Falling Script is an experimental font that adapts Latin type to the vertical orientation used in various Asian scripts. Since Western script developed in a horizontal style, it had to be re-examined to determine what would look natural in vertical writing. When letters are written vertically, the weight distribution of the strokes goes mainly from top-right to bottom-left. That creates different stem proportions from those of typical scripts. Another particular challenge was creating this script’s Continuous style. My solution: categorizing the characters into four groups. The shape of the characters is determined by the character that follows.

Concept, Type Design, Font development

Available on Future Fonts
Background story

︎   AWARDS   ︎
Type Directors Club, 23rd Annual Typeface Design Competition 2020 / Certificate of Typographic Excellence, Judge’s Choice
The One Show 2020 / Merit Award
Tokyo Type Directors Club / Selected work for the annual book

Interview by Future Fonts

Concept for Continuous
When the Continuous style is used, the shape of the characters changes depending on the character that follows. The following characters are categorized by 4 styles.

Rotating to Vertical Orientation
In order to reduce technical problems, Falling Script is originally implemented horizontally. For use in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, etc., it should then be rotated to vertical, as it was originally designed.

Styles

Regular
Features limited ligatures, but certain characters can still be connected by adjusting character spacing.

Continuous
Lowercase letters have multiple forms determined on the following letter.