A Font That You Can See - Read Regular

As a car needs tires, designers need fonts. Both impact the outcome of the process, be that either driving or reading. Like tires, there are differnt fonts that are designed for different purposes, for example headlines, body copy and symbols to name a few. Working in the design field I read about new type faces or fonts often but, earlier this year I had read of a font that was being designed in London to help the Dyslexic reader.

Some facts about Dyslexia from the British Dyslexia Assocation. “Britain has two million severely dyslexic individuals, including some 375,000 schoolchildren. 10% of people using ‘Romance’ languages are coping with a reading difficulty. Dyslexia is a combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the learning process, displaying a wide range of difficulties. Dyslexia can occur despite normal intellectual ability and teaching, and it is independent of socio-economic or language background.”

As studies over the years have established a connection with reading and Dyslexia, it surprises me that it has take this long for the development of a font to help the Dyslexic student or reader. I was interested to find out more about this font and what lead the designer Natasha Frensch to create her font Read Regular.

EV: How did the idea of a dyslexic font emerge?

NF: Everything fell into place. I designed a typeface with a friend in the time previous to starting at The Royal College of Art in London (RCA). We designed a book together that required a display typeface. This process gave me the idea of someday wanting to design another typeface, with more function.

During school and studies, I have had difficulties with studying and reading; therefore, always having to work twice as hard as anyone else. At the RCA, the discussion of dyslexia came to me once again, while given a project called Black&White. The black and white contrast kept me from enjoying reading. This is where the first concept for Read Regular came about.

EV: With the understanding of font design and the frustrations with reading type, did this help you understand where to begin on this new typeface?

NF: Yes it did, and I started where I felt was right. Looking at handwriting and gaining more knowledge of traditional type design. Writing has always been a large part of my studying, as it helped me to write down what I had read, to actually remember it later on. The research helped me to create the first versions of Read Regular.

All these steps have been important for the process of Read Regular. The hand writing has most certainly been one of the elements that gave me the determination to create a font with 26 indidvidual characters.

EV: What tools help you create this font?

NF: For me, the most important approach to Read Regular and its creation has been emotion. When you ask me what I think my tool has been, I have to say emotion.

 EV: Thank you

For more information about the Read Regular font, visit
http://www.readregular.com