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Engel is a text font with a contemporary and genteel look. Engel is suitable for use as body texts in magazines for its good legibility. It also features a large x-height making it especially readable when used in small point sizes.

Sofie Beier is a designer, researcher, and lecturer and is currently employed at the Danish Design School, where she teaches graphic and type design on BA and MA levels. She was recently awarded a PhD from the Royal College of Art in London. The focus of her thesis was the influence familiarity has on different kinds of typefaces. Beier’s current research project deals with typeface legibility on a more general level. The project compares ideas and findings on legibility related matters put forward by both designers and scientists.
www.sofiebeier.dk

More fonts by Sofie Beier

Can you give us a brief description about you and the company you work for?
I am currently based in London where I am completing a research study on typeface legibility at The Royal College of Art. My background is in graphic design, where I have art directed and designed several Danish magazines, websites, books and CD covers along with a number of typefaces.

How would you characterize your design style?
Clean and simple.

Place of work
London and Copenhagen.

Can you give us a short description about your font?
Engel has a large x-height to make it work better in small sizes. The italic face is a true italic – the style is more condensed, slightly lighter in weight and a number of characters are different from the roman versions. The contrast in the width of the strokes is low, especially in the light-weights. In the bold-weights the contrast is larger to open up the face and avoid clotting.

Why did you design this font and what was your inspiration?
I created the original version of Engel for a university magazine I was working on at the time. My intention was to design a typeface that works both in running text and in display sizes. I was missing a tight sans serif face with high legibility and an italic style that wasn’t just a slanted version of the roman. I wanted a masculine roman face with a corresponding feminine italic style.

What is the ideal usage of your font?
I think that one of the qualities of this typeface is that it can be used for basically anything.

Where does the name come from?
‘Engel’ means angel in Danish. I was looking at a plastic angel hanging from a lamp in the studio I was working in, which inspired me to name the typeface.

Do you think that too many fonts exist?
I believe there should always be room for new typefaces. Typefaces are like people; all having their own individual personality and look. I enjoy discovering new ways to create the shapes of the alphabet and finding the spirit of each typeface. A custom made typeface can be the reason a piece of design differentiates itself from others.

Your future plans?
I hope to publish my research some day.