I have long been attracted to metaphoric typefaces. Typefaces that have secret meanings or that reveal anthropomorphic and even mechanical allusions. Some are so subtle that only I can see them; others are obvious to anyone’s eyes. Yet there are those where, once the conceit is explicitly pointed out, it is readily and forever embedded in one’s consciousness. This is how I view Cuatro Regular, a caps-only-bold-angular, art nouveau-inspired alphabet comprised of delicate curvilinear strokes forming negative spaces within the body of the font that forms each individual letter.
These strokes (or swashes, if you like) create specific character traits: The downward stroke at the top of the G looks like a frown, whereas the reverse or upward stroke of the F gives the impression of a smile. Then there is a split stroke in the middle of the E that suggests a dimple (or butt crack). The A resembles an upside-down crying face; the Y is a sad face; the X looks like a propeller; the I’s top is laughing, while the defining strokes in the M are definitely buttocks; the W hints at a vagina. However, my favorite of all the letters is the T because it so clearly looks like a vintage telephone (or maybe two elephants’ tusks, as well).
Now, you might think that such a cacophony of distracting shapes would result in chaotic typography, but you’d be wrong. The beauty of Cuatro Regular (the sole weight in the Cuatro family designed by Francis Chouquet in 2022) is that the letters fit neatly together to form an elegantly legible pattern of type in text and headline sizes. The grid on which the characters are designed allows for a most satisfying balance between letters and words and can also be evenly stacked like building blocks.
Cuatro Regular also gets kudos for being one of the most legible of the revived 1960s psychedelic typefaces. With trippy, mind-expanding drugs like LSD now used as medicine for psychiatric therapy – and doubtless recreational uses too – on the rise, this is the perfect typeface to blow your mind while retaining complete readability.
| Font of the Month: Cuatro | |
|---|---|
| Designer: Francis Chouquet | Foundry: Francis Chouquet |
Steven Heller is nothing short of a legend in the design community. Award-winning graphic designer, author and editor of hundreds of books (yes, 100s!) and one of the world’s foremost authorities on graphic design history; and arguably its best design commentator. Follow Steven on the must-read The Daily Heller and read his latest book, Growing Up Underground: A Memoir of Counterculture New York.
