I was sick of shifting accuracy pixels for creating a new typeface. So I decided to do some handcrafted work and involve a material that responses to pressure and movements. I interacted with clay and together with its haptic and consistency new shapes were created.
Work in progress
![](https://ferdinands.org/w-2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_0155-768x1024.jpg)
Burning the letters
Luckily around the corner of my flat in Leipzig, there is a lovely woman with a clay manufacture studio. She was so kind as to help me burn the clay. It requires temperatures around 1000Β°C in the oven to make the clay strong enough.
![](https://ferdinands.org/w-2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_0397-scaled-1-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://ferdinands.org/w-2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_0278-1024x767.jpg)
Digitalizing the 3D-Model
After the handcrafted part of creating letters out of a lump of clay and burning it, I moved on to the digital part. With the help of an iOS App called Qlone, I scanned every single letter to add them to 3D Software.
First renderings
The big advantage of a 3D Object is, to change the material real quick. The first try was a glass material with simulated sunlight during the day.
2D Clay Typeface
From the outlines of the 3d objects I rendered the 2d surface which I then converted into a functional typeface.
You can try out the font here…
![](https://ferdinands.org/w-2020/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2d-clay-typeface-header-1024x536.gif)