I really like what you did so far.
The serifs reminds me of display types used in the 50’s, but the letters are much more modern in appearance.

I think the יו”ד is a bit out of place, though. It seems larger than it should.

And I’m not so sure about the עי”ן either, something about the left stem seems too bold (in appearance, not weight.)

If I may ask, why do you name it Hagalil? Nothing about it seems Galileean to me.

Hi, Shay.

At http://img2.tapuz.co.il/CommunaFiles/4690612.pdf you could find a newer version with the Yud and Ayin corrected (among others). For the full list of corrected letters please turn to http://www.tapuz.co.il/communa/userCommuna.asp?Communaid=3055 (in Hebrew).

As for the name, like you suggested yourself, the face is inspired by types used in the 50’s. That made me think of it as being a “zionistic” type, which led me to the name Atzmaut (“Independence”, Hebrew). However, this name has already been taken (by two different fonts! One from Masterfont and one from Yanek Iontef). Thereafter it was only a matter of my own associations, and the Galilee was one of the first.

How would a Galileean typface look to you?

Thanks,
oribendor

I’m a bit reluctant to register with Tapuz, but will probably do it soon.

I still think the Yod is a bit too large: you should make it both shorter and narrower, imo.

To me, the immediate association of Galileean Hebrew writing is Jewish occult — think of all the Kabbalah masters that used to live there.
I’d imagine such font as an ornate, hard to read Ashkenazi letters, like those gracing all those new-age books (think Culmus Druglin Italics, or Fontbit’s Ashkenazi).

Shay.

btw, what is it with mathematicians and typography?

As somebody who admittedly doesn’t know Hebrew, my only observation is that you might want to reconcile the smooth, flary terminals with the abrupt shears differently. For example: the ascender of the Lamed seems to need a flare; the top-left “trench” of the (non-final) Mem should probably be abrupt; and the (non-final) Tsadi seems to need a flare, somewhere. And maybe more.

> what is it with mathematicians and typography?

Good question! And what is it with programmers and type design? I think it has to do with type design being accomodating of an analytical spirit, while fostering a creative/expressive dimension that writing code doesn’t.

hhp

Thank, hrant. I’ve tried, for example, a flare on the Lamed, but it made it too complex, while I wanted to keep it simple. I think it works fine just the way it is. You should bear in mind that it’s a modern typeface.

oribendor

> I think it works fine just the way it is.

You mean the Lamed, or the whole thing?
Because if it’s the latter, I have to wonder why it’s in the critique section.

hhp

Ori,
I don’t have a clue about Hebrew letterforms but as form/counterform, your font is gorgeous! It has a flavor of Asian calligraphy mixed with a Constructivist formalism.
Wish I understood the language to be able to be of help to you.

ChrisL

> You mean the Lamed, or the whole thing?

I mean the whole terminals thing.

oribendor

> but as form/counterform, your font is gorgeous!

Thanks, I guess :)

oribendor

“form/counterform”

In more Gestalt terms: The way the negative space (Ground) is active and supports positive space (figure).

The black and white play well together :-)

ChrisL

Hi, I like your font very much. I don’t speak hebrew but need to carve some wooden letters (shalom) for a gateway to a kid’s camp and thought this would be neat.