CLAUS A NEW INTERPRETATION OF AN AMERICAN CLASSIC
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The design of new typefaces often involves a delicate dance between honoring tradition and embracing modernity. Mario De Libero's Claus stands as a testament to this artistic interplay, as it emerges as a reinvention of the classic Stunt Roman, a hand-lettering alphabet masterfully crafted by the penmanship virtuoso Ross Frederick George. First gracing the pages of the Speedball Text Book in 1929, this hand-lettered serif alphabet blended the classical beauty of Old Style letterforms with the narrow proportions and fluid elegance of Art Deco.
Inspired by its iconic proportions, Mario De Libero embarked on the design journey that birthed Claus. With a keen eye for harmonizing classic charm with a brutalist twist, De Libero introduced etched serifs and calligraphic quirks, subtly adapting the letterforms to a more contemporary, digital taste. The result is a festive typeface that effortlessly transitions between traditional and modern design landscapes.
Claus comes with a full range of OpenType features, boasting quirky ligatures, design alternates, and a Small Caps version. This versatility ensures seamless integration into diverse projects, from editorial layouts to luxury branding. The contrasted texture of Claus invites designers to explore the timeless beauty of deco hand-lettering translated in a contemporary context, promising a harmonious blend of sophistication and functionality.
The Quill's Dance
In which is told the story of "A Symphony of Ink and Nibs": the Legacy of Ross Frederick George
In the labyrinth of artistic endeavor, where the quill meets the parchment, the tale unfolds of Ross Frederick George, a luminary whose creative ink flowed as freely as the rivers of inspiration. Born amidst the whispered echoes of Parker, South Dakota, in 1889, George's journey traversed the landscape of letters and the harmonious dance of pens. Within the intricate labyrinth of graphic design and sign painting, George found his métier. Guided by the hand of William Hugh Gordon, a master artisan from California, George delved into the symphony of commercial lettering. Under Gordon's tutelage, he blossomed into a virtuoso, leaving an indelible mark on the realm of letters. A font of knowledge, George's artistry found its zenith in the creation of unique fonts that transcended time. Tacoma's post-punk graphic virtuoso, Art Chantry, hailed him as the "most familiar, most influential, most ubiquitous, and the most important calligrapher, lettering artist, type designer, and graphic designer of the last century." The crowning jewel of his artistic alchemy was the creation of the "Speedball" pen—a quill with a soul, birthed from a collaboration with Gordon. Their patent, a literary proclamation (No. 1,172,785) on February 2, 1916, marked the birth of a new era. The nibs, each a stanza in the grand ode, bestowed upon artists the power to weave lines thin or broad, echoing the lyrical notes of creativity. The crescendo of their collaboration reached its zenith with "The Speedball Text Book—Modern Pen Lettering," a magnum opus that echoed through the corridors of time. From square nibs to rounded tales, George's inventions danced across the pages of patent claims—each stroke a testament to an inventor's unquenchable thirst for perfection. On February 19, 1959, the inkwell of life ran dry. Ross F. George, the maestro of the Speedball symphony, bid farewell to the earthly stage. In the quietude of legacy, he left an estate valued at $160,000—an epitaph to a life well-lived, where each stroke of the pen echoed the poetic cadence of an artistic virtuoso.
