In ITC Arecibo, Argentinean type designer Luis Siquot has created a typeface of subtle typographic turns. At first glance, ITC Arecibo has a sturdy 19th century wood type flavor, yet the delicate hairline shadow is decidedly Art Deco.
ITC Arecibo History
ITC Arecibo's condensed proportions and character shapes have been carefully modeled to ensure legibility. Siquot added uniqueness and versatility to the face by drawing two sets of small caps: one in which the central horizontal strokes share the same plane (ITC Arecibo) as those in the full-size letters, and another where the horizontal strokes are proportional with the small caps (ITC Arecibo Too).
Another intriguing subtlety is what Siquot calls the “soul of the face,” the distinctive highlight/shadow. “This ambiguous line is an effect I have wanted to incorporate into a design for some time,” says Siquot. “Is it a black hairline that surrounds the letters, or a white line incised into the left and bottom of strokes?”
ITC Arecibo and ITC Arecibo Too: distinctive, powerful and economical of space. What more could you ask from a headline face?
