Martin Majoor has been designing typefaces since the late 1980s. Rather more recently, in 2021, when the ILT store launched we were proud to do so with Martin’s new and eponymous foundry and the release of Comma Base, a novel design that blurs the boundaries between sans and serif fonts. Today, Comma Sans joins the family and is available exclusively from ILT.
Nadine interviewed Martin about his new font family. Here’s what he had to say:
The peculiar thing about Comma Base is that many users, despite it being a sans-serif typeface, perceive it as a serif typeface. This is, of course, due to its noticeable contrast between thick and thin strokes. Within a serif typeface, this seems to prove that for a ‘serif-like’ feel, the presence of contrast is just as important as the presence of actual serifs. With its high contrast, Comma Base is exceptionally well-suited for headlines, but it has also proven itself as a serious text typeface, primarily because it has what I earlier described as a ‘serif-like’ feel.
Comma Sans, on the other hand, is a completely standard sans-serif typeface without significant contrast. It has a humanist character, but in detail, there are differences compared to Comma Base. One key feature is that the vertical stroke terminals have a 90° angle, giving Comma Sans a more geometric feel than Comma Base, which has rounded and slanted ends. In this way, Comma Sans combines its humanist character with geometric elements.
With its wide range of weights, Comma Sans is well-suited for headlines, but thanks to its balanced spacing and economical nature, it also performs exceptionally well as a text typeface. It can be considered a true workhorse typeface. Its neutral character makes it highly suitable for signage, television titles, short texts on websites, book covers, posters, and even scientific publications.
The remarkable thing about Comma Sans (along with Comma Base) is that it maintains identical widths across all weights. No matter what weight you choose, it will always take up the same space. This feature is known as uniwidth.
Ask any serious user who works with long texts, and they will all agree that this is one of the most logical and coolest features a typeface can have. If you want to bold a section of text in a column or in headings, the text won’t reflow.
I had already incorporated this feature into Scala in 1989, and as a magazine designer, it saved me countless headaches. More than once, the editor would decide – just fifteen minutes before publication – that a section needed to be bolded, and thanks to uniwidth, I didn’t have to worry about the text shifting.
I’ve calculated that since 1988, I’ve released nine typefaces, averaging one typeface every four years. That said, I often create larger families with serif, sans, slab, and display versions. But it should be clear that, when designing typefaces, I have often taken long breaks.
Every type designer who, whether willingly or not, has put their type design on the shelf for a while will inevitably spot a number of mistakes and inconsistencies when they review the letterforms again after a break. I always tell students that it’s important to take a step back from the type design they’re working on. And by that, I mean distance in time (don’t look at it for a month; go do something else), but also literal physical distance (hang it on the wall at the other end of the room). Distance in both time and space almost always leads to better letterforms.
I’ll share an anecdote: Before Neville Brody met me in the 1990s, he had already seen my Scala, which made him almost certain that I must be some old grey gentleman in a grey three-piece suit. How wrong could he be! I wouldn’t even attempt to describe what kind of clothes Comma Sans and Comma Base would wear. However, I do think they wouldn’t be caught wearing a bow tie or a hat.
I can imagine Comma Sans on the signage of a train station or airport. Its slightly economical character and geometrically shaped vertical end terminals make it exceptionally suited for such uses. I also think that many medium and small businesses, who can’t afford to have a custom typeface created, could do very well with a versatile typeface like Comma Sans.
I almost always play music while designing. But if there’s one thing I can’t stand when designing, it’s sung lyrics. I inevitably start listening to them, and then I can’t focus on my design work anymore. I often listen to obscure radio stations from all over the world with ambient music via Radio Garden, which means I have no idea what I’ve been listening to over the past five years.
Take advantage of our 48-hour flash sale and get Comma Sans for a massive 75% off!
This interview is set in Comma Sans and Comma Base.
