Inversion of Thai Latinized

Session 6

Saturday, 2 October 2021

7:30 PM CST – 8:00 PM CST

Talk

Emotion

  • English

What is the typographic area in between handwritten and digital font. In between Thai script and Latin. In between Thai Latinized and conventional. ‘Huai’ is a bilingual typeface which stands in between all of those research questions raised above.

Most of the contemporary loop-less (Latinized) Thai typefaces obtained some Latin letterforms applying into Thai alphabets. If Thai alphabets can borrow the form from Latin letterforms, so my curiosity would be, How it’s going to be like, when Latin alphabets were influenced by those original Thai letterforms.

Huai Latin letterforms adopted the essence of Thai alphabets from the handwritten which initiated by locals, appeared in manual Ad signs. The proportion and writing system of Thai made Latin alphabets of Huai reflect a sense of Thai letterforms. The Thai letterform of Huai not only remains the pioneer proportion and writing system, but also allows the outcome of Huai Latin to influence back again.

In general, Thai fonts have two different terminal styles. One is the loop terminal which is authentic of the Thai language. Another is loopless which is influenced by Latin, so-called Latinized.

Through the design process of Huai, it transformed Thai handwritten script to Latin and then transformed back again to digital Thai typeface. Regarding all those questions I raised up above, during the process of creating Huai, I came across my own term which I would like to define it, an 'Inversion of Thai Latinized’.

  • Potch Auacherdkul

    Thailand

    Potch is a type/graphic designer based in Bangkok. Before obtaining an MFA in Graphic Design from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), he worked as a graphic designer in Thailand. Since his two years at MICA, Potch has become even more passionate about type design which manifested itself with completion of the Type@Cooper Extended Program after his graduation from MICA. His works have been recognized and featured in STA Chicago, Type Directors Club, and Print Magazine.

    As a Thai-type designer, his design tends to focus on authentic Thai letterforms (including vernacular usage) without following the Latinized ideations. Currently, Potch is drawing typefaces for Positype. He would love to practice calligraphy too, but his hands are too shaky.

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