Variable Case is a modular font created for the Experimental Modular Typography class taught by Darius Ou at LASALLE College of the Arts. Initially, I was asked to find a fashion designer and create a modular typeface based on that designer, their practice/philosophy or one of their works. The selected designer is Martin Margiela and what intrigues me is his Spring 1996 Collection. One of the themes behind that collection is the interplay between past and present, embodied in a single garment. By the same token, my typeface conceptually focuses on the relationship between uppercase and lowercase characters. Functionwise, different letter case variations can emphasize hierarchy, use for abbreviation, control reading flow, act as punctuation, and more, all with the goal of differentiation. This typeface unites both cases into a single silhouette; and the differentiation is achieved simply through moving the character up or down.
One key design aspect is the use of lowercase shapes for the tops of characters. This involves initially designing each character in lowercase with a consistent x-height, followed by the addition of descenders to create the impression of uppercase letters. This way, when a portion of the text is covered, it will still display the conventional look of the capitals taller than the lowercase.
Besides the default uppercase and lowercase, the typeface also has a variable function allowing custom case (mostly for display purpose)