Discover Unique Fonts Inspired by Ornamental Metal GatesDiscover Unique Fonts Inspired by Ornamental Metal Gates
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Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 6
before type was designed, it was forged. the printing press and the blacksmith's workshop share more history than most people realise, and the earliest typefaces weren't drawn at a drafting table but cast in metal by hands that already knew the craft. i've made a few found-letterform fonts before, usually from plants and things in nature. this one, built from images of ornamental metal gates, is by far my favourite and feels like a natural homage to the original metal-cast type. let me know what you think! 🔩
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Samuel's avatar
This is great.
Milena's avatar
pro
• Mar 6
Nice, I did a similar project 10 years ago with a friend as part of a design summer school program. We had a small exhibition with all symbols, a huge poster and even a laser-cut fence model. Have a look if you're interested.
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
wow, thank you for sharing this! I love how uniform your symbols are- I was finding it really hard to find consistent weights and shapes. Would have loved to have seen this in person!
Alan's avatar
pro
• Mar 9
LOVE
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Vaibhav's avatar
This is great! Loved it.
Akinkunmi's avatar
Simplicity , amazing work
Aishi's avatar
Now that's what you call sharp analysis skills and hell lot of creativity 🔥
Madi's avatar
wow I love this! the H almost looks like a butterfly
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
right!! It made me want to make a whole butterfly font 🦋
Aditya 's avatar
The connection between blacksmithing and type design is something I never thought about but now can't unsee. Found letterforms from metal gates is such a unique source. Would love to see the full character set! 🖤
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
Thank you!! I'd love to make a complete typeface using this technique, but I'd definitely have to spend a bit more time refining each character and searching for the perfect shapes. Not sure this would be very accessible or legible in its current state🤣
Simply7's avatar
ok this is really cool cause you guys designing fonts thats the highest level of creativeness
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
thank you, it was so fun to make!!
Monserrat's avatar
These are so awesome! That H really stands out to me, I love thinking about how precise they had to be casting all those curves in metal - really shows the craftsmanship behind it✨
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
right!!? I know it's cliche but I do feel sad that modern infrastructure is so much more minimalist and plain...
Kendrick's avatar
Your found-letterform font inspired by ornamental metal gates is a fascinating tribute to the origins of metal-cast type. The connection between blacksmithing and typography is intriguing, and your work showcases a unique blend of history and creativity.
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
thanks Kendrick, I've been reading a lot about design history recently so am finding lots of joy in paying homage to the designers that came before us!
Lynne's avatar
• Mar 8
love it!
Stephanie's avatar
Never thought about type coming from metalwork but it makes total sense. Such a cool connection between craft and design history!
Cara's avatar
onyourtiptoes logo
max
• Mar 9
right! design used to take so much longer and require so much more involvement. there are definitely lessons modern designers could learn there!
Alan's avatar
pro
• Mar 9
I obsessively find things to snag all day (and to drop into ✨Image Vectorizer✨ app)
Sufyan's avatar
pro
• Mar 9
creativity on it's peak 🙌
MA Rakib 's avatar
nice work
Virginia's avatar
Not only a history lesson, but a brilliant display of what talent you have!
Steve's avatar
Seems weird now to remind ourselves that so much was achieved in the past by hand-based skills. You get a sense that if the internet died for any appreciable period of time, half the world's population would be rendered useless.
Megi's avatar
pro
• Mar 11
Loving this!!! Finding inspo in the ordinary is really something we should get back to :)
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