type
display
intended use
print and screen
software
Glyphs
status
in progress
About the project
Quirkquill is a bold, contemporary reinterpretation of medieval lettering. Drawing inspiration from Gothic letterforms and the whimsical marginalia of illuminated manuscripts, it merges monumental, tool-driven shapes with playful illustrative glyphs. Designed as a display typeface, it lends itself to experimental projects, posters, covers, and visual identities.
I was inspired by the curious contrast between the “serious,” sharp, rhythmic structures of medieval manuscripts and the free, often grotesque imagery found in their margins. I wanted to create a typeface that playfully subverts the rigidity of these historic forms, introducing soft, dance-like gestures while still preserving the strong character of the glyphs.
Step 1: Research
I began by gathering inspiration, exploring digitized archival manuscripts in search of the distinctive qualities of their letters. I focused on their weight and rhythm, while also learning about the function and origins of medieval marginalia.
Step 2: Sketching
I sketched with several pencils tied together and a broad nib pen to achieve the desired bold effect while exploring the final letterforms. At this stage, I also created the first renderings of the marginalia-inspired characters.
Step 3: Digitalization and Iteration
I transferred the sketches into digital form and gradually refined the glyphs, observing how their shapes evolved through each stage. The biggest challenge was the lower case “a,” where the key task was balancing readability with the distinctive effect I wanted to achieve.
Conclusions and Future Plans
The project is still in progress, and I plan to further refine and expand the collection of letters. As one of my first attempts at designing a complete character set, it has taught me valuable lessons in maintaining consistency within a system. I intend to apply this knowledge not only to future type design projects, but also to the creation of icon sets and broader design systems.
