Q&A with Xavier Dupre

I'm french and share my life between Asia and France, spending most of my time in Cambodia. I may change this schedule in the future due to the drastic evolution of this country these last years.

I design typefaces, especially my own fonts and publish them thru different foundries.

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What inspired you to become a type designer?

My interest - since I'm kid - in vintage posters brought me to have a closer look on the combination of picture and letter. A poster is - almost - always an association of both. That was my first experience in graphic design.

Years later, I discovered desktop publishing and the joy of Illustrator to destroy fonts and create personal shapes.

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What tools do you use to organize your work?

I'm not fond of technology, so, I minimize the job on only one software; FontLab studio.

What is your ideal work environment?

My home with my computer facing the open terrace full of plants.

Where does your type design inspiration come from?

I'm interested in old books from early XXth c. with woodcut pictures, hot metal fonts. I'm also inspired by advertising posters or movie posters from the 1920' to 1960' printed in lithography. These kind of poster letterings may also inspire me.

Who are type designers you admire most?

Just 15 minutes ago, I saw an add in an in-flight mag with 2 lines set in Farnham (by Christian Schwartz), I stayed probably 3 minutes just admiring the shapes. I'm also a fan of R. Slimbach and I'm really interested by many great designers such as Porchez, Unger, Zapf, Mendoza… All great designers especially when they keep in mind calligraphy designing fonts.