Typeface Design
Gregory La Vardera began designing fonts in 1986 by sketching letter
forms and studying the lettering styles in architectural drawings. When
tools became available to design typeface on the computer he switched to
digital design techniques. While initially marketing the faces independently
he soon connected up with another type designer, Jonathan Macagba, who
became Greg's first distributor. After working together for many years
Jonathan dissolved the font side of his business and moved to New York
to concentrate on Adcrobatics,
his graphics and advertising agency. At that time Jonathan and Greg moved
their typeface to another distributor, Phil's
Fonts who has been the sole distributor of Greg's work since.As the
architectural practice has taken precedence the development of new typefaces
has been on hold.
Greg's typeface designs have been inspired by architectural sources
and he has always felt that there were parallel issues in architectural
design and typeface design. Both deal with issues of art and technology.
Just as function is an ongoing concern in the design of the built environment,
typeface design is always concerned with the use of the type, the readability,
how its ornament affects its use. Both offer a rigorous framework to design
within, type through its letter forms and architecture through codes and
construction practices. With these conventions you seek to create meaningful
variations that enriches the design while supporting the intended function.
