Vance Matrix Variable
A variable display typeface with a single weight axis, and the specimen poster that launched it.
Client
Self-initiated
Year
2024
Role
Type design, specimen, poster
Scope
Variable font, 980 glyphs, A1 specimen
Duration
2 years, part-time
A grotesque that stays clear at Thin and still has character at Black, so one family can carry a whole identity.
The brief
I kept drawing custom display lettering for clients that then couldn’t be used in body copy, captions or signage. I wanted one family that could stretch across all of it.
The work
Vance Matrix is drawn on a continuous weight axis from 100 to 900. The counters open up as the weight increases so the heavy styles don’t clog at small sizes, and the Q, g and & have alternates for display use. The specimen poster is printed in black and a single fluorescent green to show the axis in action.
Specimen poster: display glyphs with offset green overprint
Weight axis comparison and vertical metrics
The result
The typeface is now the house face for two client identities and is available for licence. It was selected for TDC70 in 2024.
980
Glyphs
100–900
Weight axis
A1
Specimen poster