한글 배리어블 폰트의 개발 과정과 효용성에 관한 연구 –‘가로산스’개발 사례를 중심으로-

Abstract

This study is based on the development of a sans-serif variable Hangeul font, focusing on the development of a font family with weight, shape changes using variable font production technology. The purpose of this study is to expand the range of user choices through possibilities and efficient development of expanded Hangul variable fonts called ‘letterform shape variation that change depending on weight’. With the proliferation of personal devices such as PC’s and smart-phones, the use of screen-based fonts has increased. These fonts have been applied as a means of self-expression, reflecting user’s personalities, preferences and demands. Like traditional font families, variable fonts have fundamental design axes such as weight, width, slant, and optical size, but they possess the unique feature of allowing users to modify and select variations according to their particular needs. ‘Garosans’, developed by the researcher, is an example of applying interpolation by adding morphological change elements using the wide space of consonants based on the transformation axis of the font family. The focus is on formative experiments through morphological changes in weights of four font families, while maintaining functionality as letters. This is done by understanding the anatomical structure of the basic Hangeul characters and considering the characteristics of each part of the letters. Through interpolation between Light and Bold master fonts, 2,780 Korean characters, 94 Latin alphabets and punctuation marks in Regular and Medium were automatically derived. ‘Garosans’, has since been recognized and picked up by a font foundry, awaiting commercialization. As it is the first variable font that emphasizes horizontal strokes, we plan to expand the highly useful variable font by utilizing the vertical axis in the future as Garosans 2.0. We hope that the possibility of variable fonts will be verified through the formative experiments and development Garosans and that it will contribute to production of Hangeul-based variable fonts, further expanding and developing the scope of Hangeul fonts.