Cat Wentworth
Grstnr
Source material: Gerstner Programm (Karl Gerstner, 1964)
Spring semester 2022
Grstnr is a narrow grotesque based on Gerstner Programm by Karl Gerstner (ca. 1963). Programm was Gerstner's attempt to rework Akzidenz Grotesk into a Univers-esque system of weights and widths.
Gerstner Programm was digitally revived in 2008 as a family of regular and italic faces ranging from light to bold. However, I could find no indication that any varying widths of the typeface exist. I set out to make a narrow version of Gerstner Programm, establishing new weight and width relationships, using as my source a phototype specimen of Gerstner Programm Regular (left).
I made some subtle adjustments. Most notably, I swapped the square dots in the i, j, and punctuation for round dots. I straightened the leg of the capital R to better match other capitals like K and Q.
These student typeface designs created at Yale School of Art are noncommercial academic projects, commonly revivals or reinterpretations of historical typefaces. Read more about this typeface design course at Yale School of Art.
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