Bean Serif is a transitional serif inspired by coffee.
When I worked as a barista at a cafe called Shrove Tuesday in Toa Payoh Lorong 5, I was mentored by Az, a self-proclaimed coffee conossiar. I was surprised that there was so much to learn about coffee and how the art of coffee could be so precise yet nuanced.
While I am not really a coffee snob (I could literally inject caffeine into my bloodstream and call it a day), I’ve always admired the dedication of baristas in honing their craft.
Thus, this font is for all coffee lovers, whether they are the coffee snobs who only drink the artisanal variation or those who don't really care but just need it to stay awake.
Bean Serif, initially named Cafe Regalia, was inspired by coffee and the art of making espresso-based beverages. From the process of harvesting coffee beans to the art of roasting to grinding, and coffee pouring, every step has been thoroughly considered.
Starting with i l I n o O, I stuck as closely to the rules as possible as it is my first typeface. I felt that creating something that was inspired by milk frother jugs and mokapots could make it look more interesting.
Also I felt that creating something that looked classical and feminine could make the font look more approachable as a body text font.
Therefore, the typeface was created with the intention to look more fluid, with fewer geometric shapes while still holding the modern look.
I l i H n o O
p q d b
D B P R
c e g Q G C
The process of creating the first set of alphabets were initially quite daunting as I started it from scratch.
But as I progressed, the process of creating each letter got easier as I could reference from previous letters and copy when necessary.
From this process I learned to
1. group alphabets into shapes first before starting,
2. create one AI file to see letters as a set of shapes and other one with each layer as a letter for easier copying and pasting
I l i H n o O
p q d b
D B P R
c e g Q G C
Update from draft 1:
To improve:
- g link could be thinner
- H cross bar could be thinner
- j angles to be smoother
- r shoulder can be more narrow
- a bowl can be thicker
- G crossbar can be thicker
- R terminal looks out of place
- c swell looks too thin
a f j r t u J U
Update from draft 2:
- wedge of a too thick
- h n m serifs too thick
- e too skinny
- G ball serif too thick
At this point the letters were done somewhat but the serifs looked too large and the w was too wide
By this point I was focusing on the symbols and the $ sign was kinda thick, and some of them had to be evened out
Before:
After: