While the best handwriting fonts all manage to perfect that authentically imperfect handmade look, there's one problem that plagues every 'analogue' typeface. The illusion is shattered by repeating identical letters. But one typographer has found an ingenious solution to the problem.
Rando Sans is a new dynamic typeface that displays different versions of letters as you type. Created by designer Beau Maher, the typeface "uses the Contextual Alternatives function and some code to cycle variations of each letter to create a pseudorandom effect." In other words, without identical letters sitting next to each other, the font looks much more authentically handwritten.
"Surely there’s a way to have a font that has a bunch of variations that are all jumbled up so that you can bullshit people even more," Maher describes as the initial question that led to the project. "This kernel of a thought sat in the back of mind for a long time. Rando Sans is the expression of that thought."
In a blog post explaining the process, Maher goes into great detail explaining how the 'pseudorandom effect' was achieved. Before designing the actual characters using Figma (Apple Pencil and iPad "kinda sucked" for creating the handwritten look), Maher needed to validate that the effect was possible from a technical perspective. This involved experimenting with OpenType's RAND and Contextual Alternatives (CALT) functions, the latter of which ended up powering the typeface.
In short, there's a complex process behind the goofy looking font. And judging by the response on Reddit, the work was worth it. "Love the weights & the overall approach. Good job!" one user comments, while another adds, "I love this!! So many handwritten fonts suffer from identical letters that kill the illusion, but this font solves that problem wonderfully. Very well done!" A third user describes Rando Sans a "Comic Sans on steroids".
Rando Sans can be downloaded free from Gumroad (users can tip the creator). For more typographical inspiration, check out the best free fonts.
