Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - FS Millbank by Fontsmith

FS Millbank – How should wayfinding typography look?

Quick recognition is essential when designing wayfinding so the typeface needs to be legible and functional. Signage fonts need to be as clear, legible and readable as possible otherwise this will hinder helping the viewer. It is important to take into consideration the environmental conditions that the type will be seen in e.g. poor lighting and where it will be seen or interacted with e.g. apps, print, electronic display. Viewing type at different angles has an effect on how they look Rough sketches are important in generating initial ideas which can then be refined. The typeface needed to have longevity and be ‘something bold, punchy, solid and robust, but human and full of personality..’. By testing the type in a variety of different sizes it is easier to see which forms are more illegible or difficult to decipher and replicate small size use. It was also found that some of the most used typefaces in signage were too wide, heavy and not very legible. By blurring ad distorting the letters this enables the basic skeletal structure of the letterforms to be seen and adapted if less legible in some areas. Signage has to be understood quickly and easily as people are often on the move when reading them so certain features are important:

- Tails on letters such as d,a,l and u emphasise their forms more

- Serif on the ‘i’ helps to aid distinction between similar letters and numerals such as ‘l’ and ‘1'

-There are wide ink traps on the A,K,M,V,W,X which make the letters easier to read at sharp angles

- Open terminals and internal shapes allow letters to be easily identified when viewed at different angles

- In my own work I need to refine my letterforms by increasing the size of the open counters to stop the counterforms merging when small. I also need to make the ‘i’ distinctive from the ‘l’ to avoid confusion

- Internal spaces need to be maximised within my letters and I will do this by making the stroke weight consistent in my letterforms. 

FS Millbank