The Colville fonts began their existence in 2015 as a project-specific typeface, made to be used on a custom-made headstone commemorating Canadian artist Alex Colville (1920-2013) and his wife Rhoda Wright. For that purpose, some initial shapes were modelled after letters Colville himself had used on a Governor General gold medal he designed in the mid-1970s.
From there started a year-long project that culminated in a set of four comprehensive fonts ranging in weight from Light to Bold, each containing over 750 glyphs to cover Pan European language support, stylistic alternates, five sets of figures, automatic fractions, and some ornaments rooted in Alex Colville’s art.
These fonts exhibit a strong art deco aesthetic that has always been a favourite of architects, metal casters, and sign makers. This is a very humanist geometry alternating from the precisely calculated to the curvy and lithe, subtle contrast, flat stroke stops, and airy proportions that make for a counterspace built for accommodation and comfort.
The breadth and timeless humanism of the Colville set makes fit in a variety of applications, from straightforward headlines, titles, and emphasis captions, to branding and packaging.
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