I'm calling this new script font Gilly. Got the name from the David Bowie song Spiders from Mars. The lyric "Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly." That song was stuck in my head like the proverbial earworm. I thought "Weird and Gilly" would be an awesome name. Later I thought it was too long, and people just might not get it. I asked, and people didn't get it—but they liked Gilly—job done.
Font Creation on the iPad
I created the initial design on my iPad pro using Procreate. Love that application to bits, love the Apple pencil—lots of love around huh?
Eco Warrior, Erm Nope
I like to think that I've saved a small rainforest in paper—but please don't tell me the truth, I can't handle the truth.
Illustrator and Glyphs
I then exported out of Procreate right into Illustrator, cleaned up the lines and exported to Glyphs using Fontself Maker. In reality that took a while. Just imagine a time-lapse montage with 80's power music (A team style).
Multiple Masters, Multiple Problems
Then it took me an absolute age to finish off the different weights in Glyphs app. Making a quirky script font into different weights is not such a great idea. So much work—a total ball ache. Never again. Rant over.
Gilly Font Usage
Gilly is a handmade script font, it has a mix of inspiration from hand-painted signage with a bit of American vintage swoosh. The glyphs are kind of monoline but it has tapered brush strokes that try and throw a spanner in the works. It has clean, bold lines and looks somewhat nostalgic and retro. Gilly would be great for stationery, invitations and cards, logos, titles, and slogans or anything where you want that handmade look.
Alternatives
The typeface comes with charming alternates, ligatures, and a few initial and terminal forms. Using the power of contextual alternatives in your design application, you can easily change each character. With contextual OpenType feature turned on, watch the letters change as you type.
What You Get with the Font
- Gilly includes standard letters, numbers, punctuation, separators, symbols, and marks.
- It also includes support for Western, Central, and South Eastern European languages.
- It includes three weights:
- Regular
- Medium
- Bold
Be kind, that is all.