Besides nature, what other experiences from your life have influenced your designs?

My dad brought a Mac into our house when I was little, and I learned how to make art on it. There’s a specific dithering style really common to those early machines that just has a charm. It looks like it’s making grayscale, but it’s actually one-bit, black-and-white, on- or off-color. I think it’s cool. It also supports this abstract notion of nature that I’m trying to evoke, where I’m bringing things down to a simpler set of parameters.

By “simpler parameters,” do you mean an idealized form of nature?

I think nature is already perfect as it exists. It’s not made by people — so it’s right, correct. It’s the default state of the world, and it feels healthy to me. That’s what I’m going for.”

When it comes to designing, what do you find beautiful?

Simplicity: a cliche answer. But true, effective simplicity can be difficult to accomplish, whether in user-interface design or artwork or just general graphic design. So, beyond a minimalist aesthetic, I like the process of taking away what’s not helpful.

A lot of industrial design speaks to me that way, also Japanese calligraphy and interior design. When something's utilitarian, but done so intentionally and very beautifully, I find that very appeal-ing. So, when I'm working with black-and-white, I’m similarly paring down what I can, while [also] removing unnecessary detail and texture.

Whom do you envision using your fonts?

First and foremost? Me! Before I started doing type design, I worked in general client service graphic design. So I was always looking for fonts to use. Eventually, as I got into type design, I wanted to make fonts I could use in my own work. But not in a weird, selfish way. If I could use it, then I think other designers would want to, as well.

What would you most like to share with customers?

That I support my fonts forever. I always go back and update: I add features, I fix bugs, I update curves that don’t look quite right. That happens less and less, because I’m getting better at what I do. [A newer font like] Olivette doesn’t need a version 3.0, but maybe an older font does. So, when you buy one of my typefaces, you’re going to get something that’s actively maintained and supported. I don’t put things out there and then abandon them.

Is there a font you recently designed with a specific user in mind?

Turismo. It’s a typeface inspired by and geared toward a classic 1960s automotive look. It’s not aggressive, not tough. It’s wide and round and soft, and I picture it as a touring car of some kind. That particular typeface is being used by Harley-Davidson on their Serial 1 e-bicycle. I’m really glad, because that’s the type of user I envisioned.

Are you developing anything now you’re really excited about?

I’m working with handwriting and how that changes the way a letter looks, as opposed to, say, a sans serif, which has a very geometric and pure shape. I’m experimenting with how that can appear in typefaces, in a way that's less expected.