About Centra Mono
Following the dual release of the Centra No. 1 and Centra No. 2 in 2017, Josh Finklea expands the sans serif series with Centra Mono. The typeface is an amalgamation of its geometric sans relatives, constrained but not hindered by a fixed-width system.
Monospaced typefaces tend to reference either the analog and material quirks of a typewriter, or the calculated efficiency of a programming environment. Centra Mono is neither limited by technology or context, but takes its place as a contemporary response to monospace typography. Available in 4 weights in both roman and italic, the typeface is part of an established conversation between Centra’s humanistic warmth and modernist rationale, but operates as its own fine-tuned instrument.
4 weights, 8 total fonts.
Construction
The Centra Series is united by a fundamental core skeleton, and the nuanced details carried over from the initial pair add layers of personality in a monospaced context. A fixed-width typeface often exudes a demeanor of straight-forward logics, and few surprises. However, since Centra Mono inherits a mix of traits from its parent typefaces, the family results in subtle yet intriguing textures.
Spacing between letterforms is a major component of typeface design, but when it comes to monospaced typefaces, the focus is instead on finding a spatial sweet spot for all the characters to live comfortably in: a uniform width that accommodates and organizes the entire glyph set, while allowing each character to express itself.
One challenge with designing an overly extensive monospaced typeface is that adding and reducing weight can entirely change its feeling of spaciousness. Thinner weights may start to feel as if they are too loosely spaced, while heavier weights can feel excessively dense and hard to read. Centra Mono pares itself down to 4 essential weights that lend themselves best to the fixed-width format. While the family was designed to be used on its own, consideration was also taken for it to perfectly pair as a secondary font with its parent typefaces.
The main stylistic sets correspond to the different parent genes. The British qualities of No. 1’s double-story forms and Johnston-like shears are found in Stylistic Set 01, while the geometry of No. 2’s curvilinear terminals and single-story forms are found in Stylistic Set 02. When put into use, they each can push Centra Mono closer to one of its two parents.
Designed by Joshua Finklea in 2021.
Version History
V.1 Feb 2021