A typographic matchmaking project for the 16th century: the Civilité of Granjon and the Naskh of Winsoft.
Matchmaking 16th.jpg
Winsoft is a French company that produces all the specific Arabic ME (Middle East) versions of the Adobe software collection. For some reason Winsoft seems to believe that the Arabic typography never really departed from the Gutenberg era.
The latest software release of the ME Adobe Indesign has a number of new features for creating variations with their special Naskh font. Effectively mimicking calligraphic splendor of centuries ago. Why on earth does Winsoft (or Adobe) believe that Arabic graphic designers are waiting for text that can exclusively be used in calligraphic manuscript size ? The Naskh typeface that can do magnificent tricks is totally useless for contemporary graphic design needs, such as for newspapers, brochures, branding, or the internet. It is only applicable for very rare occasions where an ancient atmosphere is required or desired.
Why is the idea so persistent in the minds of the people working at Winsoft that the aesthetics from the times of '1001 nights' is typically Arabic. This is a bizarre way of looking at contemporary Arabic culture and assessing its needs. Winsoft even went as far as to invest in a special plugin for Adobe ME InDesign called Tasmeem. This software attempts to reproduce Arabic calligraphy to perfection using a computer keyboard. Originally this plugin was offered for 50.000 US dollars but this price was taken off their website. Apparently Winsoft is now working to make different types of this Arabic DTP Ferrari available, sales prices are still under study.
In Latin typography there is also a small niche that occupies itself with digitising the typographic glories of the past. But this is more like a nostalgic hobby. Not to be taken too seriously. Because nobody would select these typefaces for everyday use. Also no one would ever consider making complicated 'calligraphic engines' to automate Latin calligraphy.
Everything that is advertised as 'typical' for the Arabic calligraphy is less typical than it is often assumed. Using swashes, abundant ligatures and even 'kashidas' to prolong characters is all done in Latin calligraphy as well. Maybe Winsoft should consider to put the Civilité of Granjon as a matching Latin font for their specific Naskh typeface. Both will be capable of shaping in close harmony nice guirlandes of the past.
5 comments
Tasmeem
Hello Edo and Huda.
I do not know about Winsoft's various fonts, but recently I have heard about Tasmeem and made a point to find out what it is about. The inventor of the system Mr. Thomas Milo of Decotype www.decotype.com/ and your neighbor being in Amsterdam, explains the system in terms of reproducing the old naskh scripts. Your criticism that its is a "1001 Nights approach" to Arabic typography is understandable - in fact I have made a similar point in my earlier 1974 writing in Arabic (republished on my khtt page) that the aim of typography is not merely to imitate calligraphy. Having said that and hearing a video explanation by Mr. Milo about his system I now say- "why not?". More than that I see that Tasmeem is much more than just a method to imitate an ancient script, remarkable as that achievement is.
In its basic approach typography as we all practice it today is attaching glyphs domino-block style one next to the other, a system virtually unchanged since the days of Gutenberg. Indeed in your matchmaking efforts you sort of expect Arabic to fit this sort of geometrical regimentation, because it seemed to most people that this is what typography is all about.
The genius of Arabic handwritten script is the way it flows together in a harmonious whole. It is a dynamic organic way of attaching basic component shapes together not just along the horizontal stem but in various levels according to the curves of the letters. Mr. Milo's approach to creating Arabic is very sophisticated a revolutionary method applicable to any script in any language, new or old. He analyzed the basic geometrical curves that make up all the letters and allowed the computer to discover the best ways to link them together in the best way for any particular font it displays. It is a misunderstanding of Tasmeem that it is merely a system to mimic the old naskh - the system can be of great value for the automatic kerning of modern typefaces, even the development of completely new Arabic fonts undreamed of by the genii of the Arabian Nights!
In the interests of Arabic typography please consider inviting Mr. Milo to explain his ingenious system to the members of khtt and to Arab typographers in general.
I appreciate what you are doing but have only one wish for khtt that it becomes more of a give and take between the many amazing members. Perhaps the main page can stress what is new in the forums, like the Typophile site does. With warm best wishes.
Vladimir
Tasmeem
Dear Vladimir,
Thank you for your poetic reaction. You are certainly a romantic person.
To get things straight: the Khatt site is put on the web as a tool to meet and to exchange ideas. There is nobody excluded from any sort of contribution to the site. In contrast, all comments and contributions will be received with the warmest welcome.
However, the site is not meant to be a duplication of very specific discussions already going on in other sites. Anybody interested in the travails of Thomas Milo (or others) can choose from a plethora of possibilities to hear his voice or get acquainted with his products. It seems to me that you have a very romantic view on what Tasmeem is doing and not doing. In my view Tasmeem is very much like other proprietary software around and used for showing complicated versions of Arabic type. These types of software all use the same principle, there is very little that makes Tasmeem different. Obviously, there are a lot of different ways to use the ACE (Arabic Calligraphic Engine) in Tasmeem, but it is very confusing to me what DecoType or WinSoft really wish to achieve with their products. Now there appears to be a Tasmeem Tsunami Project, I guess this means that we may expect a deadly shower of new typefaces for Tasmeem anytime soon. If you find new applications of Tasmeem you feel are worth showing I'll be happy to put it on the site. But of course you can also do it yourself.
With the kindest regards,
Edo
Tasmeem
Dear Edo
Hello. I think this link explains better than I could the enthusiasm of young typographers about Tasmeem - it is a presentation made at Reading University.
www.typeoff.de/?p=282
I take the opportunity to congratulate you and Huda again about the Khtt website's beautiful design and interesting content. We may agree or disagree about various technical or other matters but having this forum to discuss them is important.
With thanks and warm regards
Vladimir
Adobe/Winsoft and Granjon
Quoting form an email from Dr Roper, he says:"I was amused by your piece juxtaposing Adobe/Winsoft and Granjon. The irony is, of course, that Granjon himself in the 16th century designed Arabic fonts which attempted to imitate naskh calligraphy, with umpteen ligatures, etc. They have been much admired for this, but nobody has used them, nor anything like them, for more than 200 years."
Coincidentally, today I myself received a press release from the organizers of the GITEX international computer fair in Dubai, promoting demos by WinSoft of their Tasmeem software. The press release states that the Tasmeem software will come in three different editions: Tasmeem Limited Edition (using customized Tasmeem fonts), Tasmeem Creative Edition (for advertising and print design applications) and Tasmeem Publisher Edition (which claims to be specifically tailored for 'Arabic literary and academic books'). I am very curious.