TF, 2 letters that signify at the same time Type Foundry and Typographie Française (French Typography). 205TF is a type foundry that brings together the work of independent typeface designers, some of them well known, others closer to the beginning of their career, all highly talented. Each of them developing characters where a certain French spirit can be felt. 205TF is a foundry on a human scale, and beyond the distribution of their work, it supports typeface designers by making their creations available to a wider audience, allowing for greater recognition of their work.
205TF makes a choice of quality: a small number of creators, a precise selection of characters. The number is of little importance, the quality however is essential.
All of the characters are developed according to common standards (set standard, set pro and set spécial). The typefaces have – at a minimum – an extended set of characters (Latin extended) and this allows them to be used for compositions in a wide range of languages. With an Opentype format, they provide access to specific characters such as small capitals (according to the characters), different series of figures (aligned, old style, proportional and tabular), ligatures, fractions, etc.
This format allows access to specific typographic settings according to the characters. - For the group of characters – functions “All caps”, “Case sensitive punctuation”, “Tabular lining figures”, “Tabular old-style figures”, “Proportional old-style figures”, “Ligatures”, “Fractions”, “Ordinals”, “Contextual alternates”, “Localized forms”, etc.
For certain characters — “Small capitals”, “Capitals to Small Capitals”.
The presentation and interest of each function are detailed in the typeface specimens that can be downloaded for each typeface.
The groups of characters function with both MacOs and Windows platforms and have been tested for Office and Adobe applications. They can then be easily installed on the vast majority of computers and the direct transfer of a file that uses 205TF typefaces from one platform to another and from a Macintosh version of software to a Windows version of software is a process which is seamless.
For cases involving a specific and/or proprietary operating system or specific software, please contact us directly.
Zénith is a typeface intended for editorial design. Thanks to the possibilities offered by Variable Fonts format, Graphic designers can modulate both weight and optical size, transforming Zénith from a typeface designed for small sizes of body text into a particularly elegant and contrasted display typeface.
Here Matthieu Cortat delivers his personal interpretation of Zeno, a typeface cut by Charles Malin in 1936 for the German-Italian publisher Giovanni Mardersteig, that he discovered in the Sanctum Evangelium, printed in 1963 by the Officina Bodoni. He adds a Cyrillic character set absent from the original model.
The relatively sizable width an taut curves of Zénith give it a generous and jittery appearance that permeates the different styles. The axis is heavily slanted, giving the C a characteristic silhouette. With its wide serifs, it already has the makings of a “classic”. The heaviest weights appear intentionally stocky while never veering into caricature. The italics are calm and balanced and only slightly slanted, and they discreetly allow a particular word to stand out, or on the contrary, an entire paragraph to be read with ease.
The rhythm is stable, ample and regular in the Text styles, but its true character asserts itself in the Display styles. The contrast between wide and narrow letters grows as the thin strokes become even thinner and the x-height is reduced.
Zénith Text could be compared to a swimmer before a race: well built, flexible, warmed up but calm, breathing deeply and regularly. Zénith Display would be closer to a marathon runner, skin tightly stretched over lean and jittery muscles.
A typeface clearly designed for reading that also gradually reveals a stark personality as its optical size is increased.
Caps Punctuation
Small Caps Punctuation
Proportional Lining Figures
Proportional Old Style Figures
Tabular Lining Figures
Tabular Old Style Figures
Automatic Fractions
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Discretionary Ligatures
Arrows
This standard corresponds to the Standard set to which are added specific signs depending on each typeface (alternative signs, stylistic signs, etc.) The detail of the available characters for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
For the Petit Serif typeface, Matthieu Cortat was inspired by lettering created by Percy J. Delf Smith for the building located at 55 Broadway, s.W. 1, London, that he reproduced in his book, “Civic and Memorial Lettering*.
This typeface is a lineal of monumental roman capitals with classical proportions, that possesses very slight serifs due to the use of brushes in its creation. A character used for titles and shopfronts, it does not possess a lowercase, but is available in Greek and Cyrillic alphabets. The letters A and I have variants available for Basque.
Percy J. Delf smith R.D.I., Civic and Memorial Lettering, Adam & Charles Black, London, 1946.
Automatic Fractions
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Stylistic Alternates
Arrows
This standard corresponds to the Standard set to which are added specific signs depending on each typeface (alternative signs, stylistic signs, etc.) The detail of the available characters for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.