Workhorse Script
Workhorse Type Foundry · Adrian Kimball · 2021
A variable script typeface built on English Roundhand calligraphy, with six optical sizes and extensive connection alternates to preserve the fluency of hand-lettered originals.
About
Rooted in George Bickham's Universal Penman and the English Roundhand tradition it documented, the design addresses one of the persistent failures of digital script type: the loss of finesse at letter joins. Nearly every lowercase letter carries duplicate variants to handle connections correctly, with four different forms of the lowercase n alone. Six optical sizes run from Extra Fine at 110pt down to Micro at 10pt, where letterforms shed flourishes and gain weight to maintain legibility, all navigable through a single variable font file.
Classification
A formal connected script based on English Roundhand calligraphy as documented in George Bickham's Universal Penman; the cursive letterforms with connection alternates and flourishes firmly place it in the script category.