OB-sys12 — variable orbit specimen

The gap is the drawingThe gap is the drawing

Nothing here is one continuous stroke. Letters are arcs cut apart and set back down a hair out of true, so the shape reads as an orbit that did not quite close rather than a circle with a bite taken out.Nothing here is one continuous stroke. Letters are arcs cut apart and set back down a hair out of true, so the shape reads as an orbit that did not quite close rather than a circle with a bite taken out.

One room, every glyphOne room, every glyph

700 units for the M and 700 for the period. A fixed advance is the constraint the whole face is built against, and the wide end of the width axis is where it starts to complain.700 units for the M and 700 for the period. A fixed advance is the constraint the whole face is built against, and the wide end of the width axis is where it starts to complain.

The italic is a real cutThe italic is a real cut

Slant runs 0 to −10° and stops. The back-slant existed for a while, looked like a fault rather than a choice, and got cut in August.Slant runs 0 to −10° and stops. The back-slant existed for a while, looked like a fault rather than a choice, and got cut in August.

The weight range is narrowThe weight range is narrow

300 to 500 and that is the whole story. Broken strokes need a consistent line to stay legible — push past bold and the notches close up and the idea disappears.300 to 500 and that is the whole story. Broken strokes need a consistent line to stay legible — push past bold and the notches close up and the idea disappears.

Tracking is CSS, not an axisTracking is CSS, not an axis

The tester’s TRACK slider is letter-spacing, not fvar. It is the fourth instrument on this page but it will not travel with the font file.The tester’s TRACK slider is letter-spacing, not fvar. It is the fourth instrument on this page but it will not travel with the font file.

Extended gets airyExtended gets airy

At wdth 130 in a fixed advance, the sidebearings do most of the growing. That is the trade the constraint makes; set it tighter if you want it to read as text.At wdth 130 in a fixed advance, the sidebearings do most of the growing. That is the trade the constraint makes; set it tighter if you want it to read as text.

It is an experimentIt is an experiment

Free to use, rough in places, and already through one round of glyph surgery. If something looks wrong at the size you need, it probably is — tell me and it gets redrawn.Free to use, rough in places, and already through one round of glyph surgery. If something looks wrong at the size you need, it probably is — tell me and it gets redrawn.