Éric de Berranger
Éric de Berranger likes to multitask, and often works on two typeface families at once. Such was the case with Mosquito, a jaunty sans that was developed at the same time he was creating the more traditional Maxime. “Mosquito represented a sort of recreation,” says de Berranger. “When I grew tired of working on one design I could work on the other and then come back to the first, full of courage and desire!”
Mosquito is built from simple, straightforward shapes, but its distinctive stroke terminals and slight oblique weight stress distinguish the design from more conventional sans serif faces. The relatively large x-height and open counters add to the legibility of the design. The capitals are straightforward (with just a hint of Peignot), while the lowercase has a softer, more inviting demeanor. “I drew Mosquito with the hope that it would be pleasant to look at and to read,” says de Berranger. “I think the end result is almost feminine.”