Villianelle
The idea for the typeface Villanelle came first from my desire to create a typeface for an audience I know well, being one myself: brand designers. And really, if we wanted to get specific, a typeface for… me. What typeface would I want to use on a dream client project? Something delicate, refined, and editorial. Something with restrained flair.
But I needed a more defined North Star to give my vision a proper foothold. As I thought about what could help guide me toward a typeface with the elements I envisioned, the character Villanelle from Killing Eve came to mind.
A skilled assassin living in a world of luxury, she is surrounded by an aura of intrigue and mystery, as the protagonist, Eve follows her trail.
Elegant, sophisticated, and alluring, yet dangerous. Like a rose.
My typeface aims to visually translates this delicate tension.
The pointed flare serifs and terminals give a slashed, violent quality, while the curves and joints (or lack thereof) in the round shapes evoke her graceful and poised demeanor. Both subtle, they come together to create a harmonious but nuanced balance. The occasional swash-y glyph reflects Villianelle’s artistic flair and luxurious lifestyle.
While the whole family brings in together the Villanelle personality, the italics provided an opportunity to push the elements further. Slanted at a steep 23 degrees, the violent-slashed quality became much more prominent, meaning more swashes would also be appropriate.
The Italic glyph set is currently incomplete, but I plan to bring her into the world soon, full of all the delectable danger of her namesake.
And as for whether or not I created the brand-designer’s typeface that I aimed to, I’ll just have to start using it on some projects to see!
The 6-week type design programme that you’ve been waiting for starts on 4 June and ends 12 July 2024.
Our summer programme is in English and covers typeface design and calligraphy techniques, type history, and software practices. Every kind of design professional can learn about type design in a relatively short amount of time.
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