Discover legacy content from FontShop.com, preserved for your reference.
Today we look at the nice, natural relationship between Ellmer Stefan’s Essay Text and Matthew Carter’s eponymous Carter Sans, which was co-produced by Dan Reynolds. The thing I see most pronouncedly in Essay Text is a deliberate leaving in of the details — things that would be stripped or otherwise rationalized away. To make it clear that these small touches (such as its pointed curves or a seemingly misplaced heaviness in the tail of the y) have a purpose, the same are emphasized to allow demonstration of the principle.
Together with Essay Text, I’ve paired Carter Sans. A sans it is, though its flared terminals land this also in the category of Glyphic, or Thorn Serif. (The term glyphic here makes reference to lapidary inscription.) Carter Sans has a hearty and uncomplicated feel to it. Seeing the two together was enough to convince me of their compatibility.
Want more great pairs? .