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Solid and Elegant Pine Trees on Snowy Fields

Article 2023.02.17

The return of 「Sandoll Nunsol」 with weight expansion after 4 years

 

In January 2021, the product planning team conducted a survey* targeting users who use Sandoll fonts through the font platform "Sandoll Cloud". The survey included various items such as experiences with Sandoll Cloud, usability surveys of Sandoll fonts, etc., and with the participation of 306 users, meaningful data was obtained. To enhance usability of existing fonts, one of the questions asked users to choose which Sandoll font they would like to see updated with expansions like Korean extension, weight expansion, style expansion, etc. 「Sandoll Nunsol」 ranked fifth** in terms of user demand, indicating significant interest among users for its expansion. As 「Sandoll Gyeokdong Series」, 「Sandoll Jeongche」, and 「Sandoll Hoyoyo」already had expansion updates planned, the decision to proceed with the expansion update for 「Nunsol」was driven by its ranking.
*Beta test survey for 「Sandoll CT Sans」 (2021)
**Ranked in order: 「Gyeokdong Gulim」(31.7%), 「Jeongche」(18%), 「Gyeokdong Myeongjo」(16%), 「Hoyoyo」(15.7%), 「Nunsol」(7.5%)...

 

In fact, 「Nunsol」 was already designed as a family with three weights from the planning stage. It was a font that had been distributed as ‘03 Bold’ despite being originally planned to include Thin and Regular weights. Therefore, the 「Nunsol」 expansion project was conducted based on the original planner's intentions. To commemorate completing the puzzle that had been empty, we will discuss 「Nunsol」 with its original designer, Kim Jin-hee.
*Before the release of 「Sandoll Nunsol」 with expanded weights, as of January 2023

『Samganghaengsildo』

Copy of 『Oryun Haengsildo』

 

 

Q. Before starting the expansion project, I first looked at the internal 「Nunsol」 project proposal within Sandoll and confirmed that 「Nunsol」 was based on the 『Oryun Haengsildo』. Can you explain the experiences you went through during the process of reinterpreting the original text for modern use?

A. I approached the task with uniformity as the fundamental condition. I unified the forms of 기필 (basic strokes) and 수필 (diacritical marks), standardized stroke widths and modules, and ensured consistent flow of letterforms. Additionally, in the original text, you could see that the peripheral stems of the mixed and mingled forms were positioned above the connecting strokes, which might appear somewhat awkward in modern times. To create a more natural impression, I adjusted them to descend below the connecting strokes.

There were also subtle features in the original text that, due to the characteristics of movable type, might appear exaggerated. For instance, the forms where vertical stems and bottom supports are connected. Initially, 「Nunsol」 was designed with connected ends of vertical stems and bottom supports, but to maintain consistency, I adjusted them as closely as possible without losing the feeling of mingled forms that stand out only when horizontally combined. Additionally, the shapes of the characters 'ㅇ' and 'ㅎ' drawn in a regular garden are among the reinterpreted parts of the round-hand written letter.

 

Q. 『오륜행실도』처럼 단단하면서도 균일한 획이 인상적입니다. 판면의 인상에 많은 영향을 주는 것 같아 보입니다.

A. 「눈솔」은 명조 계열 중에서도 비교적 세로모임꼴의 폭이 넓게 설정되어 있고, 받침 닿자도 품이 넓습니다. 그로 인해 흰 공간이 촘촘해져 더 단단해 보이는 특징이 있습니다. 또한 부리나 이음줄기를 꼿꼿하게 펴서 견고해보일 수 있도록 했습니다. 이러한 특징들이 모여 단단하고 견고한, 편안한 인상을 만들어내는 것 같습니다.

 

Q. 이름의 유래와 주변의 반응이 궁금합니다.

A. 이전에 이름을 붙일 때에는 이름 안에 스토리를 담고자 했던 경향이 있었는데, 「눈솔」은 그보다는 직관적으로 이름을 짓고 싶었습니다. 그래서 당시 같은 팀원인 분들과 폰트를 보며 이름 짓는 작업을 했는데요. 단단하고 직선적인 획의 인상을 보고 소나무가 떠올랐고, 「눈솔」이 출시되는 1월의 계절감을 따서 「눈솔」이라는 이름을 붙여주었습니다.

 

Q.  그렇다면 「눈솔」은 사람으로 치자면 어떤 성격이나 외모를 한 사람일까요? 

A. 마음이 넉넉하고 수수한 사람. 자기 소신이 뚜렷하지만, 그것으로 남에게 상처주지 않는 사람. 이런 성격의 나이대가 어느정도 있는 사람이지 않을까 상상합니다.

 

Q. 「눈솔」과 함께 섞어 쓰면 좋을 폰트를 추천해주세요.

A. 비슷한 슬랩세리프 계열*에 굵기 차이가 적어 눈솔과 비슷한 인상이 드는 「Sandoll 아침」을 추천합니다. 같은 위계에서 다른 인상을 표현하고 싶거나 약간의 강조가 필요할 때 섞어 쓰면 좋을 것 같아요. 눈솔보다 얇은 획을 가진 「Sandoll 광화문」과도 잘 어울릴 것 같습니다.
*라틴 폰트 계열의 하나로, 세리프 부분이 크고 굵직한 것을 말한다. 폰트의 생김이 궁금하다면 

Q. The strong and uniform strokes in 『Oryun Haengsildo』 are quite impressive. It seems to have a significant impact on the impression of the typeface.

A. 「Nunsol」 is characterized by relatively wide vertical proportions within the Ming-style category, and its bottom supports are also generously wide. As a result, the white spaces become denser, giving it a firmer appearance. Additionally, the strokes and connections are stretched firmly to enhance its robustness. These features together create a solid, sturdy, and comfortable impression.

 

Q. I'm curious about the origin of the name and the reactions around it.

A. Previously, when naming the typeface, there was a tendency to embed a story within the name. However, for 「Nunsol」, I wanted to name it more intuitively. So my team members looked at the typeface and brainstormed names. Seeing its solid and straight strokes, the image of a pine tree came to our mind. Thus, we decided to name it 「Nunsol」, reflecting the season of its release in January.

 

Q. In that case, if 「Nunsol」 were a person, what kind of personality or appearance would it have?

A. A person with a generous and gentle heart. Someone whose convictions are clear but doesn't hurt others with them. I imagine this personality would belong to an elderly adult.

 

Q. Please recommend a typeface that would pair well with 「Nunsol」.

A. I recommend 「Sandoll Achim」, which shares a similar impression with 「Nunsol」 in the Slab Serif category*, with minimal differences in thickness. It would be suitable when you want to express a different impression within the same hierarchy or when a slight emphasis is needed. Also, 「Sandoll Gwanghwamun」, with thinner strokes than 「Nunsol」, would complement it nicely.

*Slab Serif is a type of serif font characterized by thick, block-like serifs. If you're curious about its appearance, you can check the article through the link

 

 

Q. 「Nunsol」 is a font that seems to mark a significant milestone within Sandoll. Moving from KR1-2 specifications to AK-9 specifications, from 2,350 characters to 2,780, from paths to components. Could you share any incidents that occurred during the creation of 「Nunsol」?

A. As you mentioned, 「Nunsol」 serves as a milestone font in two respects.

Firstly, 「Nunsol」 is the first font from Sandoll Cloud to be created using the newly adopted AK 9 specifications, departing from the previous AK 1-2 specs*. The difference between AK 1-2 and AK 9 specs includes various aspects, but a notable change is the increase in the number of basic Korean glyphs from 2,350 to 2,780, enabling the representation of words that couldn't be displayed under the previous standards. For example, words like '똠양꿍 (Ttomyangkkung)' that couldn't be used in the old specs can now be represented under the updated standards.

Secondly, it is the first Sandoll Cloud font created using smart components. Previously, at Sandoll, characters were meticulously crafted one by one using the FontLab program, drawing each character path by path. To improve efficiency, similar elements within the same category were now constructed using smart components. However, this transition wasn't without its hiccups. When generating about 300 characters, we encountered several trial-and-error phases as we shifted to using smart components for production.

If I were to add one more incident, it would be the significant revisions undertaken just before the release. While each designer may have different approaches, for 「Nunsol」, the final check involved sending it to the printing press for the first time. However, the printed results were quite different from what we had envisioned, prompting extensive revisions about a month before the release. Most of the revisions focused on adjusting the stroke thickness, refining the slightly bold strokes typical of Ming-style fonts, handling ligatures and 'ㅎ' clusters, and addressing the prominent sharp angles between 'ㅅ' and 'ㅆ' that stood out too much on print materials, necessitating an overall adjustment process.

*AK stands for Adobe Korea, referring to international standards guidelines used in creating Korean fonts. AK 1-2 was the previous specification, and AK-9 was newly introduced in 2018, aiming to complement and set new standards based on importance.

 

Q. It's already been four years since 「Nunsol」 was released. Over this time, numerous usage cases have accumulated. Are there any memorable instances where it left a lasting impression or where you thought, "This is the perfect font for this"?

A. It was fascinating to see 「Nunsol」 used in the labels for Baeksul's Real Fruit Syrups (such as Maesil, Omija, Lemon). When looking for an alternative serif font that wasn't too thin or serious for regular Ming-style fonts, I speculated that 「Nunsol」 might have been chosen. Particularly, as mentioned earlier, I thought 「Nunsol」 would pair well with Gwanghwamun, so it was fulfilling to see them used together.

『CJ 백『CJ Baeksul Real Omija Syrup』 (Image Source: ssg.com)

 

Q. As I've reviewed various cases where 「Nunsol」 has been used, I often found myself thinking, "I hope they add other weights soon," especially after seeing how it's used in body text. I'm curious to hear the original designer's thoughts on expanding the weights of 「Nunsol」.

A. Honestly, Thin was the weight I most wanted to create from the outset. I thought it would best suit the name 'nunsol' (snow-covered pine tree), and I believed that a thinner weight would accentuate its straight, linear impression. Due to various circumstances, I wasn't able to create it personally, but upon seeing the completed design, I felt happy thinking, "My initial thoughts were right!" At the same time, I also thought, "It must have been quite challenging." A thinner weight naturally draws more attention to the letterforms, highlighting nuances that were less noticeable in the bolder weights. I imagined it would be difficult to balance these aspects while designing.

 

Q. Finally, please say a word to those who love 「Nunsol」!

A. Personal preferences play a role in choosing fonts too, right? So, I always think that those who like or use the font I created might have similar hobbies or tastes to mine. The aspects people appreciate about it may vary slightly from person to person. I'm thankful to those who appreciate 「Nunsol」, and I would be grateful if you continue to use it in diverse and meaningful ways for a long time.

 

 

「Nunsol」 quietly stands out as a robust font, to the extent that it's a must-have for at least one of the users of the Sandoll brand. It may not be flashy, but it carries a steady and strong impression. I look forward to its new horizons with the expanded weights, aiming for broader usability.

 

Written by: Sandoll Product Planning Team, Kim SeulKi