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Wind Turbine

About Respira Black

Respira is a contemporary blackletter inspired by Spanish and English models from the 15th and 16th centuries. From its release on Earth Day, 2017, ALL proceeds from the sale of this typeface will be donated to the NRDC.

1 weight, 1 total font.

Erik Carter Oilmen Poster Respira
ST_WestBurns_Respira_Poster 2
Justin Sloane Poster Label Respira 2
Sharp Type All Proceeds Illustrator

Samples from the Respira poster series. See more here

Respira Black Construction

Respira is inspired by a particular style of Spanish blackletter often found in illuminated manuscripts of Andalusia. We first came across this unique style in the breathtaking Santa Iglesia Catedral Metropolitana de la Encarnación in Granada, Spain. For designer Lucas Sharp, it was love at first sight.

Granada Cathedral 2258 x 758

While blackletter was originally used for text settings, from the 11th century through much of the 16th and 17th, it’s modern use is almost exclusively for display, leading the current models to be much more decorative than their original text versions. This miniscule was like nothing we had ever seen – the more complex letters were strikingly beautiful, constructed ingeniously and inventively with skillful calligraphic strokes, but the foundational vertical strokes were simple and plain. While other blackletter in use today commonly employs a complex system of serifs and flourishes with varied hairlines and endstrokes, this miniscule contained none of that noise.

Respira The vs NYT The

New York Times Logo (Left), Respira (Right)

Its vertical stems were simple and austere, containing only a modest implication of serifs. This tension between simplicity and complexity present in the word shape is magnified by the tight spacing afforded by the subtlety of the serifs.

Respira As White

(From Left to Right) Granadan Manuscript, Sevillan Manuscript, Zaragozan Manuscript, Respira Black

The design of Respira is also influenced by the physical deterioration of the ancient manuscripts. Due to poor lighting conditions behind the alter of the Catedral de la Encarnación, we were unaware that some of the more stylized forms like the “a” and the “k” were not actually “stenciled”, but were so high contrast and old that the hairlines had gradually faded from view. We discovered the existence of the hairlines when we came across the style in the 16th century Spanish master Juan de Ycíar’s Arte Subtilissima (1553, Zaragoza) - and later noticed a super fine and faded hairline when we were lucky enough to come across an original manuscript page for our own library while antiquing in Sevilla.

Respira Illuminated Manuscript Crop

The uppercase of Respira is not based on the Spanish model at all. The design is original, but bears a closer resemblance to English Textura than to the capitals of the Spanish style. We suspect that many Spanish monks had a similar preference for the miniscule over the majiscule, as we found that quite often illustrated uncials are used in place of the standard capitals (see above).

Respira Letras Cardinales Manuscript
Respira Alphabet Mockup Knockout

Designed by Lucas Sharp with Wei Huang in 2017.

Version History

V.1 August 2017

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