Many calligraphers agree that Roman Capitals is one of the most beautiful yet difficult hands to master. Its beauty lies in its simplicity of form and structure, yet understanding and applying these skillfully can take years of mindful practice.
My goal was to design Roman Capitals that were smoothly designed with a brush, not carved. The main concept was based on the fundamental strokes that are commonly studied when you practice Roman letters. That’s why many Serifs have these unfinished terminal serifs.
I created the Turquoise typeface based on my Capitalis Romana practice with a with flexible broad edged brush and gouache. During the lowercase process I was still following Foundational calligraphy with a flat brush. My Turquoise Capitals were then adjusted and redesigned at the Tipobrda calligraphy workshop in Slovenia.
Turquoise contains small caps, many discretionary ligatures, ornaments, swashes as well as several brushy nature-inspired ornaments, accessible via Opentype. Ideally suited for headlines or body text in advertising, packaging and visual identities, its delicate shapes, curves and endings give projects a harmonious elegance and stylistic feel in unique Turquoise style.
My inspiration for this font showcases is one of the richest islands in the Mediterranean, the place where my parents are from, Sicily. This southern Italian region has so many unique spots: Stromboli, part of the Aeolian Islands and the Pelagie Islands, is one of my favorite places in Sicily. The pictures I used were taken there this year.
So enjoy the sun, the serifs, the water and its Turquoise colors.
The brush is mightier than the sword.
