Sarah Kremer’s Bartok redefines the very notion of a type family. Its four styles with their singular designs break with the principle of formal unity usually sought after in such families. Each variant stands out for its expressivity, contributing to the creation of a contrasted whole.
The development of Bartok was undertaken in the context of editorial design in order to propose a multifaceted typeface with only four styles. It has been designed to be used for long or short passages of straight text as well as for titles.
With the aim of proposing complementary typographic colors, the four styles of Bartok (Regular, Italic, Highlight and Poster) have been designed with different structures and possess distinct weights. Each variant develops formal specificities taken from different moments in the history of typography.

Inspired by Humanist typefaces, Bartok Regular is based on the proportions of typefaces derived from incunabula. Its asymmetrical serifs and slanted stems are characteristic of calligraphic script. Its squat counterforms combined with its stability give compositions both pace and balance.
Bartok Italic explores the calligraphic model of the chancery hand, to offer strong cursivity combined with a supple design, changes in direction and pronounced lines and angles.
The archetype of the early grotesques is visible in the Bartok Highlight: an assumed density, varying contrasts and non-orthogonal terminals.
The details of Bartok Poster, with its irregularities of alignment and varying angles, can be fully appreciated in large sizes. Its heavy weight, changing contrasts and roundness infuse it with a certain bonhomie.

Though these formal differences are quite pronounced, certain curves and details are echoed from one style to another. The general proportions of the typefaces (x-heights and cap heights) have been harmonized so that they can be combined easily and naturally.