Paralucent

Designed to be a warm and versatile all-purpose modern sans in the tradition of Univers and Helvetica, but avoiding the calligraphic idiosyncrasies of the latter or the foregrounded optical corrections of the former.

Paralucent is available in a wide range of weights from Thin to Heavy, in two widths each with italics.

There are two additions to the core 28-weight family: a three-weight stencil set, and a four weight text family. The text weights have been adjusted for use at small point sizes, and feature more open character shapes, looser inter-letter spacing for improved readability, and lining numerals for use in listings and tables.

Several core ideas inform Paralucent’s design. Prime attention has given to the negative space between characters, giving a more even “colour”, especially in text. For example, the J, L and T have shorter arms than comparable sans typefaces. The A has a lower bar, opening up the interior counter. An unusually high lower-case x-height again helps to give a more even colour and improve legibility.

Care has been taken to rationalise repeated elements like the tails on lower-case letters, the Q and the “ear” of the g. Typographic design solutions that are consistent across all these features add to its stylistic cohesion.