yin Chong
Script Group:
South Asian Scripts
Category:
B1 Text Typefaces with a latin complement
Typeface Competition:
13th GRANSHAN Type Design Competition 2023/2024
Remarks of the Jury
The panel felt this entry deserved a special mention for a number of reasons: the intercultural approach and the attempt to bring a local influence beyond a mainstream approach was noted; the consistent ‘imperfection’ makes for a charming typeface. We also appreciated the thought that has gone behind devising a novel way of looking at stroke modulation. There are some aspects of design execution that need addressing but we felt this approach had promise and should be celebrated.
Description of the Typeface by the Submitter
This is a contemporary typeface that functions as both a display face at larger sizes, and a book face with a whimsical undertone at smaller sizes. The typeface is born from a deconstructed approach to book typography that references the Oulipo and Postmodern movements. Seemingly paradoxical at times, certain letterforms look synthetic and unusual at larger sizes, with features that are seemingly appear randomly or are completely disconnected with the pen or the stroke. However, at the same time, the tapering and inflecting strokes, hark back to expressive and human calligraphic forms by masters such as Oldřich Menhart. The typeface has characteristic ink-blob like terminals, tapering/inflecting strokes, a mild angularity, optically balanced letters that sit on different baselines. These details only stand out at large sizes and disappear almost completely in smaller sizes.