There aren't many people whose minds can compare with the brilliancy of Albert Einstein, but soon you'll at least be able to write like the renowned genius. According to the Washington Post, a project to turn Einstein's handwriting into a font will be underway this month, and by the end of the year, we'll be able to create documents that mimic the physicist's script.
Harald Geisler and Elizabeth Waterhouse are the creators of this font, and appropriately so. Geisler already developed a font to impeccably mimic the handwriting of neurologist Sigmund Freud, according to The Post. His experience in this type of design will lend a serious helping hand as this Einstein project aims to be even more elaborate and authentic than Freud's. Waterhouse, a dancer with a degree in physics, has long appreciated the works of Einstein, having read his non-scientific works in her teen years.
About the font
The level of intricacy in the development in this font is beyond measure. Geisler spent six months poring over examples of Einstein's handwriting and documents from the Albert Einstein Archives, according to the project's Kickstarter page. Through this diligence, Geisler has developed a beautiful prototype for the font.
He uses a method more kosher than simply scanning the documents and allowing a computer to do the work. Geisler traces each letter onto a tablet to capture the unpredictability of a pen stroke. Then, he reworks each letter to pick up the subtle details of Einstein's handwriting that he didn't portray the first time and to better reflect to look of natural ink. He does this whole process three times for each letter.
But that's not all; the font will mimic the authentic handwriting in another way, too. The design team plans to use funding to revamp the font and create multiple versions of the same figures since handwriting naturally changes as it descends down a page. The font will randomly shuffle between letter forms to achieve that natural variation.
Funding the project
This dynamic duo of a design team has begun a Kickstarter campaign, an online crowdfunding strategy that helps creative project developers collect money to back their ideas. Each milestone in their fundraising journey correlates with a new font-development goal.
- $15,000: Geisler will manipulate four manifestations of the same character for each letter of the alphabet, number, punctuation mark and accented letter.
- $30,000: Geisler will add a fifth set to each of these character types.
- $35,000: Geisler will create Greek letters to include in the font.
As it stands, prospective font-users can expect to see all of these goals met. To date, Geisler and Waterhouse have raised over $40,000, which far exceeds their original goal of $15,000.
Font choice and formats
The impact of a message can be made greater with an effective font selection. For example, you may not want to send cheerful birthday cards with a sinister Chiller font. On the other hand, cursive script inside a sympathy card helps convey a sense of sincerity and compassion. The Einstein font would be the perfect choice for cards to science lovers.
By the end of 2015, just in time for the centennial of the Grand Theory of Relativity, Geisler and Waterhouse's Einstein font should be compatible on most digital devices. In the meantime, explore your own font software to find one that speaks to your personality!