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The process of making Beont was both challenging and rewarding. I started by collecting and studying various newspaper samples from Saigon before 1985, focusing on the headlines and titles. I noticed that the typefaces used in these newspapers were mostly based on Latin scripts, but they had some modifications and adaptations to suit the Vietnamese language and culture. For example, some letters had diacritical marks that were different from the standard ones, such as the circumflex accent (â) and the horn (ơ). Some letters also had distinctive shapes, such as the lowercase g with a looped tail, or the uppercase Q with a curved tail.
Based on these observations, I sketched out some initial concepts for Beont, trying to capture the essence and spirit of the Saigon newspaper typography. I wanted to create a typeface that was bold, dynamic, and elegant, but also had some quirks and personality. I used Adobe Illustrator to draw the outlines of each letter, and then imported them into Glyphs, a software for font design. In Glyphs, I refined the shapes, adjusted the spacing and kerning, and added some features such as ligatures and alternates.
With high contrast between the thick and thin, the lowercase letters mimics the script writing but being less cursive. Capital letters are designed to be like the Copperplate script, the way of writing capital letters in Vietnam. I’m glad that it is still being taught nowadays to every students.
The most important thing about making Vietnamese typeface is that it’s the only language that has stacked diacritic. It means we have double marks. Therefore, the marks should be considerably modified when combined.
One of the main challenges I faced was to balance the consistency and the diversity of the letters. I wanted to create a cohesive and harmonious typeface, but also to preserve some of the variations and irregularities that gave the Saigon newspaper typography its charm and character. For example, I tried to keep the same stroke width and contrast for most of the letters, but I also allowed some exceptions, such as the uppercase E with a thinner horizontal bar but a dramatic swing of the leg, or the uppercase L with a thinner leg.
Another challenge was to design the letters that were not present or visible in the newspaper samples. I had to create multiple letters from scratch. I also had to guess or improvise some of the tittles and diacritical marks, as they were often too small or blurry to see clearly. I used some references from other Latin-based typefaces, but I also tried to make them fit with the overall style and mood of Beont.
A third challenge was to test and optimize Beont for different sizes and resolutions. Beont is a display typeface, which means it is intended for large and prominent use. However, I also wanted to make sure that it looked good and legible at smaller sizes and on different screens and devices. This is the next phase to tackle for this project: using various tools and methods to check the quality of the typeface; asking for feedback from other type designers; more iterations.
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