I became interested in type design by just doing it. I like that it keeps my brain busy. But to be good at it is not enough to be an artist. Type requires a wide range of knowledge and experience, from craft skills to history and mathematics. What is definitely annoying to me about type design is that I am very rarely satisfied with the result.

Working on Chimera changed a lot in the way I do work and judge my work now. It’s funny how it first started as just a set of five letters, and eventually became a type family. I had a lot of joy while drawing it both manually and digitally. I usually start a project by drawing everything that comes to my mind very roughly. At this stage I need only paper, black markers and Wite-out—lots of Wite-out. Drawing on paper allows me to quickly see which ideas might work. After I figure out a direction, I sketch the whole alphabet on the computer.

Maria Doreuli.