Typeface for the Operating System - Thu, Dec 9, 2021
Designing a typeface for the OS
Designing a typeface as someone who isn’t a traditional designer is hard. In 2018, I designed the initial typeface wire-frame for the operating system without knowing typeface design.
I shelved the design because I had to address more critical concerns for the OS base. I re-visited the old designs around two months ago and wanted to get over that typeface design aspect. I started reading a book called “Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton. It contains massive information on typefaces, terms, and their history.
Illusions and inconsistencies play an essential role.
With that being said, I introduce you to Diablo, a neo-grotesque typeface explicitly designed for the operating system.
The way an operating system renders a font matters a lot. It’s crucial! Kerning and fixing takes a while but here’s a first look of a Diablo(lighter weight) being rendered in the OS - I’m super satisfied with the clarity here:
Here’s Chromium using Diablo (heavier weight) as the default font - I’m drooling over this one 🤤:
Why Diablo? I’ll leave it to you to figure out.