This is for those who ever thought about the above.
Making a typeface required more than a creative spark, in fact, it requires more mental stamina in the laborious process of conceptualizing and orchestrating a family of glyphs into a relevant communication. Not to mention the engineering behind the usability and the marketing behind the accessibility that completes the final product.
But what happens when your environment lacks that infrastructure to allow you to be part of the process? Does that deprive you of no chance to ever contribute and be part of a vibrant exciting font industry of ever-advancing technology in multi-script, super-families that is burgeoning out there? So what kind of meaningful role can a designer play in order to contribute effectively and be part of the font-making industry?
In my opinion, font shopping.
Practice makes perfect. Shopping takes experience, time and knowing thy needs. I am sure Singaporeans at large can resonate with this. We shop enough not only to bring in the biggest brands into the country, we also brand ourselves as a shopping hub for our neighbors with no substantial home brands to begin with.
Life is short. Let's not dwell on what we do not have in the ideal model of a sustainable creative industry. Designers have to invest in their self-education to know what to shop for, whom to shop with, share reviews on their shopping experience and in turn share their favorite design, designers and foundries. It is only through the process of using the fonts that you gain an inner perspectives in the design and usability of the product. And that is only then when you can (at least) be part of a larger conversation that is taking place 'out-there'.
Take heed to uphold the professionalism and copyrights of the products you use. In short, the choice of creating a 'more vibrant typography presence in SG' lies in your hands.
“The world appears to be stagnate only because you are.”
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