Typography has always been one of those hang-ups that can consume weeks. This time the trigger was an old collection of pharmaceutical packaging and laboratory notebooks from the 1970s–90s.
I spent several nights reverse-engineering the subtle irregularities of monospaced typewriter output mixed with the clinical precision of modern variable fonts. The goal: a type system that feels both archival and futuristic — the kind of letterforms you might find on a restricted compound label or a research terminal.
Three families emerged:
- Null Mono — a coding face with deliberate ink traps and slight optical compensation for dark backgrounds
- Vial Sans — geometric, almost pharmaceutical packaging inspired, with soft terminals
- Chromatograph Display — high-contrast display face for headlines, with optional 'peak' ligatures
All fonts support variable weight and optical size. Still polishing the italic axes and adding a full set of scientific symbols and molecular notation.