“SD DanpyeonSeon Bold” that makes typesetting easier with its casual impression
Introduction
Following the release of “Sandoll DanpyeonSeon Serif” in January 2020, we are excited to announce the launch of “SD DanpyeonSeon Bold” in June 2023. “DanpyeonSeon Serif” is a font you might frequently encounter in bookstores, particularly favored in the publishing industry for body text.
This series, involving three designers, began with Lee Soo-hyun who planned and created the “DanpyeonSeon Serif,” followed by Kim Chorong who refined and launched “DanpyeonSeon Bold,” and this article is penned by designer Kim Min-jung, who will share insights into the series.
Northern Europe’s Illustrations Speak, Accidental Bookstore/“DanpyeonSeon Serif”
Q&A about the “SD DanpyeonSeon” Series
Soo-hyun: The “SD DanpyeonSeon” series started in January 2019 as a project aimed at expanding the selection of body text fonts by introducing new impressions. The goal was to create a differentiated font family through desk research, leading us to focus on “casual impression body text fonts.”
This series was designed to replicate the short, stout brush strokes and textures in a casual style. The broad and straight strokes give a refreshing feel, and the white spaces created by the black strokes are large, making it ideal for composing long passages of text.
「DanpyeonSeon Bold」
Q. What was the thought process behind planning from “DanpyeonSeon Serif” to “DanpyeonSeon Bold”?
Soo-hyun: Designers often mix serif and bold fonts, noticing stark style differences which can be frustrating. This happens because the fonts were initially designed differently. The “SD DanpyeonSeon” series was planned to facilitate easy use of body text fonts, incorporating both serif and bold within the same family. They share the same structure and width but differ only in the characteristics of the tools used, ensuring a consistent impression across both types. Thus, even when designers mix serif and bold, the typesetting appears natural.
typesetting example of “DanpyeonSeon Serif” and “DanpyeonSeon Bold”
Q. How does “DanpyeonSeon Bold” differ from typical bold fonts?
Min-jung: “DanpyeonSeon Bold” falls under the humanist sans-serif category. It contains more traces of human handwriting than typical bold fonts. At first glance, the strokes may seem straight, but upon closer inspection, you can see subtle curves. Unlike typical bold fonts, which have a tidy appearance suitable for universal use, “DanpyeonSeon Bold” brings a calm and warm human touch, which can make text more compelling. Personally, I think it fits well with essays or poetry that conveys personal stories.
Q. What was the production process like for “DanpyeonSeon Bold”?
Chorong: A significant focus during the production was maintaining the same impression as “DanpyeonSeon Serif.” “DanpyeonSeon Bold” started with the skeleton of “DanpyeonSeon Serif,” simplifying the rounded curves and terminations into straight lines. While “DanpyeonSeon Serif” retains some characteristics of brush writing, making the strokes slightly thicker or thinner at points, applying these directly to “DanpyeonSeon Bold” felt somewhat lacking. Hence, we carefully adjusted the contrast, designed the strokes to appear more uniform in typesetting, and made minor adjustments to letter size and stroke length to maintain a consistent gray tone when used alongside “DanpyeonSeon Serif.”
Min-jung: I worked on expanding the usage scope of “DanpyeonSeon Bold” by developing two weights for the Korean set of 11,172 characters. After multiple reviews and modifications of printed samples, it was crucial to ensure that the impression and atmosphere of “DanpyeonSeon Serif” and “DanpyeonSeon Bold” aligned. The bold weight, although planned, required additional design revisions to meet quality standards. Instead of rushing to meet the launch schedule, we decided to delay the release of the bold weight to ensure a better quality product. While no specific timeline is set, your support might bring it sooner than expected.
「단편선 바탕」과 「단편선돋움」 비교이미지
민정 : 저는 「단편선돋움」의 사용 범위를 높이고자 2종의 웨이트로 한글 11,172자를 파생하는 작업을 진행했습니다. 여러 차례 인쇄된 판면을 검수하고 수정하기도 했고요. 「단편선 바탕」과 「단편선돋움」의 인상과 분위기가 부합하도록 신경 써서 다듬어야 하는 작업이었어요.
사실 웨이트의 경우 이번에 출시된 레귤러 외에 볼드까지도 기획되었는데요. 굵은 두께로 획이 표현되는 볼드는 추가적인 디자인 수정이 불가피한 상황이었어요. 출시 일정에 맞춰 무리하게 제작한다면 퀄리티에 대한 아쉬움이 남을 것으로 판단했죠. 결국 다소 시간이 걸리더라도 더 좋은 모습을 보여주자는 취지로, 볼드의 출시는 미루게 되었습니다. 아직은 구체적인 일정이 잡히지 않았지만, 여러분들의 성원이 있다면 생각보다 더 빠르게 찾아올지도 몰라요!
Conclusion
Min-jung: The “SD DanpyeonSeon” series, with its casual vibe, is particularly suited for literature rather than non-fiction, short stories rather than long narratives, and modern rather than traditional texts. Using “DanpyeonSeon Serif” and “DanpyeonSeon Bold” together in typesetting could be ideal. Especially, “DanpyeonSeon Bold” can be used effectively not only in standard body text but also in larger print for brand philosophies, impactful advertising copy, or subtly moving movie subtitles. We hope this font becomes a helpful and beloved choice for you all. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
「DanpyeonSeon Bold」
Author: Sandoll Planning & Operations Team, Kim Min-jung