I was recently asked by Germany’s Novum magazine to write a short feature about my pick of Arabic typefaces that their readers would want to know about. For this I could choose from both my designs as well as others’. It’s never easy to make a small selection, and this was the case here. How would I make my choices? Is it my personal favorites? The best designs? The most original? The most popular?
My answer was to look at typefaces that pushed the envelop and made a leap forward, whether in terms of design or technology. My text and my pick can be seen in the pdf attached below. Given the limited space, I’ve been given the permission to post it here, and to continue with more info about the featured typefaces. So where shall I start?
npNaherOsten.pdf
Yakout:
Yakout is your safest bet in case you had no clue which typeface to use. That said, it’s also not very inspiring. It’s been used so often, that it’s design is practically a template in the minds of the readers. It was designed as a newspaper text face but that has not stopped it from conquering all sorts of design applications. You will find Yakout on signage, on TV, and on your menu. As a typeface that has been used and abused, the most milage you could make out of it is to use it as it was originally intended for: to set newspaper text.
Frutiger Arabic:
Here I’m not so objective so I’ll rely on external feedback. Frutiger Arabic is Linotype’s best selling Arabic typeface. It’s been licensed in dozens of countries as far away as Australia, Japan, and the US west coast, and many spots in the middle. Why is that? I think its charm lies in its simplicity, its clear and legible forms, and its friendly demeanor. This typeface is your best friend. And it’s not like I was the one who came up with this formula. The credit goes to Adrian Frutiger. All I did was to translate the message into Arabic.
Koufiya:
The only other typeface on the list which is mine. As I’ve written before, Koufiya is an ideology, well mine at least. If all my typefaces were children, Koufiya would be the one who looks like me, talks like me, and will grow up to be just like me. Koufiya is based on the simple, but often overlooked, idea that every life is equal. Not wanting to go to politics here, but it often seems that some nationalities are “worth” more than others. Koufiya says that we are all equal. And when we accept that we are equal but different, and that it is ok to be different, then you can live in harmony. Works for people, works for scripts.
Naskh:
This one you have to try out for yourself to get a feel for it. Download a trial version from Winsoft’s website and just see for yourself how cool it is. Now, this typeface packs a lot of power in it, and like any powerful tool, you need to know how to use it. Look at calligraphy samples to get an idea of how to best make your selection and you’ll be safe. Also, the spacing will need to be manually tuned to get a perfect finish, but it’s a small price to pay for such capabilities.
Adobe Arabic:
If there were ever a typeface that I wish I designed myself, it would be this one. This typeface looks good and knows it. There’s a few characters that I’d like to redesign, but other than that it’s gorgeous. A note to students trying to design Arabic typefaces: please don’t copy this design. Do your own. I’ve seen several student projects that are practically spitting images of this one, and though this kind of “inspiration” seems to be widespread in the world of Latin type design, it won’t fly in Arabic. The scene is too small. It’s like 2 women wearing the same dress. In one case, it’s at a party with 500 people, and the other is a dinner party of 6. You’ll just stand out too much. It’s the same like walking in an almost empty field and being at an arm’s length to the next guy. Why so close? There’s lots of space everywhere.
TheMix Arabic:
Another great design. In the article I forgot to add that this is designed by both Lucas de Groot and Mounir Al-Shaarani. Gorgeous design. This typeface made me realize that I’ve never done a cool design. Mistake being currently corrected. This is my favorite pick of the Typographic Matchmaking project. Why? There’s the coolness factor, and the fact that it’s a Kufi style. Also, Mounir Al-Shaarani is a GREAT calligrapher and his touch is very evident in the design.
Arian:
There’s something that I like about Arian but I can’t put my finger on it. I suspect it’s the color on the page. It’s just so relaxing. Granted, it’s very extended and maybe that’s why it feels so laid back. But why not?
So this is what I felt like adding. I only had space for 7 typefaces and there’s many more that can be added here. This is a pity but I don’t feel bad about that at all. The realization that we have many more than 7 really good Arabic typefaces is a song to my ears. It didn’t use to be like this, but it is now and I’m so glad it is!
ps. Isn’t the cover gorgeous? Novum has the best covers I’ve seen on any magazine. They play around with paper and printing effects. Each month is a new thing. I love to collect them!