How to get there

The
Underware
team explores the expanding universe of variable fonts. In doing so, they uncover that VFs are not the destination—they’re the vehicle. The question is not ‘how to get there?’, but ‘how to get where?’

Underware
Underware

Zealotry wouldn’t be an inappropriate collective noun for Underware. They not only design typefaces, they live type—and they want others to do the same.

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Akiem Helmling
Akiem Helmling
One of the founders of Underware. A visionary self-made man and type conceptualist with love for espresso machines and exclusive gsub-programming. Type design postgraduate studies 1998-1999 at KABK, the Hague. Graphic design studies 1994–1998 at the Fachhochschule Mannheim. Born in a town of Druckmaschinen, Heidelberg, Germany 1971. Lives in the Hague, the Netherlands, where he's also involved in the contemporary art center West. Strength: contributed to the bone, sweat & tears. Weakness: espresso. Beard: strong, fast growing. Cat: Volley, black. Never gets tired to watch ASCII TV.
Bas Jacobs
Bas Jacobs

One of the founders of Underware. Devotes his days between designing type, optical illusions, language research, dialects, ambigrams and answering to the fan mail. Type design postgraduate studies 1998-1999 at KABK, the Hague. Visual communication studies at the Art Academy ABK in Maastricht. Born in a village of impressionist painters, Wanssum, the Netherlands 1976. Lives in Amsterdam. Strength: straight lines. Weakness: curves. Beard: beyond style. Cats: Ronja, black & Tijger, brown with stripes. Writes regularly to our blog.

Sami Kortemäki
Sami Kortemäki

One of the founders of Underware. Left handed lettering artist, script face specialist and uncompromising craftsman. Type design studies 1998-1999 at KABK, the Hague. Graphic design studies 1995–2001 at the Institute of Design, Lahti. Born in a town of carpenters, Kerava, Finland 1975. Lives in Helsinki. Strength: curves. Weakness: straight lines. Beard: long, red brown. Cat: Aamu, red brown. Meeting and greeting in Instagram @underwarefoundry.