Hacklaviva

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Balanced Rating: 8.40
Average Rating: 8.54
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by pedamado

99 2110724

Sketch developed from the first drawings made colaboratively at the Hacklaviva workshop with Dave Crossland. More info here: http://hacklaviva.net/2010/06/e-ja-amanha-a-b-c-oficina-de-tipografia-livre/
Info:

Created on 20th June 2010. Last edited on 22nd June 2011.
License:

Creative Commons
Categories:
- Sans Serif
Sets:
Tag:

21 Comments

This is an image of the first sketch... many improvments have to be made, like the spine of the "s" and the "r".

Spacing is also an issue... but I guess I'll finish/space the font in Fontforge...

Comment by pedamado 20th june 2010

A good, clean, well balanced design ... will we be seeing an Uppercase?

Comment by p2pnut 20th june 2010

Thanks p2pnut! Yes. I'll be slowly updating this font. This was the result fo a very small one day workshop with Dave Crossland @ Hacklaviva space.

Here are some pictures I've just uploaded:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pedamado/20100619FontWorkshopHacklaviva?feat=directlink

The idea was to get it working in Fontforge, but soon we ran out of time. While I was updating/compiling the latest version fo Fontforge I decided to sketch the rest of the lowercase and test it out here.

As you can see, I've tried some diacritics this morning. During this week I'll try to develop the numbers first, and the uppercase characters. Stop by form time to time and leave me some feedback! ;)

Comment by pedamado 20th june 2010

I still have problems with the "s" and the "x" :(

Comment by pedamado 20th june 2010

I had a look at the s and z and have no ideas to offer about the z. The only thing I thought for the s is shown below ... a very small change, but it echoes the diagonal.

Comment by p2pnut 20th june 2010

Love this font ... good work

Because you ask I permet myself an attemp for the Z, just small cuts according to the rest of the alphabet

Also I found the æ to skinny and the @ to big ;) it's on ly suggestion

You should do the Uppercase your concept is strong enough to be a very interesting font

Comment by Michel Troy ~UrbanPixel~ (Upixel) 21st june 2010

@ p2pnut:
Thanks for the feedback! It got me thinking and trying out new proportions and drawings. I think the small cuts will be troublesome in the future — the font would have to have diagonal cuts of 1 square in every connector ou terminal...
Right?
I'd like it to remain really simple and straight cut.
It also raises the trouble of having terimals/serifs in the upper and lower halves of the letter. I think it works better only in the upper half — it keeps the eyes/negative spaces open.

What do you think?

@Upixel:
Same with the "z". I think it provides a simpler and more open look without the small cuts and lower terminal. Although after trying your suggestions, I corrected the proportions and it seems better now.

Scaled down the "@" sign... where you suggesting this?

Regarding the "æ" you're absolutely right. Much better now, thanks!

Thank you all.
Keep those suggestions coming! ;)
I'll try to keep with the daily updates!

Cheers,
P

Comment by pedamado 21st june 2010

Yes, I think having the terminals/serifs only at the top gives a cleaner look ... should the c have one?

Comment by p2pnut 21st june 2010

Good point. Took the opportunity to calibrate the length of the lower half also.

Thanks!

Comment by pedamado 21st june 2010

Nice improvement I love your solution for the Z and It's smart from p2pnut to include the C as well

You reduce the height of @ I think the proportion is better like this

good work

Comment by Michel Troy ~UrbanPixel~ (Upixel) 21st june 2010

I saw your photos of the workshop - it looked very interesting.

Comment by p2pnut 21st june 2010

Congratulations! FontStruct Staff have deemed your FontStruction worthy of special mention. “Hacklaviva” is now a Top Pick.

Comment by afrojet 23rd june 2010

Uau! Thanks for the pick afrojet!
As promised I will continue to work on this.

Today I did the first numbers... Opted with the lining figures—thought they would adjust better to general drawing.

They're still a bit quirky (too many curves and diagonals to deal with). I think the worst is still number "4"

Any suggestions?

Comment by pedamado 23rd june 2010

Uppercase are comming. GREAT!

I personnally found the MN to square if you compare with the rest of the alphabet. And why not that can be ok... I'm just questionning myself about it

The kerning J is to be review
If you write word like FIJI you'll see what I mean

Comment by Michel Troy ~UrbanPixel~ (Upixel) 28th june 2010

Yes. Working on the numbers and the uppercase more or less at the same time.

Regarding the "M" and the "N" I have to agree. Still trying some solutions (see the comparison below). I had the same problem designing diagonal of the the "4", so this time I decided try a more "square" approach. Still not sure what to do, though.

When I finish the drawings of the uppercase I'll address the spacing, hanks for the tip on the "J".

The uppercase "Z" will also be a problem. Anyway, I'll have to sleep on them till next week... be sure to stop by then, I'll have new ideas!

Thanks for the comments and for the support.

Comment by pedamado 28th june 2010

MN instead of been agressive like the sample you just post, maybe you can just bite the upper left conner like the A and C ??

I like the W

Comment by Michel Troy ~UrbanPixel~ (Upixel) 28th june 2010

Finally I had some time to mess with this fontstruction again.

I've incorporated some of the suggested upgrades to the letter shapes (the "M", "N", "J", etc...)

I've also finished the uppercase and started creating some of the punctuation glyphs. Hopefully I'll finish this before the next school year starts ;)

Here's a sample of the result. Tell me what you think! ;)

Comment by pedamado 20th june 2011

Hi, good to see you are still working on (and improving) this distinctive font.

I like the Uppercase characters - they work so well with the original l/c.

The only one that gives me a slight pause is the 'Y' which seems to be biased towards the right a little. I wondered if something like this might be an idea?

Comment by p2pnut 21st june 2011

Arrrggghhh! So simple, and yet so elegant! Thanks for the advise. I am mad I didn't see it myself.

Here's the updates. I've opened up the "X" a bit more to reflect the "Y" and I've tried to make the "S" look a bit more like the "s"...

Tell me what you think of them ;)

Comment by pedamado 22nd june 2011

Sometimes we stand so close to our designs, and spend so much time on fine details, that we can miss something that seems obvious to an outsider. I often look back at my old designs and see something that is glaringly wrong - yet it had slipped past me in the first instance.

I like the ammendment to the X.

Keep up the good work :)

Comment by p2pnut 22nd june 2011