BC Mikser

We rank both contemporary and historic typefaces according to established definitions and categories. If we attempt to describe Mikser by these habitual means, we can say that it is a monolinear, dynamic, sans serif typeface with a uniform character width (in other words “monospaced”), combining a vertical axis with distinctive modelling of the drawing. We thus acquire a tortuous mix, or rather “miks”, which demands the creation of its own typeface category. If we factor in the original purpose of monospace typefaces, which are suitable for layouts of lists, tables and other related printed material, the combination of all the aforementioned principles becomes a likeable, playful mannerism. The Mikser font family offers a wide range of weights. The pleasantly calm Light best shows the constructional principles of the type family, in which together with the growing weight the dynamics of modulation of the shapes begins to show, modulation that in the heaviest weight, Bold, is literally entertaining.

The designer of Mikser, Filip Kraus, is an excellent draughtsman and therefore another typical feature of the letter set is the distinctive graphic quality and construction of the shapes. The “A”, “V”, “W” and “M” have peculiar "inflated" curves. The uppercase and lowercase “M”, conspicuously reminiscent of the McDonald’s logo, thus unwittingly became a sort of logo for Mikser. The mechanically vertically truncated “K” and “R” are in direct contradiction, not only with their uncustomary curves. The capital “E” is reminiscent of a mirror-reversed “3” and the curvy tail of the capital “Q” is also prominent. The lowercase letters confidently add a whole range of shapes: the “p”, “r” and “n”, which lead with an upper left serif, while the “m” deliberately does not have the same principle and copies the shape of the capital. The “f” and “j” have an apparently simplistically, perpendicularly clipped stroke, the same as the capital “K” and “R”. All is enhanced by the apparent disproportion of the characters caused by their uniform width. Despite all these provocations and incitements, it is not a matter of chaos. Quite the contrary – the possibilities of use of Mikser will probably be equally as versatile as the typeface itself. It cannot be ruled out that its use will demand a new method of graphic design, just as Mikser creates its own typeface category.

Design: Filip Kraus
Number of fonts in a family: 10 (Light, Light Italic, Regular, Italic, Medium, Medium Italic, SemiBold, SemiBold Italic, Bold, Bold Italic)
Number of glyphs per font: 426
Release date: 2015

OpenType Features:
Lining Figures (lnum)
Oldstyle Figures (onum)
Stylistic Sets (ss01)
Case Sensitive Forms (case)
Slashed Zero (zero)
Localized Forms (locl)
Ligatures (liga)

Awards
Certificate of Typographic Excellence 2016 by Type Directors Club
Award of Excellence 2016 by Communication Arts