Most people associate the block style with the Four Great Calligraphic Styles of “Yan (顔), Ou (欧), Liu (柳), and Zhao (趙),” as well as the image of dynamism and rigidness. But the question is whether a good block style necessarily has to conform to this image. Bada Shanren (八大山人) known as Zhu Da (朱耷) studied the various schools of calligraphy styles to create a rounded and simple calligraphy style, utilizing the central brush-point technique (中鋒). This typeface is a new take on the traditional block style, incorporating Zhu Da’s unique brushwork to create a natural, unorthodox style of literati-style block style.
Xin Feng (新風) is a variable font family with two axes: weight and style. Inspired by the printed book Ban Ma zi lei (班馬字類), this typeface achieves a simple outline and a modern visual taste while retaining the quality of handwriting. It presents the new possibilities of font families as variable fonts with two axes, combining two styles—classic and modern—with aligned anchor points.
TangMoBang (唐墨榜) was inspired by Yan Zhenqing (顔真卿)’s large-character writing (榜書), which is characterized by its combination of strength and dignity, and the soft roundness within the squares. The bold strokes of this typeface evoke a sense of power and spirit. This work was designed to achieve a sense of regularity and harmony through the unification of brush strokes and simple shapes. The character structure contains a sense of dignity and stability, while the extra-bold weight adds a sense of warmth and richness, exuding the atmosphere of the golden age of the Tang Dynasty.
