Hexcess

Hexcess began as a sketch for a sci-fi heavy metal band logo but the project didn't move forward and the sketch sat in my sketchbook for years. After re-discovering it, I realized how much I still wanted to explore these letterforms and set about making an entire typeface out of it. Design-wise, this is an experiment using hexagons and novel forms derived from them to construct a condensed blackletter on a grid — a similar approach to that of Albrecht Dürer’s Constructed Textura of 1538. Several styles of blackletter were referenced to find forms that fit into the constraints of the design grid in a pleasing manner and with enough differentiation between glyphs (e.g. U-V) that would otherwise be too similar. In addition, Hexcess has high contrast, strong verticals, and swash glyphs, which altogether place this design light-years inside the display fonts quadrant (perhaps it should be named Janeway). [delvefonts.com]