Zaft² is a spaghetti-chugging, frontier-focused evolution of its predecessor, Zaft. The original Zaft was a hefty titling boldface, defined by bulky, sharp slab serifs and built upon a rigorously precise grid. While geometric precision remains a cornerstone of Zaft², it's also developed an acute taste for badly dubbed Western flicks and Acapulco Gold...
Like the wave of advertising display types that washed across industrialised nations in the 19th century, Zaft² relishes in this quirky genre – most famously embodied by the French Clarendon style of types. Over time, these bold, eye-catching forms became synonymous with the American frontier, their legacy further cemented by the heavily romanticised Wild West aesthetic that reached its peak in the mid-20th century.
Zaft² follows a similar trajectory into the pastiche expanse of the Old West with one foot planted firmly in the present. Its compact forms are rigid and tight yet counterbalanced by soft rounded corners which strike a playful harmony. A unique feature of Zaft² is the use of contextual alternatives which help create a more compact letter-fit.
To drag the Old West kicking and screaming into the present, Zaft² utilises variable fonts to offer a greater level of customisation. The family comes in three distinct variable fonts which each offer a unique axis of control. Variable A allows you to shift weight balance from top to bottom. Variable B symmetrically adjusts the serifs in relation to the counter-space. Variable C asymmetrically adjusts the serifs. The full family comes complete with all 3 variable fonts as well as 6 individual static font files.
