Typeface Design for Grato Classic
Nine weights engineered so stepping one weight lighter maintains stroke width when doubling point size
Grato Classic is a geometric humanist sans-serif designed by Jakob Runge in 2021, part of TypeMates' Geometric Suite. It grafts classical proportions and calligraphic detailing drawn from early British geometric typefaces onto a low-stroke-modulation, near-perfect-circle core. The family spans nine weights (Hair to Super) with more than 1,100 glyphs per font and covers over 270 languages across Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek scripts. A companion optical size, Gratimo Classic, is available for text and interface design.
Set in Grato Classic
Insights
- Weight gradation was deliberately calibrated so the next lighter weight preserves optical stroke weight at double the type size, aiding hierarchy control.
- Two opposing stylistic sets let users shift between a legibility-optimised mode and a strict geometric mode within the same typeface.
- Glyphs were reviewed by named external consultants including Ilya Ruderman, Yury Ostromentsky, and Irene Vlachou.
- All TrueType web and desktop files received manual hinting for improved on-screen rendering.
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