Buffet Script is based on fantastic calligraphy by Alf Becker, arguably the greatest American sign lettering artist of all time.The series of nameless alphabets created by Becker and published by Sign of the Times magazine in 1941 have attracted typeface digitizers for years. It’s a wonder that several of these alphabets are still undigitized. It’s also understandable that the basis for Buffet Script was not attempted in digital form until now. The page presenting the original Becker alphabet shows a jumble of letters running into each other, swashes intertwined. There is a massive amount of work involved in digitizing such lettering and scanning is not an option. If anyone was going to attempt this particular alphabet, it would have to be redrawn stroke by stroke, and curve by curve.
And don’t we love a challenge! But seriously, the challenge was not the main attraction. In a way, the Becker approach to lettering is so far and away from digital that you are forced to work out the possibilities and letter combinations on your own. Part of the process is solving problems presented by the scant typographic showings. However, after a few imaginative visualizations, the digital potential becomes clear in the mind. The eye and hand follow. The end result with the Whomp typeface (another Alf Becker-inspired work) was an enormous font with a lot of alternates and ligatures. With Buffet Script, the process was no different. But, the end result particularly shines because it includes some of the most fascinating, flowing calligraphy ever seen. Calligraphy is where all of the extra touches - such as alternates, swashes, and ligatures - raises the typeface to a higher aesthetic level.
Buffet Script’s OpenType programming contains discretionary ligatures, stylistic and contextual alternates, all interacting with each other to allow the composition of just the typographic look and feel. This font is best used where lush elegance is a design requirement.
Buffet Script was one of the Letras Latinas 2006 selected fonts.
About the designer:
Ale Paul is one of the founders of the Sudtipos project, a key reference for the quality of its work. His work has contributed enormously in placing Argentina firmly on the map of Graphic Design. Ale’s career as an art director landed him in some of Argentina’s most prestigious studios, and handling such high-profile corporate brands as Procter & Gamble, SC Johnson, Danone, and others.
With the founding of Sudtipos Ale shifted his efforts to typeface design, creating fonts and lettering for several top packaging agencies, along with commercial faces. In 2012 his font Piel Script was selected at Letter2. He has received four certificates of excellence with Burgues Script, Adios Script, Poem Script and Hipster Script from the Type Directors Club NY and several awards at the Tipos Latinos biennial of typography.
He teaches a postgraduate typography program at the University of Buenos Aires, where he previously taught graphic design. He has also taught seminars and spoken at the Type Master Weeks NY, TypoBerlin, TypeCon, Pecha Kucha and Atypi conferences, at the Type Directors Club in New York City, and at events in France, Spain, Portugal, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay, Mexico and Canada.
His work has been featured in publications around the globe, including Eye, Communication Arts. Print, Creative Review, Visual, Creative Arts, Novum and many others.
He has been designated ATypi’s country delegate and is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale and the first one for Argentina.
This package contains:
Buffet Script
Copyright © Alejandro Paul
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