If you’re looking for a more entertaining and robust square sans serif font, take a look here!
Under the sky, no two filled squares are the same!
At Sandoll, we dedicate ourselves annually to listening to user feedback through surveys. Despite numerous items, reading through the thoughtful participation of our users always provides us with insights and emotions. I belong to the product planning team, which transforms these data into fonts. We strive to predict and respond to user needs and trends through our fonts, always keenly interested in what types of fonts people prefer and need. Lately, we’ve been visiting bookstores and exhibitions to see how various fonts are used in real settings. If you ever hear a group quietly discussing fonts somewhere, there’s a good chance it’s us from the Sandoll product planning team!
“SD Tapey” was planned and created by analyzing survey results. Since the launch of “Sandoll Geukdong Gothic” in 2014, many dense modular gothic fonts have emerged. Yet, filled modular gothics topped our survey as the most desired style. Therefore, Sandoll has been crafting at least one new dense square-shaped font annually in recent years. “SD Tapey” also meets specific needs like “needing a font with uniform design from thick to thin strokes” and “wanting a distinctive display font with a clear concept.”
So, About “SD Tapey”
Compared to other dense square-shaped fonts in the Sandoll library, “SD Tapey” is more graphic. It was planned with full Korean and extended Latin specifications and crafted in three weights: Regular, SemiBold, and Heavy. As the name suggests, “SD Tapey” is inspired by letters made from tape.
Given the existing tape-themed fonts, we explored fun new ways to craft dense squares with tape. Highlighting typography was also a reason for this approach. Although letters made from tape can be non-conformist, when created as typography, they need to maintain a certain level of comfort and uniformity in readability. Not all characters could be formed from tape, so the design was organized and refined with this motif in mind. If you see the squarish Eui-eung shape, you’ll understand immediately!
Production: Fun and Challenges
“SD Tapey” features noticeable tape-like bends and breaks. Rather than letters made from tape, it represents letters that could be made from tape. The method of expression varied immensely depending on the angle of initiation, where the tape tears, attaches, and bends. It was fun yet challenging to refine and adjust these into an aesthetically pleasing direction.
The initial seed character prototype was more graphic than the final design. When typeset, some elements clashed, leading to design revisions where distinctive characters were simplified. This stage had its ups and downs. In open characters, we wanted to enhance the features, and in complex structures, we aimed to reduce design elements, resulting in several design tests for uniformity between open and final characters. We even created characters with masking tape to find hints on how to translate these shapes into typography.
How You Should Use It
“SD Tapey,” with its playful bent and broken character designs, is uniquely charming. Its large initial characters add an engaging visual weight. Conversely, its complex design could also be seen as a challenge. Using it at a large point size will showcase its design details better; during production, it was tested for typesetting at 18pt and above. We strongly recommend using it big—really big! It’s great for casual impressions and can be used lightheartedly in various settings. Please show lots of love for “SD Tapey”!
P.S. The masking tape that inspired the initial concept is slated for merchandise production. Please also show your support for the upcoming event on Sandoll Cloud’s Instagram (link). (heart)
Author: Seo Hee-won, Sandoll Product Planning Team