Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
SOHOGOTHIC
™
02 I work as a type designer full-time for Monotype Imaging, where we develop a lot of typefaces for corporate clients. So, in
terms of inspiration, I’m always thinking about which characteristics might work well for branding purposes and, more practically,
what kinds of designs perform best in a wide variety of applications and environments on screen and in print. Soho Gothic is, in a
sense, a distillation of that process of thinking about what I like aesthetically and functionally in an industrial and versatile typeface
family, informed by my experience as a custom typeface designer.
Hamburgefonstivly
STYLISTIC SET 2 - Simplified forms in the lowercase - ‘a’, ‘u’ & ‘y’.
03 I always start with a sketchbook when I’m designing a new typeface. I’ll start with very crude
letterforms, fleshing out the basic proportions and themes in the design until I feel ready to start thinking
about the detailing.
Hamburgefonstivly
STYLISTIC SET 3 - Simplified forms in the lowercase ‘u’ & ‘y’ only.
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
abcdefghijklmnop
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
abcdefghijklmnop
05 I designed seven
weights with their respective
italics. So that’s 14 fonts in total.
0123456789&012 0123456789&012
Hamburgefonstivly
STYLISTIC SET 4 - Semi slab letterforms in the lowercase only.
REGULAR
ABCDEFGHIJKLM ABCDEFGHIJKLM
MEDIUM
Seven weights is actually a good
number – it offers lots of variety
and flexibility and the weights
harmonise nicely with the slab
abcdefghijklmno abcdefghijklmno serif versions of Soho.
EFFORTLESS
06 The Thin version is super-chic looking and I think would work well in a
fashion context. I think it evokes exclusivity, luxury, and refinement. 07
STATESIn contrast, the Ultra version looks very robust, solid, and reliable.
My fiancée BRUISER
aaa
A Brief History of Shopping
08 The default italics are fairly straightforward. They are what’s known as
‘semi-cursive’, which means they allude to the cursive style of italic (in the ‘a’ and ‘f’
particularly) without being full-on italics. I think this style is most appropriate for a
design like this. Cursive italics can be really beautiful, but can have a softness that I
don’t think works well in industrial-style typefaces like this. There are actually six sets
of italics in each font – see step 11.
09 I also designed a semi-slab version of the font. Semi-slab fonts are not purely sans or serif; they’re
a hybrid style that can be used to create stylish, distinctive characters and extend the versatility of a design.
Soho Gothic’s semi-slabs are accessible via OpenType features in some applications.
[({|¦¡¿¡¿\/⁄∕‼!?})]¶&&@@_uvypqAiwhtofª¥¡abdehilmnorst
«»‹›## ΩΩ∆∏∑µμ∂π√∫∞‒—.,-:;․‥∙◊«»‹›[({—–-_¯})]℮^
Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You may choose your Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You may choose your
own favourite vintage for this imaginary demonstration, so that it be a
deep shimmering crimson in colour. You have two goblets before you.
own favourite vintage for this imaginary demonstration, so that it be a
deep shimmering crimson in colour. You have two goblets before you. Imagine that you have before you Imagine that you have before
One is of solid gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns. The other is of
you a flagon of wine. You may
One is of solid gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns. The other
crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and as transparent. Pour and drink; and
according to your choice of goblet, I shall know whether or not you are a
is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and as transparent. Pour and
drink; and according to your choice of goblet, I shall know whether or
a flagon of wine. You may choose
connoisseur of wine. Bear with me in this long-winded and fragrant meta-
phor; for you will find that almost all the virtues of the perfect wine-glass
not you are a connoisseur of wine. Bear with me in this long-winded
and fragrant metaphor; for you will find that almost all the virtues of your own favourite vintage for this choose your own favourite
have a parallel in typography. There is the long, thin stem that obviates the perfect wine-glass have a parallel in typography. There is the long,
fingerprints on the bowl. Why? Because no cloud must come between your
eyes and the fiery hearth of the liquid. Are not the margins on book pages
thin stem that obviates fingerprints on the bowl. Why? Because no cloud
must come between your eyes and the fiery hearth of the liquid. Are not
imaginary demonstration, so that vintage for this imaginary dem-
similarly meant to obviate the necessity of fingering the type-pages? the margins on book pages similarly meant to obviate the necessity of
it be a deep shimmering crimson in onstration, so that it be a deep
SOHO GOTHIC MEDIUM & MEDIUM ITALIC 6/9 SOHO GOTHIC BOLD & BOLD ITALIC 6/9
Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You may choose Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You may
colour. You have two goblets before shimmering crimson in colour.
your own favourite vintage for this imaginary demonstration, so that choose your own favourite vintage for this imaginary demonstra-
it be a deep shimmering crimson in colour. You have two goblets be- tion, so that it be a deep shimmering crimson in colour. You have
fore you. One is of solid gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns. two goblets before you. One is of solid gold, wrought in the most SOHO GOTHIC REGULAR & ITALIC 14/17 SOHO GOTHIC MEDIUM & MEDIUM ITALIC 14/17
The other is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and as transpar- exquisite patterns. The other is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a
ent. Pour and drink; and according to your choice of goblet, I shall bubble, and as transparent. Pour and drink; and according to your
know whether or not you are a connoisseur of wine. you will find
Bear with me in this long-winded and fragrant metaphor; for you
choice of goblet, I shall know whether or not you are a connois-
seur of wine. Bear with me in this long-winded and fragrant Imagine that you have before Imagine that you have before
will find that almost all the virtues of the perfect wine-glass have a metaphor; for you will find that almost all the virtues of the per-
parallel in typography. There is the long, thin stem that obviates fin-
gerprints on the bowl. Why? Because no cloud must come between
fect wine-glass have a parallel in typography. There is the long,
thin stem that obviates fingerprints on the bowl. Why? Because
you a flagon of wine. You may you a flagon of wine. You may
your eyes and the fiery hearth of the liquid. Are not the margins on no cloud must come between your eyes and the fiery hearth of
choose your own favourite vin- choose your own favourite
SOHO GOTHIC THIN & THIN ITALIC 8/11 SOHO GOTHIC LIGHT & LIGHT ITALIC 8/11
tage for this imaginary dem- vintage for this imaginary
Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. You onstration, so that it be a deep demonstration, so that it be
may choose your own favourite vintage for this imaginary
demonstration, so that it be a deep shimmering crimson
may choose your own favourite vintage for this imagi-
nary demonstration, so that it be a deep shimmering shimmering crimson in colour. a deep shimmering crimson
in colour. You have two goblets before you. One is of solid crimson in colour. You have two goblets before you. One
gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns. The other is is of solid gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns.
of crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and as transparent. The other is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and
as transparent. Pour and drink; and according to your
Pour and drink; and according to your choice of goblet, I
shall know whether or not you are a connoisseur of wine. choice of goblet, I shall know whether or not you are a 12 Soho Gothic has only just become available, but the early feedback is very positive. I have a group
Bear with me in this long-winded and fragrant metaphor; connoisseur of wine. Bear with me in this long-winded of knowledgeable designer friends who I know will give me honest opinions about my typefaces as they
for you will find that almost all the virtues of the perfect and fragrant metaphor; for you will find that almost all
evolve, and that’s very useful.
SOHO GOTHIC REGULAR & ITALIC 8/11 SOHO GOTHIC MEDIUM & MEDIUM ITALIC 8/11
Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine. Imagine that you have before you a flagon of wine.
You may choose your own favourite vintage for this You may choose your own favourite vintage for
imaginary demonstration, so that it be a deep shim- this imaginary demonstration, so that it be a deep
mering crimson in colour. You have two goblets before shimmering crimson in colour. You have two goblets
you. One is of solid gold, wrought in the most exquisite before you. One is of solid gold, wrought in the
patterns. The other is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a most exquisite patterns. The other is of crystal-
bubble, and as transparent. Pour and drink; and ac- clear glass, thin as a bubble, and as transparent.
cording to your choice of goblet, I shall know whether Pour and drink; and according to your choice of
or not you are a connoisseur of wine. Bear with me in goblet, I shall know whether or not you are a con-
this long-winded and fragrant metaphor; for you will noisseur of wine. Bear with me in this long-winded
SOHO GOTHIC BOLD & BOLD ITALIC 8/11 SOHO GOTHIC EXTRA BOLD & EXTRA BOLD ITALIC 8/11
Imagine that you have before you a flagon of Imagine that you have before you a flagon of
wine. You may choose your own favourite vin- wine. You may choose your own favourite vin-
tage for this imaginary demonstration, so that tage for this imaginary demonstration, so that
it be a deep shimmering crimson in colour. You it be a deep shimmering crimson in colour. You
have two goblets before you. One is of solid gold, have two goblets before you. One is of solid
wrought in the most exquisite patterns. The oth- gold, wrought in the most exquisite patterns.
er is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a bubble, and The other is of crystal-clear glass, thin as a
as transparent. Pour and drink; and according bubble, and as transparent. Pour and drink;
to your choice of goblet, I shall know whether and according to your choice of goblet, I shall
or not you are a connoisseur of wine. Bear with know whether or not you are a connoisseur of
13 Soho is used in a few lifestyle magazines at the moment and it’s used skilfully in Total Guitar. I have
to say, though, no matter how badly one of my typefaces is used, it’s always pleasing to me. There are plenty
of typefaces available these days and it’s a compliment that someone has picked your typeface in the first
place. I have seen some examples of my type being used that have amused me, but I’ve never been angry or
upset. If the typeface is licensed properly from a legal perspective then how people use it is up to them.