Typeface Design for a Fraktur and Serif Family
Fraktur meets oldstyle serif in a single coherent system
Eskapade is a 16-font family by Alisa Nowak that pairs a contemporary oldstyle serif with an experimental Fraktur, developed through research into Roman and German blackletter forms. The roman is condensed relative to typical oldstyle serifs specifically to harmonise with the Fraktur in mixed settings, supported by low stroke contrast and a tall x-height. The italic is based on Cancellaresca script, which also provided the structural basis for the Fraktur italic; that style is additionally influenced by Sütterlin, a German script practised between 1915 and 1941. A second set of double-stroked decorative capitals and amplified inktraps in the Black weight extend the family's range from continuous text to display and branding use.
Set in Eskapade
Insights
- The roman's condensed proportions were a deliberate structural choice to maintain visual harmony when set alongside Fraktur styles.
- The Fraktur italic is grounded in Cancellaresca script with secondary influence from Sütterlin, a German script used between 1915 and 1941.
- Eskapade Black features amplified inktraps to preserve stroke-counter balance at heavy display weights.
- A secondary uppercase set with double-stroke lines is included to encourage experimental and decorative application.
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