You'd be forgiven for wondering why anyone would need to create a typeface which works across light and dark mode – surely it simply involves changing the colour from black to white? But as independent type foundry Dalton Maag's illuminating new typeface Darkmode reveals, there's a little more to it than that.
The rise of 'dark mode' across several operating systems and their UIs has created an unexpected challenge for those looking to create a consistent visual identity (don't forget to check out our best free fonts if you're looking for inspiration). According to Dalton Maag, white-on-black text is often subconsciously perceived as larger and bolder than the same text presented black-on-white.
Text presented white-on-black appears larger and bolder than text set black-on-white. Darkmode’s two variations have been crafted to provide typographic consistency between modes. Read more and try now at https://t.co/AC82u97pcn #DarkMode pic.twitter.com/WpUikE04UXMay 21, 2020
Enter Darkmode, a new typeface using "innovative variable font technology". Dalton Maag calls it the first retail font family to offer a ready-built solution to the problem. Darkmode offers two slightly different variants for each weight, which have been "carefully crafted to give a consistent appearance when switching between normal and inverse modes." In other words, the typeface offers two slightly different thicknesses: DarkmodeOn and DarkmodeOff (below).
Dalton Maag calls Darkmode "a typeface for the UIs of today and tomorrow," which improves digital navigation, on-screen reading and will ultimately help developers to create more reactive and responsive user experiences.
You can currently snap up a free trial of Darkmode on Dalton Maag's website. And if you're inspired by the amount of thought and detail that goes into font design, our font design guide is a great place to start your typographical journey.
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