Ken Kopff

Lignée is a text revival typeface based on Didot.
The project began when I came across a printed book in Typofonderie’s archive.
It was an original 19th-century publication set in small point sizes.
The letterforms were delicate, slightly irregular, and surprisingly readable.
They were nothing like the mechanical Didot I thought I knew.
That moment reshaped my understanding of what Didot could be.
It also brought back a memory. Years ago, I had discovered Jean François Porchez’s Ambroise, a Didot revival unlike any I had seen before.
That experience left a strong impression on me. With these two memories converging, I decided to start a revival of my own.
One focused on text sizes and built from direct observation.
I began by scanning the original prints and extracting at least six examples of each character.
Not a single one was the same. Each had unique ink spread, irregularities, and life.
But when I started tracing them, I realized my drawings were unconsciously influenced by the Didot in my memory.
That was the first wall I hit. I had to unlearn what I thought I knew and truly look at what was in front of me.

Through that process, I analyzed the letter structure in depth. Angles, curves, internal and external shapes.
I initially designed a system with angular counters inside and softer curves outside, but when I digitized the forms, they looked awkward.
So I removed the angles and replaced them with sharper curves.
I also toned down the exaggerated ink spread in the serifs, which had become visual noise in text sizes.
Strangely, the more I corrected the design, the closer it got to the Didot I remembered. That was when I realized something important.
The classics that have survived for centuries are not just historical. They are highly refined. Reviving them demands humility.

With that understanding, I began expanding the family. The Regular weight was designed with low contrast for better readability.
As I moved toward Black, I increased the contrast while keeping the thinnest parts unchanged. This approach felt true to the Didot lineage.
For Italic, I returned to the prints, scanned again, and traced each character from scratch.
Having gone through the process once, I found I could work much faster the second time.
Finally, I created display styles that move away from the text-focused concept.
A contrastless Black Slab, and a narrow Compressed Light for headlines.
These versions allowed me to explore other voices within the same system. Due to time, I could only complete the Lignée alphabet itself.

To be honest, I am not entirely satisfied with the final design of this typeface. But I also understand that it reflects the limits of who I am right now.
My journey in type design will continue. And maybe, after ten or twenty more years of experience, I will return to this project with fresh eyes and a better hand.
See you then.