NaN Archy
NaN · Hélène Marian · 2024
A sans serif by Hélène Marian split into two versions: one that treats structural weight-range glitches as a deliberate feature, another that channels the same brush-lettering origins into a clean, Art Deco-tinged workhorse.
About
NaN Archy emerges from Marian's paint-brush lettering practice, then strips back most of the organic quality through digital treatment. The [ON] version preserves structural simplifications from the Ultra weight across the full range, so lighter weights reveal unexpected black spots that give text a rhythmic, score-like quality. The [OFF] version drops the glitches entirely, retaining humanist proportions and a faint Art Deco character suited to sustained reading and versatile use.
Classification
Rooted in paint-brush lettering and processed through a digital lens, NaN Archy is a humanist sans with two distinct versions: one embracing structural glitches across a wide weight range, the other a restrained workhorse with subtle Art Deco proportions.