Figtree – Erik D. Kennedy

Design Notes

Figtree is a geometric sans serif font walking the line between simplicity and friendliness. It is minimalist but not stiff, casual but not silly.

Its most characteristic forms are t, f, y – all with unabashed curves that convey energy and fun. Unusual for similar fonts, the g descender terminates at the same angle as the latter.

In uppercase, the glyphs are ever-so-slightly widened, and the crossbars of forms like A, P and R are lowered, both of which give the caps a sturdy character. Many geometrics have a narrow S, but Figtree prefers something a bit more solid.

Ready to talk punctuation? I always say: a designer’s intention is revealed in the ?, and Figtree is no different! It's top-heavy, with an affected goofiness (especially in bolder weights). The ! has an almost cartoon-like tapering in the heaviest weights too.

But despite these casual design choices, other punctuation comes off as very minimalist: the , and “ are quadritalerals with horizontal terminals. This vibe carries over in the diacritics – é and û, for instance, align neatly with the cap height, whereas many geometrics have non-horizontal terminals on their accents.

Aligning glyphs with the baseline and cap height is one of the primary ways Figtree maintains a crisp, clean feeling, and two of my favorite examples are # and ‡. Plenty of typophiles would tell you these considerations nod to neo-grotesque sans serifs, an allusion that’s most clearly visible in the vertically-terminated arch of the r, but these days, every font is nodding at every other font. It's just life!

The numerals follow a similar balance between simplicity and friendliness. For instance, the ear of 1 has a playful bend to it (best appreciated at larger sizes). But, like the caps, I focused on giving some sturdiness to the numerals (besides, they often appear with caps anyways). Note the curved spine of 2 equalizes equalizes the top-left and bottom-right spaces, lending it a solid feel. This is also visible in the 5 – a personal favorite (hefty, yet not awkwardly so).

This font has been a labor of love, and I hope you enjoy using it for your friendly-yet-simple designs.

Without any further ado: Figtree!

Lowercase T