The Normschrifft letterforms are closely related to those commonly used in engraved metal and plastic signage, one the designer had a close connection to. Sascha’s father worked in a manufacturing plant in Hannover, Germany, milling and machining aluminium for automotive suppliers. Sascha had seen an award given to his father with an engraved plaque and enquired where the letterforms were from, his father replied: »Die Buchstaben kamen aus dem Inneren der Maschine!« “The letters came from inside the machine!”

Not to be pigeon-holed, the files meandered from this linear path. While they might have been expected to retain monolinear strokes in reference to the Normschrift lettering models, or the mechanical ductus present in milled aluminium text, Plastik was drawn with significant modulation, especially in the Bold and Black styles, where they reveal a hint of humor and personality due to the optically corrected terminal shapes. As another way to continue a playfulness within the alphabet, perfect geometric circles are utilized in round letterforms, uncoupling its roots from Akzidenz and bringing some energy to the character set. Alternates for ’S’, ‘C’, ‘G’, and ‘Q’ echo Herbert Bayer’s universal alphabet, allowing Plastik to acquire a secondary Modernist-influenced aura.

The aim of Plastik was to create a harmonious balance between organic and geometric forms. This has been achieved through a delicate balance of drawing, correction and re-drawing, with no one source overpowering another’s influence. Instead Plastik is informed by a melange of different time periods and production processes within the legacy of the sans serif form (from the hand, to metal lathe, to BCPs). Its name recalls softened edges and saturated colors (while also global environmental challenges) fear not – only recycled plastic was utilized in the making of this family.

1          “Normschrift Instructional Booklet,” In Trenches, May 14 2023, https://intrenches.com/2023/05/15/normschrift-instructional-booklet/. During this time in Germany ‘Redis’ nibs were used for Normshrift and related lettering work. Commonly available today as Speedball ‘B Series’ nibs.