Monotype Studio Releases FS Renaissance in Collaboration with Craig Black

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monotype today announced the release of FS Renaissance, a new display stencil typeface developed by Creative Type Director Pedro Arilla, in collaboration with lettering artist and designer Craig Black. FS Renaissance is a single style font which explores the intersection between art and design. Each letter was crafted as a standalone piece of art, while working harmoniously together as a functioning typeface.

Black had been working on a typeface inspired by the Renaissance period, symbolised by flourishing progress in the arts, sciences, learning, and philosophy. This concept of multifaceted skill and inspirational thinking was combined with a modern influence of stencil typography. He approached Fontsmith (now part of the Monotype Studio) about a collaboration to build on the idea and create a fully-functioning typeface.

“When I first saw Craig’s design it was love at first sight,” said Arilla. “There is something magnificent about it, when I look at it, I can see a real fluidity, the letters look like they are dancing with the light. This is a display typeface with elegant contours and an ageless demeanour.”

FS Renaissance is not a traditional stencil design: the cuts are not rigid but interactions that are hand crafted between each element, emphasising the idea of a typeface as a piece of art or sculpture. Arilla’s aim was to take the core DNA of Craig's work and apply it to a typographic base with a solid internal consistency, balanced with an external elegance. Arilla and Black worked closely together to extend the original concept into a functioning design.

“Being a modern-day person of Renaissance doesn’t mean you have to be an accomplished poet or master sculptor,” said Black. “Rather, it means being as open to the world as possible and embracing all opportunities as they come your way. It means keeping your mind sharp and your body in good shape, for the mind needs a healthy body to achieve its full potential. It means learning as much as you possibly can. It means traveling and seeing the world, experiencing its people, and learning its language. It means not being afraid to be who you are and feeling comfortable in your own skin. These characteristics influence my own nature, and I wanted to represent this through a typeface.”

To celebrate the launch of the new font, Black created a series of handmade typographic sculptures that were photographed by Susan Castillo. The images encapsulate the spirit of the project, showcasing the letterforms as pieces of physical art. Tune in Thursday at 11:30 am ET/4:30 pm BST for an Instagram Live conversation between Black and Arilla (@byMonotype) to learn more about how FS Renaissance came to be!

Pricing & Availability

The FS Renaissance family can be found in Mosaic®, Monotype’s cloud-based font discovery, collaboration and management solution. It can also be licensed at MyFonts.com and Fonts.com with an introductory promotion of 50 percent off through July 24^th, 2020.

About Monotype

Monotype empowers creative minds to build and express authentic brands through design, technology and expertise. Further information is available at www.monotype.com. Follow Monotype on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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