Engadi: An Original Typeface by Ben Mahaffey

E N G A D IA Typeface by Benjamin Mahaffey

Table of Contents

Discovering a Purpose

Taking a Test Drive

Library of Weights

Researching an Idea

Building a Typeface

To Left: Guatemalan boys enjoy ice cream.Photo: Phillip Blume, 2011

Discovering a PurposeA look into the reason behind the typeface.

You do not simply design a typeface so that you have a new typeface. Every detail in a typeface is intentional, including the purpose for it. In this section, we will take a look at the reason Engadi type was created. I will tell you the story of my experiences and why I felt I needed to create this face.

To Right: Guatemalan boy plays with his new present.Photo: Ben Mahaffey, 2011

During my first year at Anderson University, I was given the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala to serve with a group called Engadi Ministries International. It was my first international mission trip and I enjoyed it. This past year, I went back for a second time. I found that I had a passion for Guatemala and its people, so I wanted to serve them any way possible.

Engadi Ministries was founded by Nathan Hardeman. Nathan and his wife, Claudia, felt God calling them to build a refuge for young boys. Nathan’s goal is to take boys out of their homes and their gang-run neighborhoods and give them a place where they can grow to know Christ. After they have matured, they would be placed back in their neighborhoods to share the love of Christ with everyone else. During the mission trip I went on, we were able to interact with the boys that will someday fill the rooms at the refuge. We were also able to build part of the guard house on the property. God has blessed me with Guatemala, so making the typeface Engadi is my way of serving Nathan and Engadi Ministries International.

To Right: A mother holds her young child.

Photo: Phillip Blume, 2011

When thinking about what my typeface would be used for, I ran through a variety of options. I could make a serif typeface and use it for large bodies of text, or I could make a sans-serif typeface and it would be perfect for headers. Either way, I wanted a typeface that would be usable and unique.

After thinking about what function my typeface should have, I decided to choose the sans-serif variety so that I could use the type for display. My original idea was to re-brand Engadi MinistriesInternational with the new typeface and recreate their identity. With one unique, diverse typeface, I would be able to do this. Along with rebranding, this typeface was created to be used in signs, letterheads, on websites, and in any other type of header. While I was thinking about the purpose, I came up with three key words that I wanted to convey in my type. These three words show what Engadi is.

Engadi is...

GroundbreakingContradiction

Multifarious

Researching an IdeaA walk-through of the planning process.

One of the most crucial points in a project is the research and development phase at the very beginning. Throughout this next section, I will show you the research that inspired me to make this type, and I will show you the basis for my type. The researching phase took over forty hours alone. That goes to show how important it is.

To Right: Two Guatemalan boys wrestling.

Guatemala is a country built on history and tradition. It was once inhabited by the Mayan Indians, and, contrary to popular belief, they still exist. Since the Mayan history was such a strong part of the Guatemalan culture, I wanted to incorporate it into the type.

To begin with, I researched the Mayan culture. Last time I visited Guatemala, I brought back a Mayan calendar; another time, while in Belize, my dad bought a Mayan calendar made out of stone. You can see these objects shown to the right-hand side. I decided to look closely at those objects to see if I could find any distinct shapes. I began to see certain geometric shapes, but I wanted to stay away from geometric shapes to help with the appearance of the type. So, I looked for more organic shapes instead. Out of these two objects, I never found anything of substance, but it gave me a good starting point for developing my type and research. Shortly thereafter, I found some books that showed the Mayan alphabet. This is where Engadi type first originated.

After realizing my calendars would not help me with the research portion of this project, I decided to take a more traditional route, I went to the library. In the library I was able to find several books talking about Mayan culture, but nothing that helped.

I talked to Dr. Weddle, the Art History professor at Anderson University, and she was able to give me a book that broke down Mayan characters and their translated meanings. Over the next two pages, you can see some of the pages from the book that inspired my typeface. One thing I noticed about Mayan characters was the shape. All of the characters are rounded rectangles. Not only did I see this in their characters, but I also saw it in the architecture. On the next page you will see a building compound that is enclosed by a rounded rectangle. This was my breakthrough point. I began to work with certain letters. I would mold them to the shape of that rounded rectangle. I made a good bit of progress. I had varying weights throughout the character and the type was starting to look sleek. The type, though, did not feel solid like I wanted it to. I went back to the drawing board and looked to other type for inspiration. Soon, I found Helvetica, and that is where my ideas took off.

Throughout my research, I tried to figure out how I could make a character that looked solid once it was on paper. I couldn’t think of any great ideas, so I decided to fall back on Helvetica. Helvetica is a typeface known for being modern and simple. Any company that wants to say “I’m modern” will use Helvetica in their advertisements. So, I decided I would use Helvetica as the basis for a solid and stable typeface. The part that I like most about Helvetica is how the stroke is even all the way around. I wanted to emulate that in my piece, but, like I said, Helvetica is known for being modern. My typeface is drawn from very traditional forms. That gave me the idea: why can my typeface not have both? That is exactly what I did. I fused the modern Helvetica forms together with the very traditional meaning of Engadi type. I bought a pack of Helvetica stencils to that I could trace the form over and over again until I knew exactly how to make my Engadi forms. Now, the user of Engadi type has a very diverse typeface that can ultimately go either way.

Building a TypefaceA step-by-step guide to the type decisions.

There are several different steps that go into building a unique typeface. During this next sections, you will see all of these steps come to life as I build the typeface. Everything from the beginning of the planning process, all the way to the very last step on the computer will be shown. This part of my type development took over one hundred hours to complete and perfect.

To Right: Guatemalan boys eating on the street.

Setting the Cap Height and X-HeightVery early on, I knew it would be important to decide on my cap height, ascender height, and my x-height. I struggled with the proportions of Engadi, mainly because I had never made a typeface before. I looked at several different faces and measured out their widths and heights to see if there was any common thread between them. After I discovered that they were all different, I went back to my inspiration of the Mayan characters. Mayan characters are very elongated cubes. So, why not replicate that in my type? I chose a set width that was wider than my x-height to give the type a squat look. I continued to mess around with the proportions until I was sure I liked what I had. On my graph paper, the final measurements were four inches tall and fourth and one half inches wide. This provided a subtle difference that would be noticeable as a whole line of text.

Development of the MinusculesThe letter A was the first letter that I worked on when this project began. I figured that it would be easier to work on the A first because, from that, I can develop a g, b, d, o, p, q, and even parts of a n and h. The sketch to the right was my first idea for the typeface. My goal was to create something that looked solid and had character. There were several small problems that I ran into with my initial type. On the following pages, I will address several of the issues.

Inspiration for the MinusculesEarlier in this specimen book, I talked at length about how the letters were formed and where I got my inspiration from. I knew the basic form that I wanted to replicate, but I finally made a break through when I found the curve for my a. When doing research, I found an old manuscript with line after line of text.

I converted it to a vector image in Illustrator so that I could see the shapes more clearly. After looking through the shapes, I discovered the character seen below. I used the curve from that shape in my letter a. As you can see, the curve did not match up perfectly, so I had to change it to help the function of my characters.

Version OneCreated March 15, 2013

Version TwoCreated March 16, 2013

Version ThreeCreated March 16, 2013

Version FourCreated March 18, 2013

Version FiveCreated April 04, 2013

Now I wanted to address my problems with the letter a. At a small size, the minuscule a could be confused with a 2. I decided I needed to close the gap between the top and bottom. However, I did not do that until later in the project because I thought I could salvage the idea. After working with that idea for a week or so, I convinced myself that it would not be possible to keep that gap. When a line of text is put together, there is a white line that runs through it because of the gap.

The second problem was figuring out how to make the a a recognizable character and distinct from the 2. My first idea was to slant certain parts of the stroke so it would not look so much like a 2. In versions two through four you can see how I was playing around with this idea. The more I experimented with it, the less I liked it. I finally decided to move on from that idea in version five.Another key change that I made in version five was the adjustment of the stroke width. I first designed this on a 4.5 inch by 4 inch grid. I offset the stroke by half of an inch. When shrunk down to size, the stroke was too thin. To solve this problem, I increased the stroke width to three fourths of an inch to make the letters stand out more. In context they now look much better.

The final decision I had to make was deciding what to do with the tail on the a. In three of the five I have included tails, but when I increased the stroke of the letter, there was no room left to add a tail. I think that having one would have looked nice, but there was simply no room for it. Since the beginning, this letter has come a long ways. Both the majuscule and the minuscule were designed to represent the Mayan characters through the rounded corners and oblong shapes. All of these decisions were taken into consideration when designing this specific letter. You can see each of these design decisions to the left and you can see how the legibility of the letter improved from the first design to the final design.

Also available: Ä, Ë, Ï, Ö, Ü, ë, ï, ö, and üAlso available: À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù, è, ì, ò, and ù

Also available: Â, Ê, Î, Ô, Û, ê, î, ô, and û Also available: Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú, é, í, ó, and ú

Also available: Ã, Ñ, Õ, ñ, and õ

Also available: Å

Since I am developing my type for a foreign organization, I wanted to have accented characters available for use. Once I got started drawing them on Illustrator, it was a breeze. I was able to create all of the letters in a matter of thirty minutes. The part I had the most trouble with was figuring out the placement of the accent on the letter. I noticed when looking at other type that the accent seemed much higher on the minuscule letter. On the majuscule letter, the accent appeared cramped because the developer did not want it to go higher than the set cap height. I considered my two options closely before making a decision. I could either have the cramped accent on the majuscule, or I could have the option of worrying about messed up leading between the lines if I went over the cap height. Since my type was created for display, I went with the first option. At a large scale, it is not hard to read the accent. It is only when the type gets below 14 point that there is trouble reading it. Above, you can see an example of this.

ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ 8 pt. Engadi

10 pt. Engadi

12 pt. Engadi

14 pt. Engadi

16 pt. Engadi

18 pt. Engadi

20 pt. Engadi

22 pt. Engadi

Development of the MajusculesOnce I had an idea of how to create the letters, the majuscules were no problem. The hardest part about forming each of the letters was to make sure they stayed consistent. One problem that I ran into was creating letters with either straight sides or diagonals and making them look like they belonged in the set of characters. To the right you can see just a small glimpse of the process I went through to create the majuscule A. The majuscules were, by far, the easiest part to form.

Development of the WeightsDifferent weights were an important detail that I wanted to include in my work. I had to create a Regular weight of Engadi, but I decided to push myself to create an Oblique, Outline, Oblique Outline, and a Gentle version. None of these were extremely difficult to produce after I had my basic type laid out, but they offer variety when using Engadi type. Each of these weights has its own purpose.

The Regular is for headers, such as letterhead, signs, and advertisements. The Oblique offers more variety with the Regular so that your design will not be monotonous. The Outline and Oblique Outline offer a unique take on the Engadi typeface. By testing the Outlined version, I find that it works best with numbers and for making a statement. Lastly, the Gentle version was created as a more kid-friendly version of Engadi. It has rounded corners and is very approachable. When you put these different weights together, it creates a solid type family.

Building Characters in IllustratorFor me, this was one of the most time consuming parts of the project. Illustrator is my tool of choice for any project, so I was eager to get started. I replicated my original drawings in Illustrator by reproducing the drawing grid in the program. Then, I measured out all of the lines and circle radius’. One thing that we were told at the beginning of this project is that our designs will change once we put them into Illustrator. My designs changed more than I was expecting. I increase the stroke to make the characters stand out more. Over the next few pages, you can see the development and construction of one character in Illustrator.

After designing the type on Illustrator, I would copy and paste the outline of the character into another program called Glyphs. Glyphs is used to create a usable typeface. I experimented with Glyphs for over thirty hours to learn how to lay out the type in the program. I made many revisions to my type to make it function and flow.

The hardest part of using Glyphs was setting the kerning between the characters. I struggled with this, but I eventually decided to measure out the space in between to get a general idea for the space I wanted between letters.

Kerning, Tracking, and LeadingThe final part to creating the type was creating the kerning, tracking, and leading in Glyphs. Like I said on the previous page, I had to measure out the space in between. To do this, I printed the letters I had created at 100% and then cut the space around them. Once I thought the kerning and leading was appropriate, I measured the lengths. When I went back to Glyphs, I would measure that same distance between the edge of the character and the edge of the art board. I found that most of the letters needed fifty blocks to create enough space. Once you figure out that spacing, the tracking will take care of itself. Kerning, tracking, and leading was the hardest part of the project because of the precise measurements needed.

Creating a Type PairingEngadi type is almost finished, but there is one last step to make sure Engadi looks complete. The last task left to do is to find a type pairing for the new typeface, Engadi. Engadi was built to be a strong stand alone typeface, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t use some support. When trying to find a good pairing, I looked for other typefaces that contrasted with Engadi. Engadi is more of a geometric typeface and has wide set widths and a wide, consistent stroke. So I began looking for another face that was more organic, had a skinny set width, and had a skinny stroke.

That lead me to Mrs. Eaves Roman Lining. In the comparison to the right, you can see the two typefaces paired together. Mrs. Eaves and Engadi work well with each other because of their contrast. Another thing that I noticed is how Mrs. Eaves and Engadi have a consistent x-height, which will help the flow of text when combined together.

Español

Library of WeightsA display of all the available type weights.

In this section, all of the different weights of the type will be displayed. On the left page, you will see the type against a white background. On the right, you will see the type against a black background. This will help you see how the type looks in different situations, and it will help you see the counters of the letters.

To Right: Children who will be impacted by Engadi.

Photo: Ben Mahaffey, 2011

Engadi Regular

HN O P Q R

XS T UY Z

I J K LB C D E F

hn o p q r

xs t uy z

i j k lb c d e f

04 5 6 7

ÀÈÌ

ÊÎ Í Ï

Ò Ô ÓÚÙ ÜÛ

É ËÂ Á Ä

àèì

êî í ï

ò ô óúù üû

é ëâ á ä

ÑÕ õÇ

ñÃ ã

! # : $ % . *“ ( ‘ [ ^ ] ’ ) ”

–—

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Engadi Oblique

HN O P Q R

XS T UY Z

I J K LB C D E F

hn o p q r

xs t uy z

i j k lb c d e f

04 5 6 7

ÀÈÌ

ÊÎ Í Ï

Ò Ô ÓÚÙ ÜÛ

É ËÂ Á Ä

àèì

êî í ï

ò ô óúù üû

é ëâ á ä

ÑÕ õÇ

ñÃ ã

! # : $ % . *“ ( ‘ [ ^ ] ’ ) ”

–—

Engadi Gentle

HN O P Q R

XS T UY Z

I J K LB C D E F

hn o p q r

xs t uy z

i j k lb c d e f

04 5 6 7

ÀÈÌ

ÊÎ Í Ï

Ò Ô ÓÚÙ ÜÛ

É ËÂ Á Ä

àèì

êî í ï

ò ô óúù üû

é ëâ á ä

ÑÕ õÇ

ñÃ ã

! # : $ % . *“ ( ‘ [ ^ ] ’ ) ”

–—

Engadi Outline

HN O P Q R

XS T UY Z

I J K LB C D E F

hn o p q r

xs t uy z

i j k lb c d e f

04 5 6 7

Engadi Oblique Outline

HN O P Q R

XS T UY Z

I J K LB C D E F

hn o p q r

xs t uy z

i j k lb c d e f

04 5 6 7

Taking a Test DriveEngadi Type in its natural environment.

It is always important to see the type in a real world application. The next few pages will show you Engadi type in the environment it is likely to be found in. Engadi type is very diverse and can be found in several applications.

To Right: Two Guatemalan boys receive their presents.Photo: Ben Mahaffey, 2011

WEISINGER MUSICp i a n o s e r v i c e s

One of the cool things about Engadi is its ability to function in any type of situation. This whole section has showcased Engadi in every type of design. Engadi can be used for websites, letterhead, logos, companies, posters, and even more. Even though Engadi was designed to be traditional, it can also be extremely modern. It fits in to any art movement and is extremely adaptable. All of the designs in this section are show with Engadi and its type pairing, Mrs. Eves. So, next time you are looking for a typeface that is modern, tradi-tional, sleek, or boxy, Engadi has got you covered.

So, after 4 thick Sharpies, 3 thin Sharpies, a package of sheet protectors, 2 packs of vellum graph paper, 140 pages of a Specimen book, and over 200 hours of work, I present to you...

AcknowledgmentsMy first thanks goes out to Professor Speaker who helped guide me along the process of creating the typeface and this Specimen book. Although his name is not mentioned, his help was invaluable. Secondly, thank you to Georg Seifert, the Glyphs team, and the Adobe Cooperation for the software used to produce this product. Thank you to Phillip Blume for allowing me to use his original photography throughout the book. Thank you to John Henderson, author of “World of the Ancient Maya” for helpful resources during research. Finally, thank you to Exxon Mobil, New England Patriots, Toronto Raptors, Up, Families, Sound Decor, Weisinger Music, Engadi Ministries, and all of the other resources used to create an environment throughout the book.

Engadi: An Original Typeface by Ben Mahaffey

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