From the beginning of the digital age, Arabic was deemed far too ‘ornate’. Anyone in the game can attest to that.
Despite technological advances over the years, working with Arabic typography still comes with problems, mostly rooted in the art being largely western centric.
For long, Arab typefaces were designed by Latin-language typographers. But that’s all finally coming to a change. A slew of Arab designers are taking over, on a mission to create typefaces that account for the language’s complexities and intricacies to ensure its authenticity. And we’ve rounded up our favorites.
Zero
Helmed by Jeddah-based graphic designer Alaa Tameem and Amman-based designer Tariq Yosef, the studio creates experimental posters with different techniques and styles. But it’s their typography work that we’re keeping on our radar.
Abjad Type Foundry
Few do Arabic typography like Abjad. The brainchild of multidisciplinary designer Ali Almasri focuses on Arabic and Latin scripts, creating unique and innovative Arabic typefaces.
Ali Al Masri
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The Jordanian artist and designer Ali Almasri was once known for his architecture-meets-calligraphy photographs. But his recent Arabic typography work is what sets him apart.