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Type design in South Africa



[Headline set in Mandelia (2010, Alex Kaczun).]








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Aalia Jhaveri

During her studies, Aalia Jhaveri (Durban, South Africa) created Face Type (2015), a handcrafted typeface influenced by African face painting. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Adriaan Lubbe

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the sans typeface Yummy (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Adrienne Weidner

Adrienne Weidner (Scottburgh, South Africa) obtained a Bachelor of Journalism at Rhodes University in 2015. In 2016, she designed a handcrafted slab serif and a music note inspired typeface. [Google] [More]  ⦿

adsec by design

South African font links page run by Yvonne Rowe. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Aldo Pulella
[CRFT]

[More]  ⦿

Alesha Otto

Freelance designer in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the display typeface Nauitica in 2015. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Alexander Gordon

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. Behance link.

He created some experimental typefaces, alongside some display fonts. Examples: Kokface (a constructivist beauty), a circle-themed stencil face, Revolt, and an octagonal face. In 2012, he made another set of experimental typefaces called Engineering. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Alexander Riffel

During his studies at AAA school of Advertising in Cape Town, South Africa, Alexander Riffel created the grungy typeface Son of a Glitch (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ali Bester

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of a deco typeface in 2017. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Alistair Palmer

Graphic designer in Cape Town, South Africa. He created the brushy hand MrPrice (2009). Flickr site. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ally Heart
[Lisa Campbell]

[More]  ⦿

Alyssa van Zweel

Ascot, UK-based designer of the Misunderstood Monsters typeface (2015). Alyssa grew up in Pretoria, South Africa, and studied design in Cape Twon, South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Amanda da Silva

Johannesburg, South Africa-based graphic designer and illustrator who has made some exquisite typographically relevant posters, such as Teknotribe (2015) and Let's Swing It (2016, in an art deco style). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Amber Pitcher

Cape Town, Soth Africa-based designer of the expermental typeface Bad Geometry (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Amori Brits

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the decorative caps typeface Mining For Tomorrow (2016). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Amy Soule

Amy Soule, a graphic designer in Cape Town, South Africa, created Tension (2013). Tension uses human muscles as texture to fill in the glyphs. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Amy-Louise Staak

During her studies at the Stellenbosch Academy for Design and Photography, Stellenbosch, South Africa-based Amy-Louise Staak created an all caps display typeface (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Andrej von Walter

Cape Town, South Africa-based graphic designer who was also born in Cape Town and grew up in Namibia, Creator of the multiline typeface Reading Together (2014), which pays attention to blind people. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Andrew Footit
[Arkitype (was: Virtue Creative)]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Andrew van der Merwe

A self-proclaimed beach calligrapher from Cape Town, South Africa, who developed an origial technique for carving in the sand. Home page. One of his works is entitled Futura On The Beach (2009). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Angie Marais

South African designer of the mysterious font Full Cube Kindness (2021). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Anthony Neil Dart

Graphic and motion graphics designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he worked as Ontwerp.tv (Idea currency) Pty Ltd. He is now located in Seattle, WA.

He created several experimental alphabets, often of a geometric nature, such as Geometric Chic (2008-2009) and Beauty (2009).

The Bends (2011) is a hairline curly-yet-straight display face. SansGoma (2011) is a hairline slab poster face. Nu Gothic (2011), Nu Modern (2011) and especially Vironica (2011) are fashion mag display typefaces. Neu Nouveau (2011) is a curly art nouveau face. Numera (2011) is an organic fashion mag face. Killoton (2011) is super-fat and beautiful.

Creations in 2012: An art deco example in his Janelle 1945 work. Vorm Type, inspired by the work of Wim Crouwel, is a rounded blocky typeface that is monospaced in the x and y directions.

Typefaces from 2013: Canada (alchemic).

In 2015, he created a series of posters called Vignelliisms illustrating one-liners by Massimo Vignelli.

Typefaces from 2017: Canada (I can't believe that he has trademarked the name Canada). Home page. Behance link. Ontwerp link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Anton Scholtz
[Scholtz Fonts]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Anton Scholtz
[Design Africa]

[More]  ⦿

Arkitype (was: Virtue Creative)
[Andrew Footit]

Andrew Footit (b. 1984) runs his own type foundry in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is also known as Arkitype. Until 2014, his type studio was called Virtue Creative and before that, Virtue84. In 2017, he set up Arkitype. His typefaces:

  • The very simple monoline rounded geometric typeface Modulus (2011). Updated to Modulus Pro in 2019.
  • The stunning art deco typeface Vindeco (2011).
  • Gigafont (2011): a free bubblegum font.
  • FunFair (2012): hand-printed.
  • Virtus Sans (2012): a clean 4-style sans family.
  • the Western family Westro (2012, +Inline).
  • The free rounded sans drafting font Struct (2013).
  • The four-style vintage poster typeface The Woods (2013).
  • The spurred letterpress typeface family Roper (2014). Roper evolved into the octagonal typeface family Hudson NY (2015) and Hudson NY Pro (2020). Hudson NY Regular, Serif and Slab are athletic lettering / octagonal typeface families.
  • Bosk Hand.
  • Roves (2016). A camping style set of fonts, including several stencil typefaces.
  • Anchor Script (2016). Inspired by classic cursive connected handwriting.
  • Navigator (2016). Inspired by the early explorers.
  • Bowline Script (2016). A vintage monoline cursive script typeface.
  • Saveur Sans (2017) and Saveur Sans Round (2017). A lovely sans typeface family that is inspired by art deco and French cafes.
  • Comply Slab (2017). All caps and octagonal, with possible applications in athletic lettering.
  • 3 Stripe Type (2017) and Adidas Nemeziz (2017). Prismatic typefaces.
  • Technol (2018).
  • Statewide (2018). An all caps squarish techno display sans family.
  • ESPN Next (2018). An octagonal inline custom typeface. ESPN Heroes (2019) is a six-lined prismatic typeface.
  • Poster Compressed (2019). A piano key typeface.
  • Neumatic Compressed (2019), Neumatic Gothic Round (2020) and Neumatic Gothic (2019).
  • Protrakt Variable (2019). Nine variable width all caps fonts, of different thicknesses.
  • Coastal (2020). A twelve-style all caps sans.
  • Compose. An 18-style minimalist sans with elliptical curves and quite open counters.
  • Storica (2021). A 9-style all caps vintage serif.

Behance link. Creative Market link. Home page. View Andrew Footit's typefaces. Home page. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Ateljee

South African design bureau in Durban, run by Fred Swart, Helene Botha and Jaco Burger. They created the typewriter / computer coding face Ateljee (2011). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Athina Collaro

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the thin typeface family Ruby Sans (2016), the condensed slab serif Layal (2016) and the condensed thin sans typeface Rose (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Avatar of Shadows

South-African or UK-based designer of A Perfect Circle (2003) and Serpentine Bold Flaat (2004). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Baynham Goredema

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the pattern typeface Haus Ethnik Dingbats (2014: a collection of dingbats inspired by various ethnic patterns from Zimbabwe and modifications thereof), the blackboard bold typeface This Flag (2016) and the brushed revolution font Tajamuka Script (2016). Behance link. Dafont link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Belinda Bantjes

Graphic designer in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Creator of Teleline (2013), a hairline typeface that was inspired by telephone lines. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ben Grib
[Black Bird Foundry]

[More]  ⦿

Ben Grib

Designer in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the slab typeface Deputy Serif (2012).

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Black Bird Foundry
[Ben Grib]

Ben Grib (Black Bird Foundry, and Black Bird Press, South Africa) created the Western signage typefaces Excelsior and Indiana Headline in 2015. He also made the handcrafted signage typeface Deputy Serif (2015). On Behance, we read that the foundry is associated with Chris Bushey in Bongoville, Gabon. Chris made the Victorian signage typeface Fancy Pants (or Foxtrot). They also made several great sets of icons and drawing including Animalia, Le Kitchen and Fruits. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Braden Smulders
[Sir Blaez]

[More]  ⦿

Bradley Abrahams

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer (b. 1979) of the art deco stencil typeface Daddy Dont Disco (2008). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Brode Vosloo
[Sacred Nipple Type Foundry]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Bruce Mackay

Bruce Mackay (Cape Town, South Africa) created the multicolored caps typeface Funeral Font (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

BTW Type

Type foundry in Johannesburg, South Africa, est. 2015. Their typefaces: BTW Dismo, BTW Atlj, BTW Nuller, BTW-Appen (2015, a neo-grotesk typeface with higher-than-normal contrast. It features alternating stem endings, high contrast apexes, smooth and flowing joints, and mono-linear terminals). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Caitlin Dominy

During her studies at Rhodes University in Johannesburg, South Africa, Caitlin Dominy designed the decorative caps typeface Retro Rockwell (2016) and the floriated textured all caps typeface Lace (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Caitlin Ward

For a project called The Little Book of Cunt, shock jock designer Caitlin Ward (Johannesburg, South Africa) created a few typefaces (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Caleb Pillay

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the jazzy free display typeface Tapz (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Callie Sharp

South African designer of the tall upright script typeface August Rush (2019). [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Calvin Gentz
[Oh Bear Studios]

[More]  ⦿

Candice Warnasuriya

Multimedia designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who created the rounded sans typeface Idol (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carey-Anne Jayanandham

At the University of Johannesburg in 2016, Carey-Anne Jayanandham designed the icons for the Zoo Lake wayfinding system, and published a potato stamp tribute to Adrian Frutiger (2016). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carl Leisegang

Carl Leisegang (b. 1984), aka Agent C, lives in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He created AgentC (2009, handwriting) and the funky Seeds (2009). In 2018, he published Carl Alt. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carla Bruni

This Carla Bruni is from Cape Town, South Africa. She created the Rubberband Warfare typeface (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carlin Van Zyl

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the outlined typeface Ek Herhaal Jou (or Forever and Always, 2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carlos Schütte

Graphic designer in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the modular display typeface Padowan (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Carmen van Vuuren

Centurion, South Africa-based designer of the rounded titling typeface Doctor Capital (2016). It is influenced by the urban typographic landscape of Pretoria. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Casper Schutte
[Spook Design Co]

[More]  ⦿

Cebo C. Nxumalo

Durban, South Africa-based designer of tthe dingbat typeface Merikana (2015) that is related to a violent mine workers strike in 2012: The Marikana miners' strike or Lonmin strike was a wildcat strike at a mine owned by Lonmin in the Marikana area, close to Rustenburg, South Africa in 2012. Th event garnered international attention following a series of violent incidents between the South African Police Service, Lonmin security, the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and strikers themselves, which resulted in the deaths of 44 people, the majority of whom were striking mineworkers killed on 16 August. At least 78 additional workers were also injured on 16 August. This was a school project at Durban University of Technology. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Chane Khamal

To remember the Marikana Massacre, Chane Khamal (Durban, South Africa) designed the decorative caps typeface Miner Control (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Chi Mwasinga

Creator in Cape Town, South Africa, of the straight-edged geometric typeface Harsh Phuk (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Chloe Damstra

Chloe Damstra (Cape Town, South Africa) designed The Old Display Typeface in 2014. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Chris Slabber

Oudtshoorn, South Africa-based creator of the High Tech font family (2013, sci-fi). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Chris van Rooyen

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of Metatype (2014), a typeface created as a hybrid of Bodoni and Metro Nova. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Christiaan van Wyk

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the headline typeface ustulo (2020). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Christoff Gericke

At the University of Pretoria, South Africa, Christoff Gericke designed the modular typeface Hypermodern (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Christopher Houston
[retype]

[More]  ⦿

City Davies

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer (b. UK) of the high-contrast fashion typeface Agnes (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

C.J. Camilo-Images

Graphic designer in Pretoria, South Africa, who created the multilined grunge typeface Star Line in 2014. Camilo-Images is originally from Angola. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Clarissa Harteveld

Cape Town, South Africa-based graphic designer and illustrator. She created an untitled high-contrast avant-garde typeface in 2014. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Clint Vosloo

Designer at the South African Sacred Nipple Type Foundry of Belch. Brother of Brode Vosloo. Both are from Zaire originally. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Cock Vosloo

Codesigner with Lyall Coburn at the South African Sacred Nipple Type Foundry of Spiked Soda. [Google] [More]  ⦿

CRFT
[Aldo Pulella]

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the alchemic typeface Finding 57 (2012, Ten Dollar Fonts).

Typefaces from 2013 include Lunar9 and Narma.

In 2015, he made the deco typeface Mont Blanc.

Behance link. Fontspring link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

CyberGraphics
[Jan Erasmus]

Foundry, est. ca. 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa, by Jan Erasmus. Jan currently resides in Johannesburg and taught font design for 10 years at University of Johannesburg and Stellenbosch University. His professional activities include typography, websites, brochure design, packaging, branding and type design. He also designed custom fonts for corporations of which Menyaka (for the FIFA world cup soccer 2010) and Nando's fast foods (1999; done together with Cross Colours) are the most noted.

Jan's debut display font family was Thornface (1997, a beautiful medieval font). He then released Transition, Lalibela (2009, didone), Pixeluxe and Azania (Tuscan, Western). Other fonts include Sade (a relative of Garamond), Export Unicase (1999, stencil), Mzansi (2007, an African look font), Shaftciti (2008, military stencil), Pixeluxe (2010), Giramundo (2010), Transition (2006), Ethereum (2015, a Cyrillic emulation typeface). [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Dain Knudsen

South African graffiti and digital artist whose mural called Octopus G (2011) is quite spectacular. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Daniel Coull

Type designer and self-taught lettering artist from South Africa. He studied Visual Communications at Vega School, Durban. Graduate of the TypeMedia program at the KABK in The Hague in 2017. His graduation project Veld was a typeface family designed for large scale use, inspired by the sign-painted vernacular of South Africa. In 2017, he returned to South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Danielle Rouillard

Digital designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who was part of the international effort in 2014 to create 45 icon sets that explain the self-destruction of the world. The book 45 Symbols published in Köln in 2014 introduces 45 projects of 45 symbols (so 45 times 45 icons in all) created by students from Parsons The New School For Design (New York), Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lebanese American University Beirut. Falmouth University UK, and Universidad de los Andes (Bogota) on a variety of themes. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Defaulterror
[Derek Clark]

Derek Clark (defaulterror, Cape Town, South Africa, b. 1980) created the beautiful futuristic typeface Dirty Flamingo (no downloads) and has a great web page. Free fonts, also in that futuristic style, all made in 2006-2007: Mercenary, Commando, Dirty Flamingo, 8-bit (pixel face), BrothersofMetal, PXL8R (pixel face), SuperBefok, VomZom, defaulterror, elDiablo, pooplatter.

Dafont link. Klingspor link. Creative Market link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Derek Clark
[Defaulterror]

[More]  ⦿

Design Africa
[Anton Scholtz]

Design Africa is an outfit run by Anton Scholtz and Merle from Musgrave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Their commercial fonts have Latin letters but an African look: Umkhonto, Ubuvila, Amanzi, Assegai, Bongo, Doorn Display, Doorn Body, Zebra, Utshani, Tabwa, Amabhokisi, Baobab, Siyabonga, Inja. When you visit them, do not forget to look at their great ethnic patterns. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Desmond Wong

Desmond Wong studied at The Cooper Union (2011) and at Pratt Institute (2009-2013) before setting up shop in New York City. He designed some typefaces such as Mandelbrot (a Type@Cooper fractal emulation project from 2011 named after Benoit Mandelbrot), Bema (2013, a reinterpretation of a typeface originally created by Michael Freiburger, Martin Kranz, and Ulrich Gering for the first Bible printed in France---designed during Jesse Ragan's typeface design class at Pratt Institute), OM Steiner (designed at Other Means with direction from Gary Fogelson, Phil Lubliner, Ryan Waller and Vance Wellenstein for Yeasayer's Fragrant World), Export (2012, for Jesse Ragan), Vogue Sans (2013, a class project done with Kathleen Creighton), and four typefaces crated for his senior thesis project in 2013 jointly with Frank DeRose and Brendan Griffiths: Chinatown, Woodworm (with art nouveau stencil hints), Plant, Classified.

In 2017, Christina Janus and Desmond Wong co-designed Authentic Sans.

He won the People's Choice award for Untitled in 2016 at the Morisawa Type Design Competition 2016. Linkedin link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Devani Govender

During her stdies in Durban, South Africa, Devani Govender designed the decorative caps typeface Sardine Run (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Dianne Bohler

Durban, South Africa-based creator of the nice typographic poster entitled Poetry Africa (2013). Student at Durban University of Technology, class of 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Dimitra Tzanos

Graphic designer in Athens, who was born and raised in Johannesburg. Home page. Creator of the iFontMaker font African Edges (2010, hand-printed). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Dominique Peters

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the squarish typeface Jeppes Grotesk (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Dylan Schoeman

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the custom circle-based typeface Circle Metric (2017). For the cover of La Cobra's album, Shotgun Slinger, he created the custom spurred rock band typeface La Cobra (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ekons

During his studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Ekons created an unnamed eerie inky typeface (2013), and an inky wall paint font Astrotip (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

El Hunter

El Hunter (Cape Town, Soutrh africa) designed the display typeface Pokemon in 2013 during her graphic design studies. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Elara Aitken

During her studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Elara Aitken designed Basic Bites (2015, a fruit and vegetable-themed all caps alphabet). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Elzé Botha

At AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, South Africa, Elzé Botha designed the display typeface Stems & Sticks (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Emma Cook

Cape Town-based illustrator and graphic designer. Behance link. Creator of Candyface (2009). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Emma Philip

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of an interactive 3d font called On The House (2014). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Eran Waldeck

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer (b. 1997), as a student at the Greenside Design Center College of Design, of the free thin sans typeface Aesthete (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Erica Basson

During her studies in Cape Town, South Africa, for a reason only she knows, Erica Basson designed Shitface (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Estian Fourie
[The Kinetic]

[More]  ⦿

fc fonts for African languages
[Jörg Knappen]

Jörg Knappen's fc fonts for African languages. In metafont. The following languages are supported: Akan, Bamileke, Basa (Kru), Bemba, Ciokwe, Dinka, Dholuo (Luo), Efik, Ewe-Fon, Fulani (Fulful), G\~a, Gbaya, Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, Kikuyu, Kikongo, Kpelle, Krio, Luba, Mandekan (Bambara), Mende, More, Ngala, Nyanja, Oromo, Rundi, Kinya Rwanda, Sango, Serer, Shona, Somali, Songhai, Sotho (two different writing systems), Suaheli, Tiv, Yao, Yoruba, Xhosa and Zulu. Plus Maltese and Sami. Jörg Knappen works at the University of Mainz in Germany. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Fhumulani Nemulodi
[Tondi Type (or: Fumz; was: Tondi Republik)]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Fonts of Afrika
[Peter Slingsby]

Fonts of Afrika is Peter Slingsby's South African foundry selling mostly dingbat fonts at 4 to 6 USD per font. About ten of his 80 fonts are free. Includes rock art, African dingbats, wildlife, children, American railroads, Christian icons, safari, tourism. Great choice. Slingsby, the author and illustrator. Peter Slingsby sells some of his fonts at abstractfonts.com. These are original African dingbats or alphabets with an African feel. Reasonable prices (between 1 and 5 dollars per font). Names: Africa D History, Africa D Wildlife, Africa D People, Africa D Art, Africa T Inkuni, Africa TiQwara, Africa T Ndebele, Afrika Mfundisi, Africa T Ndlovu, Africa T Ubuntu, Africa T Xixo. List of fonts: Afrika Children 1 Rural, Afrika Children 2 Township, Afrika Children 3 at Play, Afrika Children 4 Faces, Afrika Children A Rural, Afrika Children B Township, Afrika Children C at Play, Afrika Children D Faces, Afrika Gold A Patterns, Afrika Images 11 Special, Afrika Images A /Xixo, Afrika Images A Xixo, Afrika Images B Ubuntu, Afrika Images C mKonto, Afrika Images DiQwara, Afrika Images E Dawuwu, Afrika Images F mBizo, Afrika Images G Sangoma, Afrika Images H Gau-aïb, Afrika Images H GauAib, Afrika RockArt 1 Groups, Afrika RockArt 2 People, Afrika RockArt 3 Animals, Afrika RockArt 4 Sevilla, Afrika RockArt A People 1, Afrika RockArt B People 2, Afrika RockArt C People 3, Afrika RockArt D People 4, Afrika RockArt E Beliefs 1, Afrika RockArt F Animals 1, Afrika RockArt G Animals 2, Afrika RockArt H TheEnd, Afrika RockArt I Bkloof 1, Afrika RockArt J Bkloof 2, Afrika RockArt K Bkloof 3, Afrika RockArt L Bkloof 4, Afrika RockArt M Cberg 1, Afrika RockArt N Cberg 2, Afrika mFundisi, Afrika T Inkuni, Afrika TiQwara, Afrika T Ndebele, Afrika T Ndlovu, Afrika T Ubuntu, Afrika T Xixo, Afrika Fonts Sampler, Afrika Phunny Phauna, Afrika Birds 1 Wetlands, Afrika Birds 2 Small, Afrika Birds 3 Large, Afrika Mammals 1 Small, Afrika Mammals 2 Large, Afrika Mammals 3 Antelope, Afrika Mammals 4 Spoor, Afrika Wildlife A Mammals 1, Afrika Wildlife B Mammals 2, Afrika Wildlife C Mammals 3, Afrika Wildlife D Mammals 4, Afrika Wildlife E Birds 1, Afrika Wildlife F BirdReps 2, Afrika Wildlife G Insects, Afrika Wildlife G Insectsplus, Afrika Wildlife H RockArt, Afrika Wildlife Ha RockArtplus, Afrika Safari A Ndebele, Afrika Safari B Paljas, Afrika Safari C Sossus, Afrika Safari D Shosholo, Afrika Safari E Inkuni, Afrika Safari F Gogga, Afrika Safari G Mfhungu, Afrika Safari H Kung SAFETY, Afrika Wildlife B Mammals 2, Christian Icons B Monograms, Christian Icons C Saints, Symblic Safety Signs 1, Symblic Safety Signs 2, Tourism Labelled, Tourism Labelled Negative, Tourism Labelled Outside, Tourism Labelout Negative, Tourism Unlabelled, Tourism Unlabelled Negative, Tourism Unlabelled Open. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Francois van Tonder

Student in Johannesburg, South Africa. He created Bart Deco (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Frank Conradie

Cape Town, South Africa-based illustrator and designer. Creator of Brooks Happy Feet Font (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Frank E. Bailey
[ZETAFonts]

[More]  ⦿

Frank Ogagba

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the display typeface Kick Ass Urban (2015) during his studies at University Of Johannesburg. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Fumz

Indonesian type designer associated with madeDeduk. Typefaces:

  • From 2020: Claiborne Script (a baseball script), Madeleine (a wide display typeface), Moonchrome (a monoline script), San Francisco (a spurred vintage label font), Bright Beauty (a fat monoline script).
  • From 2019: Autumn Leaves (textured), Anggun, Breathe Karma, Carrinady, Druchilla, Bilody Rainan (a brush font), The Chandra, Merthy (script), Amandella, The Dark Titan, Sugar Candy (a signature script), The Wild River, Draconian (grungy caps), Geovana (signature script).
[Google] [More]  ⦿

Future Machine

Cape Town, South Africa-based studio that created the all caps fashion mag typeface Eros in 2016. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Garth Walker
[Orange Juice Design]

[More]  ⦿

Gerhard Schwekendiek

South African designer of Greyton Script (1991, Letraset), an inline calligraphic (engraved) typeface. At Berthold in 1972, he published Gesh Export 233 (stencil), Gesh Introduction and Gesh Ortega Roman 275. For revivals of Gesh Export, see OPTI Gilpin 5 (by Castcraft) and the free font Stencil Expert (1993, Allen R. Walden). Klingspor link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Gina Lodewijks

Johannesburg, South Africa-based creator of the sharp-edged typeface Kerosene (2013) and the art deco typeface Flamingo (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Glen Nyundu
[RainBomb Studio]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Graeme Carr

Designer in Johannesburg South Africa. Creator of the free fonts Firetree (2015, minimalist rounded sans) and Mallheist (2015, pixelish). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Graeme Van Jaarsveld

South African art director who lives in Johannesburg. He created a clip art face in 2009. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Graham Paterson

Senior designer in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2016, he published the free typeface Umhlanga, which is based on Interstate Regular Condensed by Tobias Frere-Jones. In 2017, he designed the free geometric sans typeface family Wavehaus Sans. In 2018, he released the strong all caps family Bernoru Sans. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Grant Marshall

South African designer of the architectural handwriting font Architext (2003). See also here. Grant, a wood turner, was born in Johannesburg and lives in Knysna. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Gregory Sathekge

Pretoria, South Africa-based designer of a squarish typeface and of the marker pen font Marker in 2015. In 2017, he designed the mostly modular typefaces Mafoko, Bent Corners, Easy Nat, Shirel, Zero Number and Marking (bilined). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Heidi Susan Edelmuller

South African designer (b. 1970) of the minimalist font Luno, and of the Christian lettering typeface Stigmata. Downloads not functional. She lives in Forest Hills, SA, and attended Rhodes University. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Helen Borg

During her studies at Durban University of Technology in South Africa, Helen Borg designed the Umlungu typeface (2015), which depicts hand signals used by South African taxi drivers to communicate with white dummies. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Herman Coetzee

Herman Coetzee (Blackboxgrafx), who is based in Vredesburg, South Africa, designed the futuristic, dystopian and sci-fi typefaces NuMono (2022), ArcType (2022), Quadra (2022), M Tech (2022), and Blackbox (2021). He also made a Cyberpunk Icons set in 2022. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Herman de Klerk

South African graphic designer who made First Edition (2010). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Hillary Adams
[Signature Ink]

[More]  ⦿

Holly Davies

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the rounded inline typeface Retro (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Hosana Mthembi

Digital designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. His bilined typeface Achebe Sans (2013) was inspired by Chinua Achebe's book Things Fall Apart. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Hylton Adam Revell

Designer and illustrator in Cape Town, South Africa. He created the artsy deco typeface Minimal Grotesque Mono (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Hylton Warburton

Durban, South Africa-based illustrator and creative director whose typographic mural Only in Durban (2015) creates a great image of the city. [Google] [More]  ⦿

i-jusi

South African magazine. Has a sub-page on African fonts, which is just a link to the SacredNipple foundry. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ines Ngoua

During her studies at Inscape Design College, Cape Town, South Africa-based Ines Ngoua designed the sans typeface Sanccob (2016) to draw attention to the plight of penguins. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ivan Colic

Ivan Colic (Infografica) is art director at Ogilvy Zoom Cape Town, South Africa. He made a stunning constructivist typeface family in 2012, called Afrographique. In 2015, he started selling his fonts via Creative Market. Typefaces there include the clean sans typeface Infografica Medium (2015, to be used for information design). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jack Walsh

Jack Walsh (Cape Town, South Africa) designed Black Moscow (2010). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jade Kelli Sumption

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of a bouncing letter typeface in 2017, specially designed for fitting and stuffing letters in small spaces. Another Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jade Ludski

During her studies in Cape town, South Africa, Jade Ludski designed the decorative caps typeface Nude HBO Girls (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jako Olivier

Sasolburg, South Africa-based designer of ZAsymbolsAriel (2002), ZAsymbolsRoman (2002). These ghave diacritics useful for these South African languages: isiNdebele, isiZulu, Sepedi, Setswana and Tshivenda. [Google] [More]  ⦿

James Howse

Art director in Durban, South Africa, who created a great jand-lettered ironwork script piece called Gratitude (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jan Erasmus
[CyberGraphics]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Jared van Damme

During his studies at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, Johannesburg-based Jared van Damme created an alchemic / hipsterish typeface (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jason Francisco

Industrial designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 2019, he published Zeitz, which was based on the architecture of Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jason Mans

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the decorative typeface Yummy Sushi (2014). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jason O'Driscoll

Designer in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2012, he created an art deco typeface that was inspired by a bicycle. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jeffrey Moodie

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, who created Dockyard (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jene Lord

South African designer of a cartoon character typeface in 2019. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jethro Stebbings

Jethro Stebbings (Johannesburg, South Africa) created the vernacular typeface Urban (2013) by studying various informal letters and words found around Alexander township in Gauteng, South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Joan Chong

Joan Chong works in Singapore. Her illustrations and fashion mag work is exquisite and refined. In addition, she has made a modular typeface called Ornate (2013).

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jo-Anne Marais

Port Elizabeth, South Africa-based designer of the outlined disoplay typeface Sensory (2017), which was created for a multisensory publication on the Sensory Processing Disorder in children. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Joanne Taylor

Aka Jos Joy, as Joanne Ford Taylor, and as joiaco. South African illustrator from Knysna, b. 1953. She also paints as Qabbojo Art, and is presently located in Vancouver, Canada.

Designer in 2009 of Qarmic Sans, Qirkus Qaps (almost Tuscan), Qranklestein, Qlippitek, Qixstix, QutnTorn Caps, and the hand-printed fonts Qirlycues and Qokijo.

In 2011, she created Qokipops, Qik Edges (2011, dingbats and borders), Qut+Torn (papercut face), Qrypton (2011, sci-fi), Qumbazonki (2011, African look face), Qwagga (2011, another African face), Qixbox (2011, hand-printed 3d face), Qongasushi (2011, poster face), Qarkitech, and Qlinickle.

Typefaces from 2012 include Qarolina, Qreepy, Qrackerjax, Qubism, Qoncrete, Qrubby, Questoz, Quinky (brush face), Qumberland Slab, Qinkgo, Qrayola, Qudos, Qubism (inspired by Picasso), Qimiko, Qhorah, Qratchee (scratchy typeface).

In 2013, she designed Qrankenstein, Qaxton, Quota (a heavy titling face), Qlub Jozi (art deco), Qlarendon (a 7-style Clarendon family), Qarmic Sans Pro, Qanoodle (handwriting), Qorker (art deco, after The New Yorker?), Qlaire (clean sans), Qwinkwell, Quota (fat poster face), Qarross, Qontreaux, Qut+Paste (paper cut font), Qwacko, Qizulu (African-themed font), Qokeynote.

Typefaces from 2014: Qlunky Brush, Qarrotface, QikiconsRealEstate, QrackStreet, Quiglet (a very rounded sans), Quota-Bold, Qutntorn, Qwinkwell, Quikhand (chalk / blackboard typeface), Qirlycues.

Typefaces from 2015: African Elegance, Embroidery Running Stitch, Embroidery Chainstitch, Embroidery Backstitch, Leaderbord.

Typefaces from 2016: Scrabblish (scrabble font).

Typefaces from 2017: Qanterberry, Geeky Periodic Table Font.

Devian Tart link. Behance link. Graphic River link. Fontspace link. Dafont link. Creative Market link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Johnathan Sinden

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the school project font Rounda (2018) [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jonathan du Toit

Graphic designer and illustrator in Johannesburg, South Africa, who created the display typeface TV Antenna (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jordan Metcalf

Cape Town-based graphic designer and illustrator, who made some experimental typefaces. Flickr page. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Joshua Lew

During his studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, Joshua Lew designed the monoline circle-based sans typeface Burbs (2017). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Jörg Knappen
[fc fonts for African languages]

[More]  ⦿

July

Designer in Johannesburg who made a custom hand-printed typeface for the Juicy Lucy bar in 2012. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Justin Catto

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the techno typeface Black Baas (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Justin Kaoma

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of a strip font (2016). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Justin Williams

During his studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Justin Williams created the modular JW Font (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Justine Montgomery

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the connected cursive typeface Matilda (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kaiser Zhar Khan

Kaiser Zhar Khan (b. 1980, Chile), aka Zanatilja, used to run a new defunct archive called True Type Fonts. He also designed many typefaces himself. The most famous among these is his free African-themed typeface South Afirkas 2100 (2009), which is downloadable from Dafont.

In 2012, he made Stickerman Bad Times, Rock X Start TFB, Aespiro TFB, Perspectivo TFB (3d face), Desgarvuda (textured face), Estancofida TFB (textured face), LEDisplay TFB, Restroom Signs TFB, Chinese Cally TFB, Discontinuo, Suast Ornad TFB (a textured face), Scoolar TFB (3d face), Katakana TFB, Hiragana TFB, Dragons TFB, Arrows TFB, Old Retro Keys TFB, Pycuaf, Pycuafodi, Dragon Ball TFB, Escaned (texture face), Chess TFB, Seagram TFB, Army Weapons TFB, Stamp Seal TFB, Logos TFB, Scripto TFB, Another Ornaments TFB, Vintage Auto Cars TFB, Simple (a monoline sans), Travesia TFB (information design dings), Music TFB (dingbats), Xmas Cartoon, Wings of Wind TFB, Mickey M TFB, Pincel Handwrite, Jigsaw Pieces TFB, Valentines Day TFB (heart dingbats), Proportional TFB (squarish sans), Stars TFB, Working Signs TFB, Signs Language TFB, Ornaments Labels and Frames, Snowflakes TFB, Christmas Nativity TFB, Chinese Zodiac TFB, Zodiac TFB, Only Skulls, Calendar Note TFB, Sports TFB (sports silhouettes), Old Retro Labels TFB, 11 Vator TFB, Xmas TFB (Christmas dings), Trees TFB, Clothing Logos TFB, Dirty Sweb, Can Dog TFB, Ornaments, Finger Print, Kitty Kats TFB, Batman Logo Evolution TFB, Light TFB (avant garde sans), Digital Display TFB (LED face), Skullx (dingbats), Tribal Tattoo (dingbats), Klingon, The Meme Font (dingbats), Rongorongo (a system of glyphs discovered in the 19th century on Easter Island), Strangferfixcs, Hotel Transilvania and Frankenwine.

Typefaces made in 2013: Pudahuel Sans, Variada TFB (simple circle-and-arc-based sans), Estorea TFB, New LED Board TFB, Rayada TFB (textured face), New Barcode Font TFB, Estrellas TFB (stars), Estrellass (sic) TFB, Spirits Dots Drinks, Mero Ornad TFB (fishnet textured), Toolz TFB, New Stencil TFB, Logocarsbats TFB, Caritons TFB (smilies), Illustrations TFB (scanbats), Edgebat TFB (knives), Crossbats TFB (crosses), Abstrec TFB (organic sans), Frames TFB, BitxMap Font TFB, Austera Simple TFB, Traffic Signs TFB, Extranger Sol TFB, Rifle Bats TFB, New X Digital TFB (LED typeface family), Dasgastada TFB, El Alambre TFB, Punk Not Dead TFB, Triangled TFB, Noxtrey Auf TFB, Cross LED TFB (+Bold), Cursi Extra TFB, Hearts Shapes TFB, Ornamentsss TFB, Eggfaces TFB, Orniste TFB, Shadded TFB (sic) (shadow face), Spoghetti Western (sic) (Italian Far West face), Groovy Font (shaded), Fireguns TFB (dingbats), Only Revolver TFB (dingbats), Aeg Flyon Now (condensed sans), Espinuda TFB, T1 Logoso TFB, Social Logos TFB, Hearts and Flowers for valentines, Astrology Astrological TFB, Ornametss TFB, Astrology TFB, Old Ornaments, Old Foundry Prints TFB, Old seals TFB, English Two Line TFB (pearly alphabet from 1796), Amame TFB (dot matrix face), Fontesda TFB (sketched face), Flowers Dots Bats TFB, Queen Destroy TFB, Bicycle TFB (dingbats), Stone Army, Ancient Weapons TFB, Numismatic Bats TFB, Elizabethan Initials TFB, Anome Ibul, Big Daddy LED, Mavole Sinpo TFB (spurred), Dowted Remix TFB (dot matrix face), QR Font TFB, Another Barcode, Display Free TFB (LED face), Cadabra Debilex, Initials TFB, Music Logos TFB, Toxic Waste TFB, Ornad Dentro TFB, Logos and Logos TFB, Amore Mio, Hearts Shapes TFB, Another X Display TFB (dot matrix), Pro Display TFB (dot matrix), Juino Net, Quiwo Luse TFB, Aliencons Two, Cargante TFB, News Board TFB, Aliencons TFB, Barcode TFB, Birthday Balon TFB, Birds TFB (silhouettes), Le Fish (fish silhouettes), Motos TFB, Love You Too TFB (Valentine's day font), LED LCD 123, Noteame (fat sans), Badopus TFB (monoline script), Estrellado TFB, Love You TFB (Valentine's Day font), Cubs LED TFB (LED / dot matrix typeface), Text Inside TFB (textured face), Kuwa Ronmcie Q (circle-based face), Zebra TFB, Distrogrunge TFB, Carillas TFB (smilies).

Another URL. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Karen Botha

Karen Botha (Cape Town, South Africa) created the organic display typeface Medea in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Karen Leisegang

Designer (aka Karz, and as Karen Boland) of the handwriting fonts Karz 001 (2009, made with Scanahand), Chloe (2010) and Holmes 001 (2005). Karen (b. 1982) lives in Ramsgate, South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Karl Ludick

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the decorative caps typeface Afrika Typografika (2016) during his studies at Durban University of Technology. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kat Donoghue

At Vega school in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kat Donoghue designed the floral caps typeface Human Nature (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kate Butcher

Kate Butcher is from Cape Town, south Africa. She created the font Dyslexia (2011) which is intended to make non-dyslexic people read like dyslexic folk. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kate Rees

At the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, Kate Rees designed the decorative typefaces I Am God (2016) and Pelfie (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Keegan Crawford

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the decorative plant-themed typeface iJusi Afrika (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Keegan Murugan

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the vuvuzela-themed display typeface Vuvubraai (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Keith Fletcher

South African creator of Keith Scribble (2007, a Fontifier handwriting font). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kelge

South African designer (perhaps based in London) of the stencil typeface Radio Edit (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kelly Fletcher

During her studies at Durban University of Technology in Durban, South Africa, Kelly Fletcher created Typografika (2015), an ornamental caps typeface based on tribal African patterns and the shapes of African city buildings. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kelsie Blake

During her studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Kelsie Blake created How to English (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kevin van Reenen

South African and British type designer. During TypeClinic 5 in 2012 in Trenta, Slovenia, he created Ishumi Nanye, a sans serif typeface for the road sign system of South Africa. It uses the triangular shape of the South African flag for its large ink-traps. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kirsten Morgan

During her studies at Vega School of Brand Leadership in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kirsten Morgan created a distressed typewriter typeface called Method (2013).

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Koketso Letlape

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the display caps typeface Ekae (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kristen Kay Morgan

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the experimental vector font Method (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kurt Campbell

Kurt Campbell is a New Media lecturer at the University of Cape Town. He has published on aspects of South African typography and is a founding member of the Iron Age Font Foundry. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ky Glencross

Student at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, who created Urban Based Typeface in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kyla Ackerman

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the 3d shadow typeface Disclosed (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kyle Smith

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the techno typeface Hindrance (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Kyle Sparks

Information designer from Pretoria, South Africa, b. 1988, and student at the University of Pretoria. He created the experimental typeface Munch (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lanita Germishuys

Graphic design student in Potchefstroom, South Africa. She created the poster font called Effing Great in 2012. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lara Unsworth

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of a handcrafted circus font in 2017. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lawrence

Durban, South Africa-based designer of Concept Font (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Leandri Louw

During her studies at the North-West University of Potchefstroom, Leandri Louw (Potchefstroom, South Africa) designed a textured typeface (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lebeaux Grobler

Lebeaux Grobler (Cape Town, South Africa) created the trendy corporate sans typeface Sushi Yama (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lehlohonolo Makhala

Layout designer in Kimberley, South Africa, who made the display typeface fatty Boom Boom in 2012.

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Leighton Rathbone

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the minimalist sans typeface Infinity (2014). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Leonard Ngobeni

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of an untitled school project typeface in 2014. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lerato Love
[Lerato Mokgethi]

Lerato Mokgethi runs Lerato Love, a graphic design and photography studio in South Africa. In 2021, she designed the art deco display typeface Ribbon. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lerato Mokgethi
[Lerato Love]

[More]  ⦿

Linda Engelbrecht

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of Neoveau (2014). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lindie Botes

During her studies at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, Lindie Botes created the Geometria typeface (2014). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lisa Campbell
[Ally Heart]

It is unclear whether Ally Heart or Lisa Campbell is her real name. Art director in Johannesburg, South Africa, who created these typefaces in 2017: Chalk (sketched, hatched letters), Hollandaise Script (formal calligraphy), Brave Butterfly (informal writing style). Behance link. Creative Market link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lisa Glanz

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the curly script typefaces Salt & Pepper (2016) and Pillowbook (2015), and the handcrafted poster dingbat and ornament typeface Caboodle (2015). Creative Market link. Behance link. Designcuts link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lisa King

Codesigner with Brode Vosloo (Sacred Nipple Type Foundry in South Africa), William Rea and Garth Walker of the African dingbats font AfroDisiac (1997), which was also published by [T-26]. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lizae Wessels

Creator of Dingbats (2013), a set of icons related to South Africa. In 2013, Lizae was a graphic design student at NWU Potchefstroom. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lize Dekker

South African graphic designer who created the vintage display typeface Westlake (2017). She runs Studio Lize. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lola Bartlett

Self-proclaimed illustrator and gunslinger in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the beautiful art deco typeface Empire Deco in 2012-2013. Aka Her Name Was Lola. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Luka Bajic

Luka Bajic (Johannesburg, South Africa) created the hand-printed poster typeface Luka (2013) during his studies. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Luke Ritchie

Designer in Stellenbosch, South Africa, of an ornamental typeface (2013). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lunarctic

Port Elizabeth, South Africa-based designer of Names (2019), The Grand Minimal (2019), Resort (2019), Capital Accents (2019) and Poster Font (2019). Home page. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lunarctic Imalive

Port Elizabeth, South Africa-based designer of these handcrafted typefaces in 2019: Names, The Grand Minimal, Capital Accents, Resort, Poster. Creative Fabrica link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Luxolo Nqayana

Designer in Durban, South Africa. Creator of the round bold sans display typeface Milk (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Lyall Coburn

Codesigner of some fonts with Brode Vosloo at South Africa's Sacred Nipple Font Foundry. Coburn is from Zaire. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Manfred Klein
[Manfred Klein: African-themed fonts]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Manfred Klein: African-themed fonts
[Manfred Klein]

African theme fonts include AfricArtes, AfricEggs, AfricaArt, AfricaArtTwo, Africaans, Africaans, Africain, AfricainBatsOSix, AfricanAngelsAndSpirits, AfricanArtifacts, AfricanGhosts, AfricanQueens, AfricanSymbols, Africanissima, AfricanissimaOSix, AfriquArtes, AfriqueDrawings, AfroDesigns, Afrobats, Afroparts, ArteAfrique, BlackLiving, BlackSplinters, MotherAfrica.

Download page. Download all these fonts in onze zip file. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Marco Knight Designs

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the handcrafted Forty Five Degree (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Marco Ugolini

Italian visual artist based in Amsterdam and Berlin. In 2005 he graduated with a bachelor's degree in visual communication from ISIA (Florence, Italy) and Bauhaus University (Weimar, Germany). He continued his studies at the Sandberg institute of the Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam, where he obtained a Master's degree.

Creator of the geometric sans typeface Biko (2013), which is named after South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko. See also Biko Light (2013). Buy Biko from Monofonts. Obtain a free copy from Dafont.

In 2014, he designed the masculine sans typeface Coluna Condensed Bold (also free at Dafont, this family includes Rounded, Outlined, and Sketched styles).

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Marco Venter

During his studies at AAA School of Advertising, Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the wavy wiggly typeface Melancholy Display (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Margaret Calvert

Or Margaret Vivienne Calvert. Graphic and type designer (b. 1936, South Africa) and teacher, who after studies at the Chelsea College of Art became the partner of Jock Kinneir in 1964 in Kinneir, Calvert Associates. There, she designed type for signals, highways, the British Rail, airports, hospitals, the army, and the subway.

Designer in FUSE 9 of the experimental font A26 (1994).

She also made TransportD with Jock Kinneir in 1963, a URW++ font. This UK traffic signage typeface first started in 1957 comes in two weights, Medium and Bold.

Monotype Calvert (1980) is a retail Egyptian typeface that was originally used in Newcastle's Tyne & Wear Metro. Ashley Ng (San Francisco) did a great set of advertising posters for MT Calvert in 2012.

She taught at the Royal College of Art in London from 1966, and headed its graphics unit from 1967-1981. She was awarded an honorary degree by the University of the Arts London in 2004.

In 2009, Margaret Calvert and Henrik Kubel designed New Rail Alphabet, a revival of the 1964 British Rail alphabet of Margaret Calvert and Kinneir Calvert Associates.

Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert also created Motorway as a companion to Transport. That typeface was extended by Keith Bates in Motorway (2015).

Wikipedia entry. Linoype link. FontShop link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Marija van Rensburg

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the free handcrafted typeface Vanderful (2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mark Studio

Studio in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2016, it designed the free typeface Gothvetica Caps, which is a blend of Gotham and Helvetica. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Marli Heunis

Graphic designer and illustrator in Pretoria, South Africa. In 2009, she created the all caps ornamental typeface Kruisstreek ("cross stitch"). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Masego Moanakwena

During her studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, Masego Moanakwena designed the display typeface Mgongo (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Matt Boak

Born in South Africa, and based in Middlesbrough, UK, Matt Boak designed these typefaces: Hard Flip (2015, a squarish typeface inspired by old black and white horror films such as "The Phantom Of The Opera"), the pixel typeface Dea Pixels (2015), and the commissioned pixel typeface Geek Press (2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Matthew Bayly

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the handcrafted typeface Cubek Touch (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Matthew McIver

Graphic Design student at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Creator of the pacakging / signage typeface Chillin' Thick (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Matthew Tager

Graphic designer in Pretoria, South Africa, who created the experimental typeface Afrasian in 2018. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Matthew Wallach

During his studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Matthew Wallach designed the stylish typeface Hashigo (2016), which was inspired by Japanese furniture. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Max Rabkin

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer (b. 1988) of Scarange (2005, an organic typeface that was called Maelstrom) and Vogue Sans (2005, see also here). He is working on Satinwood (2007, a quaint typeface in the style of Bernhard Modern). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Maxene Booysen

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the ancestral pattern font Max (2018) and the personal branding font ENE (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mea Jordaan

Pretoria, South Africa-based Information Design student at the University of Pretoria. Creator of Origami Sans (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Megan Hayes

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the free monoline rounded sans typeface Comic Revive (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Melissa Carolissen

Located in Cape Town, South Africa, this graphic designer and illustrator created an art deco typeface family called Retrofunk (2009), which includes a stencil style. Her logo lettering is also remarkable. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Melissa May

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of a typeface for the Save Our Seas Foundation (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Merle Scholtz

Born in Durban, South Africa, in 1947, Merle Scholtz specializes in designing African and Indian ethnic patterns and logos. Her work with ethnic patterns began as a result of her fascination with, and collection of, ethnic African masks and beadwork. Together with Anton Scholtz, she runs Scholtz Fonts. Her typefaces include:

  • African Shield (2005). Patterned after the cow-hide shields of the Zulu tribe.
  • Crime Inc (2012). A grungy sans.
  • Crostini (2011). A script for menus and invitations.
  • Fragrance (2011). A cosmetic industry or wedding invitation calligraphic face.
  • Gatsby SF (2007). A gorgeous art deco face.
  • Giraffe Skin, LeopardSkin.
  • Girl Script and Girltalk. These are curly typefaces.
  • Nordika (2007). A condensed sans.
  • Palm Court (2007).
  • Qotho (2010). She codesigned the versatile almost architectural sans family Qotho with Anton Scholtz.
  • Romi. A curly face.
  • Smart Casual (2007). An artsy architectural face.
  • Stoan: a texture face.
  • Tertius (2008). A Carolingian style family that could also be mistaken for an Arabic simulation face. Codesigned with Anton Scholtz.
  • ZebraSkin.
  • Zim.
  • Zulu-Ndebele Pattern (2007). Zulu-Ndebele Pattern is based solely on the traditional decorative patterns of the Zulu and Ndebele tribes of South Africa.

Klingspor link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Michael Eadie

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of an AK-47-themed typeface in 2018 called Kalasnifont. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Michael Marais

During his studies, Randfontein, South Africa-based Michael Marais designed the vernacular typeface Kram (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Michelle McDuling
[Michelle Roux]

[More]  ⦿

Michelle McDuling

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the curly typeface Curla (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Michelle Roux
[Michelle McDuling]

Michelle Roux (was: Michelle McDuling) is the Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the poster typefaces Cubed (2017), Curla (2015) and Alpha Lines (2016). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Michelle Viljoen

South African graphic designer and illustrator who lives in Cape Town. Behance link. Creator of the multiline layered font Fluister Klip Hard (2010). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Misha le Roux

Stellenbosch, South Africa-based designer of the blocky 3d font Structured (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mishka Naidoo

Art director in Johannesburg, South Africa. Creator of the multiserifed typeface Sunet Willemse (2014). Joziburg Lane (2016) is based on local vernacular type. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mishlen Gilbert

During his studies in Cape Town, South Africa, Mishlen Gilbert designed the dog-themed all caps typeface Fallen Angels (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Moe Kekana

Art director Moe Kekana (Cape Town, South Africa) created the experimental typeface Aviator for a school project in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mokokoma Mokhonoana
[Skout]

[More]  ⦿

Morné Venter

In his own words, Morné Venter is a conceptual thinker, illustrator and designer. Based in Pretoria, South Africa, he created Mauritio (2012), a basic poster typeface inspired by the island of Mauritius. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mouth

Pretoria, South Africa-based designer of Monsters Think They Are Scary (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mzikayise Sithole

Born in Soweto, this designer now works in Johannesburg. Diamonds inspired him to create Taemane (2012). Taemane is Diamond in Sesotho.

In 2011, he made M Font, in which all letters are somehow derived from "m".

In 2012, he created the Learn Braille Font.

Old Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Mzwakhe Ndlovu

Designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who works under the acronym DAMN---Design (and) Art (by) Mzwakhe Ndlovu. He created the experimental deco typeface Marslight in 2015. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Natalia Delgado

Johannesburg, South Africa-based creator of the petroglyphic emulation typeface Rud (2017), the typographic poster Africa Remix (2015) and an art nouveau self portrait (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Natalie Houston

Natalie Amy Margaret Houston was born in Durban, South Africa. She attended the then-named Natal Technikon. She graduated with a Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management in 1989, after which she was awarded an 18-month scholarship by the German Government to work and gain practical experience in that country. While in Germany she worked for Volkswagen and Audi, in their Marketing and Strategic Planning departments respectively. She returned to Germany from South Africa to study Graphic Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Dusseldorf. She completed a Bachelors and Masters degree in graphic design. Natalie lectured at the Durban University of Technology in the Faculty of Arts, in the Department of Graphic Design for nine years. In 2013 she joined the University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia, as a lecturer in Graphic Design. In 2015, she started pursuing a PhD in the Department of Social Sciences, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

She posted several Kufi style Arabic typefaces designed by her students in 2015 at the University of Dammam, College of Design for Girls. These include fonts by Arwa Alshammari (Moderfla), Najebah Alhashim (Handasah), Raghda Almakami (Zawiya), Ghadeer Haddad (Bubble: a circle-based font), Lina (Tammuz), Sukaina Albasha (Lightning), Fatima AlMoaili (MOQ'LA), Nora Alshammari (ZBRQAN), and Layla Alkhalifah (Thakerah). Her students jointly designed the Kufic Arabic typefaces Asia (2014), Ragda (2015, based on Avenir), Sumaya (2015), Layla (2015, based on Helvetica), and Lojain (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Neelesh Vallabh

Based in Sandton, South Africa, b. 1982. He created Romerati (2004). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Neo Mphahlele

Born and raised in Katlehong, a township to the east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Neo Mphahlele studied at the University of Johannesburg, where he designed Dysfunctional Typeface in 2016. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nicci Traut

Cape Town, South Africa-based graphic designer. Creator of the decorative typeface Day of the Dead (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nicky Laatz

Successful designer in Cape Town, South Africa, who started making fonts in 2014, In 2016, Creative Market wrote: South Africa-based designer Nicky Laatz just made one million dollars on Creative Market doing what she loves.. Creator of the commercial vintage spurred Western typeface Thistle Creek (2014), and the hand-drawn Butcher Block (2014), Vanilla Frosting (2014), Brave (2014, poster font), Stringfellows (2014, connected curly script, the most popular fonts at Creative Market in August 2014) and Cookies & Cream (2014).

In 2015, Nicki created more script typefaces: Hello Sunshine (hand brushed), Stone Harbour (dry brush typeface), Pleasures Script, Bonjour, Heart & Soul, Butterscotch. She also created a handcrafted system, called The Typographers Fonts, that includes these fonts: Bacon Sandwich, Fish And Chips, Fox And Bear, Gingerbuck, Habaneros, Handsome Hand Slanted, Handsome Hand, Heartstrings, Hunterswood, Lemon Squeeze, Mustache, Rembrandt, Shopaholics, Stalemates, Stringbeans, Sugarbush Slanted, Sugarbush, Zanjeros.

Typefaces from 2016: Just Lovely, Bloomishly Brush, Saturday Script (dry brush script), Tanglewoods, La Fiesta (calligraphic script with watercolour edges), Maraschino Script (calligraphic script with a bouncy baseline, Little Anchor (Wobbly hand-painted script), Blushing Bride (a flirty hand-lettered script), Lemonshino, Strawberry Frosting (plump and cheerful), Happy Days, Bear Hugs, Vanilla Sprinkles (messy calligraphy with watercolour edging), Mustard Mustache (an uppercase marker font), Island Style, Lucky Fellas (brush script), Indigo Blue, Miss Couture (pencil brush script), Forever Soulmates, Blooming Elegant (Sans, Hand and Monoline), Hello Lucky (a dry marker font), Biscuit Base Script, Boathouse Script, Deliciously Script, Gojiberries, Harelybuck Script, Jeronimo Typeface, Jolly Sailor, Loveluck Script, Lemonade Stand, Maraschino Typeface, Masquerade, Novascotia, Peaches & Pistachio, Shoestrings.

Typefaces from 2017: Just Heavenly (dry brush script), South Route, Pringle+Tweed, Poppit+Finch, Ernest + Emily, Gotcha (marker font), Indigo Summer, Serendipity, Styled Up, Hello Pretty (brushed typeface), Born Ready (brush script).

Typefaces from 2018: Electric Dreams (font duo), Instalove (SVG dry brush), InstaLove Smooth, Lovestory (watercolor SVG font), Summer Loving (SVG brush), Stay Classy Font Duo, Signature Collection, White Oleander, Belluga, Simply Sweet, Signature Collection, Chin Up Buttercup.

Typefaces from 2019: White Alchemy (a wild script), Supa Mega Fantastic, Pink Lemonade, Picasso in Paradise, California Dreams (+SVG, +Marker, +Watercolor), Bon Vivant Family (font duo), Gatsby Modern, Nicolette Script (by Nico Inosanto and Nicky Laatz), Serenity Font Duo, Joules et Jaques (script and serif), Kokomo Breeze.

Typefaces from 2020: Wicked Awesome, The Perfect Match, Fishfingers & Chips, Juniper and Sage, South Pacific, Marshmallow Hot Chocolate, Glamour Absolute (a fashion mag display typeface).

Typefaces from 2021: Isabella Grand, Nightingale Script (an antique watercolor script), Idealist Serif (a hipster serif), Magic Ramen, (a reverse contrast script).

Typefaces from 2022: Kilimanjaro (a heavy 18-style sans that recalls Lubalin in the late 70s). [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Nicola Van Den Heever

Nicola Van Den Heever (Pretoria, South Africa) designed a few great typographic posters during her illustration studies at the Open Window School of Visual Communication in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nicole du Plessis

South African graphic designer, who operates Blackbirdesign. She created the children's font Novelty (2011). Nicole lives in Cape Town. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nicole O'Neill

During her studies at Inscape Education Group in Cape Town, South Africa, Nicole O'Neill designed a virtual display typeface for the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (2017). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nigel Babb
[The Burning Duck Department]

[More]  ⦿

Nikki Hellmann

During his multimedia design studies at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, Nikki Hellmann created the anthroposophic typeface Urban (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Nqobile Magudulela

Junior graphic designer in Durban, South Africa, who created an unnamed vernacular typeface in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ntembiso Velemane

Durban, South Africa-based student-designer of the sexual position font Marhosha (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Oh Bear Studios
[Calvin Gentz]

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the free handcrafted typeface Hello Font (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Okay Annie Designs

South African hand-lettering artist and self-taught illustrator. In 2021, she designed these typefaces: Amalfi (all caps sans), Blue Jeans (grungy), Bohemia (a brush script), Country Road, Cutie Pie, French Kiss, Good Vibes (a rustic SVG opentype font), Hello Script, Paris Rough, Paris Solid (stencil), Je T'aime (script), Rustic, SaltRock. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Orange Juice Design
[Garth Walker]

Orange Juice Design is located in Durban, South Africa. It was founded in 1995 by Garth Walker, South Africa's leading exponent of post-apartheid design.

Sheila Dorje (from Cape Town, South Africa) designed the Arabic simulation font Halaal (2000). Fontshop link to Dorje.

I-jusi (Zulu for juice) is a magazine published by Orange Juice Design. As part of this, he has published discussions of African typography in National Typographika 1 (i-jusi volume 11) and 2 (i-jusi volume 17) (commented here).

Walker was commissioned to design a typeface for South Africa's new constitutional court in 2004. He also created Red Mercury, inspired by Jonathan Barnbrook's work, and alluding to South Africa's covert nuclear defence programme.

Garth Walker co-designed the African dingbats font AfroDisiac (1997, [T-26]) with Brode Vosloo (Sacred Nipple Type Foundry in South Africa), William Rea and Lisa King. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Osmond Tshuma

Co-founder and creative director of Mamgobozi Design Factory. Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer (b. Zimbabwe) of The Accordeonist (2020, based on a Picasso painting from 1911 by the same name). In 2014, he designed Colonial Bastard Rhodes as a post-colonial critique of both Cecil John Rhodes and the impact of colonialism in South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Owen Ingarfield

Born in 1982 and located in Cape Town, South Africa, Owen Ingarfield is a graphic designer. Home page. He used Fontcapture to make OwenHand (2010). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Patrick Molloy

UK-based type designer (b. 1970, Johannesburg).

His first commercial typeface is Bramber (2012): The design of Bramber was inspired by Allied propaganda posters of the second World war, especially Russian posters. It has a distinctive solid, geometric appearance. But it is not constructivist.

Arundel Sans (2012) is a cast iron display typeface with a medieval cathedral feel---it was inspired by the Arundel castle in west Sussex. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Paul Fernandes Pearson

For a school project in Durban, South Africa, Paul Fernandes Pearson created the neon font Africa Typographica (2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Paul Oxborrow

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the blocky typeface Oxborrow Metric Inline (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Paul Pateman

Graphic artist in London, who has designed various decorative all caps alphabets. These include East End (2014) and Alphabet of Sex and Disability (2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Paulo Teixeira

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the monoline sans typeface Suski (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Peter Slingsby
[Fonts of Afrika]

[More]  ⦿

Phil Ackermann

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the blocky typeface Pajitnov (2015), which was inspired by the classic arcade game Tetris and named after its Soviet developer, Alexey Pajitnov. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Piet Lubbe

Graphic designer in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the display typeface Saw in 2016. [Google] [More]  ⦿

P.J. Offner

Student in Cape Town, South Africa, who created the experimental 3d typeface Crisptal in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Qaasiem Hendricks

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of Jacknese (2016), a Japanese emulation typeface inspired by an animated series on Cartoon Network called Samurai Jack. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Quan Payne

Design director at Frost Design in Sydney and South Africa since 2007. Global Brand Design and Art Director for the London 2012 Olympic Games for Nike. Designer of quite a few (unnamed) typefaces in 2009-2012. These include several modular or experimental designs, a 3D typeface for Mr. Muz in Tasmania, an Escheresque typeface, a prismatic typeface, a didonbe typeface, and an op-art experimental typeface. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Rabatho Laka

Rabatho Laka (Johannesburg, South Africa) created a vernacular typeface called Urban in 2013 during his studies at the University of Johannesburg. Behance link [Google] [More]  ⦿

Rabia F. Qadir

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the 3d typeface Blokke Off (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Racheal Pontin

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the rhino poaching font Afrika Typografika (2016), which was finished during her studies at DUT. [Google] [More]  ⦿

RainBomb Studio
[Glen Nyundu]

Mpumalanga, South Africa-based designer of the 16-font squarish display family Phola (16 styles) (2021) that includes substyles Regular, Solid, Square, Diablo (spurred) and Clean. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Reghardt
[Reghardt Grobbelaar]

Reghardt is the foundry in Pretoria (and now East London), South Africa, that was founded in 2010 by Reghardt Grobbelaar. Its fonts include the children's handwriting typeface Hegel (2010), which was designed for Hegel Toys. Hegel Pro is an update from 2015.

In 2013, Reghardt designed Cake Sans. In 2015, he added the rounded sans typeface Polly Rounded. In 2016, he published the sans typeface Thommy and the non-rounded version of Polly.

Behance link. Creative Market link. A second Behance link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Reghardt Grobbelaar
[Reghardt]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

retype
[Christopher Houston]

Free fonts designed by Christopher Houston from South Africa: four free typefaces, narinx, red shirt, proletarian, and mdma. Dead link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Richard Every

South African designer of ITC Greengate (2002), an arts and crafts (almost art nouveau) font in the mould of Eaglefeather.

He writes: Jessie Marion King (1875-1949) began her professional career as a book designer and illustrator, but over time her creativity found its outlet in many forms, including posters, jewelry, ceramics, wallpaper, fabrics, murals, interior design and costumes. After eventually settling in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, she founded Green Gate Close, a center for women artists. Although her style is reminiscent of the Art Nouveau artist, Aubrey Beardsley, King's aesthetic was an offshoot of the "Glasgow Style," a Scottish hybrid of the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau. Often, her illustrations included hand lettering. It was just this kind of lettering that gave Richard Every his inspiration for ITC Greengate. When he saw some children's book illustrations that King created in 1898, he knew on the spot he had to complete the hand lettering as a typographic font.

FontShop link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Roxanne Simpson

During her studies at the AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, South Africa, Roxanne Simpson created the circle-based typeface Long Street (20140 which was inspired by the rooftops and (mostly Victorian) architecture of Long Street, Cape Town. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Rudi de Wet

Illustrator, typographer and graphic designer in Cape Town, South Africa. Rudi writes about himself: Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Rudi de Wet draws his inspiration from the region's hand-painted typographic signs, African fabrics and loves decoration. Presently, he works his magic as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer in Melbourne, Australia. He studied a BA in Fine Arts, with majors in Graphic Design and Illustration from the University of Stellenbosch, where, besides studying, he spent much of his time drinking the town's famous selection of rich, amazing wine. Rudi was one of the founding members of the Am I Collective, a now well-respected and highly sought-after design and illustration studio in Cape Town. He spent three years there, where an average day consisted primarily of hand typography jobs for the likes of Ogilvy&Mather, Saatchi&Saatchi, Network BBDO and Y&R Paris.

His outlined 3d face Mzansi (2009) was custom-made for Lowe Bull Cape Town. He designed Unilever in 2010. In 2013, he drew a typographic poster for Husqvarna.

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Ryan Atkinson

South African graphic designer who lives in Johannesburg. His typefaces include Atcurve (2008, avant-garde). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sacred Nipple Type Foundry
[Brode Vosloo]

Founded in 1996, Sacred Nipple Type Foundry was a South African foundry located in KwaZulu-Natal, located at this dead link. The main designers were Brode Vosloo, Lyall Coburn, Stephen Embleton and Scott Dukes.

They had grungy fonts such as the great graffiti font StarSalon, Sloth (1996), Albino (Brode Vosloo), Belch (Clint Vosloo), and Spiked Soda (Lyall Coburn and Cock Vosloo). The Vosloo brothers and Coburn are originally from Zaire. Brode Vosloo is also the [T-26] designer of AfroDisiac (dingbats, 1997, with Garth Walker, William Rea and Lisa King), Slicka (2002), FreeLine (a techno face, T-26) and ShoeRepairs (a dadaist and 3d family made in 2000, T-26). Their own designs include interesting African fonts such as MrCV Joint, and Shoe Repairs (2000, family).

Newest fonts: ErrorType8 (2000, Brode Vosloo), IZulu-Outline (2000, Brode Vosloo), IZulu-Regular (2000, Brode Vosloo), PleineStr (2000, Brode Vosloo), Rural (2000, Brode Vosloo), Biltong, BirthRiot, Caslonostrate, Cynic, Ejectile, EjectileItalic, Fondle, Fuel, FuelItalic, GrossAkzidentFucked, Hole, Holier, IAlfabhethi, IZuluOutline, Lymphatic, Propane, PropaneRounded, PropaneSmallCaps, Scrapt, ScripteriaCola, ScripteriaGummy, ScripteriaToid, Slick69, StyleLiner.

Since 2004, Brode Vosloo works (not sure if he still does today) for Iron Fist Design.

Another URL. Dafont link. Klingspor link. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Sage Bassett

Student in Cape Town, South Africa, who created an experimental geometric hand-drawn typeface in 2016. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sara Steiniger

During her studies, Sara Steiniger (Grahamstown, South Africa) designed a colorful all caps typeface (2016). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sarah Shorten

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the artificial language font Fook regular (2016). It is based on Fook Island Script, which was drawn and invented ca. 1965 by Walter Battiss (1906-1982) for his imaginary Fook Island. Sarah Shorten was briefed to develop the script into a digital font, for its 50th anniversary on the occasion of the exhibition Walter Battiss: "I invented myself" at Wits Art Museum (WAM), Johannesburg, 2016. The font, Fook Regular, was applied to a broadside or type specimen poster and featured in an essay of Battiss's manuscript lettering. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Savannah Meyer

During her studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, Savannah Meyer designed the geometric serif typeface Georif (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Scholtz Fonts
[Anton Scholtz]

Scholtz Fonts was started by Anton Scholtz (b. Durban, 1941) in 1997. This South African design company is located in Durban, where the Zulu culture of the region has greatly influenced Anton's font design. Klingspor link

Scholtz sells a fine selection of display types that ooze African themes. An alphabetical list:

View the typefaces designed by Anton Scholtz. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Scott Dukes

Type designer at The Sacred Nipple in South Africa. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sean Creighton

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of Flightpath (2015), a typeface that is inspired by the lines created when the flight paths of commercial airlines are mapped out. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Serena-Marié van der Nest

During her studies at AAA School of Advertising, Cape Town, South Africa-based Serena-Marié van der Nest designed the textured squarish typeface Bubblegum Ban (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sergio Lacueva

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the experimental typefaces LightSerge (2018) and Stock Market (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Shane de Lange

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. He created Modular (2011). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sharleen Hollick

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Sharleen Hollick created fun typographic posters called Ladies and Gentlemen (2013). Home page. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Shavaughn Haack

Design student in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2012. In 2012, Shavaughn created a bicycle calendar using only typographic building blocks. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sheila Dorje

Sheila Dorje (from Cape Town, South Africa) designed the Arabic simulation font Halaal (2000), which appeared in the pages of Orange Juice Design, the Durban, South Africa-based company of Garth Walker. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Signature Ink
[Hillary Adams]

South African calligrapher who has created some stunning calligraphic logos. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sihle Mtshiselwa

During his studies, Grahamstown, South Africa-based Sihle Mtshiselwa created Rockwell Redesign (2015), a handcrafted typeface inspired by the Austin Powers era British pop culture. He also created the horizontally striped Cat Rider (2015). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Simon Villet

Designer of the "brutalist" typeface Muzzle inspired by the "crypto-fascist monuments that mark the South African landscape" (quotes by Sean O'Toole. This typeface was presented in the magazine National Typographika 2 (i-jusi magazine volume 17). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sipesihle Bobani

Cape Town, South Africa-based designer of the display sans typeface Nizinga (2017). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Sir Blaez
[Braden Smulders]

Sir Blaez is Braden Smulders in Cape Town, South Africa. His illustrations are spectacular. On the side, he has also made a display typeface called Confluentes (2013). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Skout
[Mokokoma Mokhonoana]

South African type and web design jump page organized by Mokokoma Mokhonoana. [Google] [More]  ⦿

South African Languages

Download IPAPhonBoldItalic, IPAPhonBold, IPAPhonItalic, IPAPhonRoman, ZAsymbolsArial, ZAsymbolsRoman. The last two truetype fonts have special characters and diacritics that can be used for isiNdebele, isiZulu, Sepedi, Setswana and Tshivenda. The former fonts are phonetic. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Spook Design Co
[Casper Schutte]

Graphic designer and illustrator in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2020, he designed the delicate decorative typeface Doppelganger. [Google] [More]  ⦿

SPWA Design

Gordon's Bay, South Africa-based designer of the vector format bold sans typeface Round The Block (2014). Free download. Devian tart link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Stacey Robson

South African designer of the beady typeface Abakus Bold (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Stefanie de Kock

South African designer (b. 1983) of FGFontfull (2012, hand-printed). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Stephan van Wyk

Freelancer in Cape Town, who specializes in children's books. He created an ornamental caps typeface called Monstrosity (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Stephanie Nel

Cape Town, South Africa-based graphic designer who made a constructivist typeface in 2012. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Steven Brewis

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. His typefaces include Knockout LCD (2017, an LCD font) and Mars One (2017, sci-fi). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Su Lucas
[Su Lucas Fonts]

[More]  ⦿

Su Lucas Fonts
[Su Lucas]

Su Lucas is a South African designer who joined Apostrophic Labs [dead link] in March 2001. She published the barbed wire typeface Barbarello there in 2001.

Her oeuvre includes SL Christmas Silhouettes (2000), JunariClaws (2002, with Bella Morte), JunariClawsItalic, SLBookArts (2003, book dingbats), SLDividers (2003, used to be called filets), SLForknFont (2000), SLSignLanguage (2001), SLSquareOrnaments (2003), SLZodiacIcons (2002), Boere Tudor (2002, a medieval font), SL Wash, SL Star of David, SL Squiggles, SL Zodiac Stencils, SL Woodcut Faeries, SL Kid's Alphabet, SL Safety, SL Mythological Silhouettes, Back to the Futurex, and Rock Art in South Africa dingbats (2000). About that last dingbat font, she writes: ...This font was made from photographs and drawings of the rock art in South Africa....The Bushmen (San) were the most prolific painters....A lot of the male figures are shown with a semi-erection, as can be seen in q, e, r, and p. This is a physical trait peculiar to the San, called "penis rectus". This characteristic helped with cooling and heat dissipation in the very hot summers experienced in South Africa. A recurrent image is that of one or more crossbars across the penis. The meaning of this is unclear, but it is theorised that the foreskin was adorned with ornaments like pieces of bone and feathers.

Fontspace link. Dafont link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Susan Brand
[Susan Brand Design]

[MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Susan Brand Design
[Susan Brand]

South African designer of the script typefaces Lovely Bluebells, Coconut Milk (2020) and Lekker (2020). [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Talita Olivier

South African singer who is based in Cape Town. She designed Liekielaai (2013, FontStruct). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Talyn Perdikis

Designer in Cape Town, South Africa. She made the pencil scrap alphabet Fuse (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tania Whiteley

South African illustrator and graphic designer who lives in Johannesburg. Her typefaces include Stencil Script. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tanya Blaeser

Tanya Blaeser (Johannesburg, South Africa) created Urban Typeface in 2013. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Taskeen Noorbhai

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the display typeface Ignition (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Terri Prato

Durban, South Africa-based designer of the brush typeface Hot Wheels (2018). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Thato Kate Tshipelo

Multimedia designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who created the vernacular Urban typeface in 2014. [Google] [More]  ⦿

The Burning Duck Department
[Nigel Babb]

Nigel Babb at The Burning Duck Department (cartoon specialists) in South Africa. Together with Matt Tapson (?), he created Broken Stick (2005), a free paint brush font. [Google] [More]  ⦿

The Kinetic
[Estian Fourie]

South African production house located in Johannesburg. They created a free monoline organic sans typeface family called Stroke (2012). It appears, but I am not sure, that this typeface was designed by Estian Fourie. In 2016, they added the free variable width typeface Punc. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

The Purists

Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the art deco typeface father (2016). Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tish

South African designer of the original stitching font Stitch (2007). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tjaart Pretorius

During his studies in Pretoria, South Africa, Tjaart Pretorius designed the Handy Man ornamental typeface (2013). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tom Carnase

Type designer Thomas Paul Carnase was born in The Bronx, New York City in 1939. He graduated from New York City Community College in 1959. Carnase started making fonts in the photolettering era, and lived through the transition to digital. In the 1960s, he opens the studio Bonder & Carnase Inc. From 1969 until 1979, he is vice-president and partner of the agency Lubalin, Smith, Carnase Inc. In 1979, he founds the Carnase Computer Typography studio. In 1980, Carnase becomes co-founder and president of the World Typeface Center Inc., an independent type design agency. He manages the in-house magazine Ligature published by the World Typeface Center from 1982 to 1987. Besides type design, Carnase has designed graphics for packaging, exhibitions, corporate identities and logos for numerous clients, including ABC, CBS, Coca-Cola, CondéNast Publications, Doubleday Publishing and NBC. He has held teaching positions at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, the Pratt Institute in New York, the Herron School of Art in Indiana, the Parson's School of Design in New York, the Cleveland Institute of Art in Ohio, the University of Monterrey in Mexico, and the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, among others. His fonts include:

  • Fonts at WTC: WTC Carnase Text, WTC Favrile (1985), WTC Goudy (sold by URW++), WTC Our Bodoni (with Massimo Vignelli), WTC Our Futura, WTC 145. Clones of Favrile abound: OPTI Favrile (Castcraft), Fascinate (NovelFonts), Francois (Serials).
  • At LSC (LSC stands for Lubalin Smith Carnase Inc, an agency he co-ran in the 70s), he created a number of typefaces such as LSC Book, LSC Condensed and LSC Caslon No. 223.
  • ITC Busorama, a geometric titling typeface that started with an ad for a bus company. Busorama, despite its innate ugliness, has been copied tens of times. Nick Curtis managed to turn it into an art deco typeface in 1999 with his Ritzy Normal.
  • With Herb Lubalin, he designed L&C Hairline (ca. 1966, VGC) and L&C Stymie Hairline (1973, VGC).
  • At ITC: ITC Manhattan (1970), ITC Avant Garde Gothic (with Herb Lubalin and Ed Benguiat, 1970), ITC Bolt Bold (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Gorilla (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Grizzly (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Grouch (with Ronne Bonder, 1970: this Caslon headline typeface was mimicked and extended in 2011 by Tomi Haaparanta as Grumpy Black; see also Softmaker's Zepp and Bitstream's Dutch 791), ITC Machine (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Pioneer (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Ronda (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Tom's Roman (with Ronne Bonder, 1970), ITC Fat Face Western, ITC Pioneer No. 2, ITC Honda, ITC Didi (a high contrast didone revived in 2013 by Jason Anthony Walcott as Domani CP), ITC Bernase Roman, ITC Neon (1970; jointly by Ronné Bonder and Tom Carnase; based on Prisma, and initially shown by Photo-Lettering as Neon; Prisma in turn was based on Rudolph Koch's Kabel; digitizations include Neptune (FontBank, 1990-1993) and the free shadowed Multistrokes (Manfred Klein, 2003)), and Milano (with Ronne Bonder).
  • L'Eggs, ca. 1969. A custom font for a line of hosiery to be called L'eggs by designer Roger Ferriter and Tom Carnase.
Author of Type: the best in digital classic text fonts (1995, Graphis, with Baruch Gorkin), about which Hrant Papazian writes: I just went through the Carnase/Gorkin book - I'd forgotten how lousy it is---please don't buy it.

FontShop link. Klingspor link.

View Tom Carnase's typefaces. [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Tondi Type (or: Fumz; was: Tondi Republik)
[Fhumulani Nemulodi]

Fhumulani Nemulodi is the Johannesburg, South Africa-based designer of the soft-edged handcrafted poster typeface Bebop Slab (2016) and the modular poster typeface Elwi The Gentle Giant (2016).

Typefaces from 2017: Sisana (a hybrid sans), Durango, Ogra, Bebop Pro (sans and slab), Reqnad Geometrik (soft octagonal style; free), Bomba Stout.

Typefaces from 2018: Ogra Sans (an industrial octagonal typeface), TR Reqnad Display (octagonal, industrial), Bebop V3, Bebop Slab.

Typefaces from 2019: RQND Pro (industrial, octagonal), Republk (sic) Sans, Neo Afrique Pro, Tondi Sans.

Typefaces from 2020: Akadis Display, Nicro Force (rounded octagonal). [Google] [MyFonts] [More]  ⦿

Tshepo Mosoeu

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who created the free thin sans typeface Rhetoric (2015) and the free display typeface Grothika (2015). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tuscani Cardoso

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa, who made the very thin display typeface Rebanada (2010) and the Peignotian fashion mag typeface Mayfith (2011). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Tyler Yeo

Pretoria, South Africa-based designer of the clear thin sans typeface Let's Connect (2016), which was custom-made for Singularity. Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Under The Knife Studios

Durban, South Africa-based designer of a potato cut font in 2018. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Walter Battiss

Walter Battiss (1906-1982) was a South African abstract painter well-known for his Fook Island concept. Wikipedia writes: This "island of the imagination" was a materialization of Battiss' philosophy for which he created a map, imaginary people, plants, animals, a history as well as a set of postage stamps, currency, passports and driver's licences. He created a Fookian language with a full alphabet as well. This utopian island was a composite of the many islands he visited which included Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, the Greek Isles and the Comores, blended together in his customary imaginative fashion. In Battiss's words, "It is something that does not exist. I thought that I would take an island - the island that is inside all of us. I would turn this island into a real thing---I would give it a name". Fook was a result of his fertile imagination as well as his opposition to the Conceptualist Art movement of the 1960s and 70s, in Europe and America. The movement espoused that the construction of art was confined to the 'moment' in which it was created. He believed to the contrary that all art exists in the now and this he argued to represent with Fook Island, which was always in the now and always an essential part of reality.

He conceived his Fook Island Script between 1965 and 1967 and continued using it in his work and correspondence until his death in 1982. Sarah Shorten was briefed to develop the script into a digital font, for its 50th anniversary on the occasion of the exhibition Walter Battiss: "I invented myself" at Wits Art Museum (WAM), Johannesburg, 2016. The font, Fook Regular, was applied to a broadside or type specimen poster and featured in an essay of Battiss's manuscript lettering. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Warrick Bayman

Graphic designer in Johannesburg, South Africa. Creator of the sci-fi typeface Trains in Space (2013).

Behance link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

William Rey

Dead link. Codesigner with Brode Vosloo (Sacred Nipple Type Foundry in South Africa), Lisa King and Garth Walker of the African dingbats font AfroDisiac (1997), which was also published by [T-26]. Sacred Nipple ceased to exist, ca. 2004. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Zandri Daneel

At Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Zandri Daneel desoigned the metal work industrial typeface Industrial (2019). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Zane Ford

Johannesburg-based designer who is working on a simple monoline sans typeface called Wargot (2012). [Google] [More]  ⦿

Zené Stoltz

During her studies in Potchefstroom, South Africa, Zené Stoltz designed a school project typeface that inspired by the Anglo Boer War Concentration Camp in Potchefstroom. [Google] [More]  ⦿

ZETAFonts
[Frank E. Bailey]

ZETAFonts, run by Frank E. Bailey, is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. His typefaces include Bloxxx Extra Bold (2010), Caligula Dodgy (2010: a Trajan caps face), Neil Normal, Shoom Vertical, Roller Bollocks, FreakE Beta, Reservoir Grunge (1999, a digital version of Aurora Grotesk), Rund Marker (2010: a felt tip font), Feena Casual, Shoom Vertical (2010: a monoline techno squarish sans). Dafont link. [Google] [More]  ⦿

Zoe Allison

During her studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, Zoe Allison designed the lava lamp typeface Anthro Po (2018) and the compass-and-ruler font Shot (2019), which is inspired by the city of Johannesburg. [Google] [More]  ⦿