Petanque: A Playful Yet Precise Typographic Experiment by Pauline Fourest 

In the world of typography, where precision meets artistic expression, Pauline Fourest’s Petanque stands out as a display sans serif that masterfully balances rational geometry with an unexpected twist of playfulness. Inspired by historical type design yet thoroughly contemporary in its execution, Petanque is an exploration of form and consistency, creating a visual rhythm that is as calculated as it is vibrant.

A defining characteristic of Petanque is its systematic repetition of a singular circular shape across different letterforms, including both uppercase and lowercase characters, as well as diacritics and punctuation. This deliberate design choice results in a typeface that exudes harmony and intention, offering a balance between precision and a sense of organic movement. Drawing from the early experimental developments of Fat Faces—a genre shaped by Robert Thorne and William Thorowgood in the early 19th century—Fourest has reimagined these historical inspirations into a modern typographic creation where each component integrates seamlessly, much like perfectly aligned spheres.

Pauline Fourest, a French type designer based in The Hague, brings her extensive experience in print and type design to Petanque. With a background in drawing that spans her entire life, she studied print design at Estienne before advancing to EsadType and later earning her degree from Type and Media at KABK in 2024. Her expertise and creative vision shine through in Petanque, which demonstrates her ability to merge historical typographic concepts with modern sensibilities.

Beyond Petanque, Fourest is active in both retail and custom type design. She collaborates with Future Fonts through Spaghetype, offering typefaces that push creative boundaries, while also working on commissioned projects that include bespoke fonts, logotypes, lettering, and illustrations. Her work consistently reflects a passion for typography that is both technically sound and artistically engaging.

Petanque: A Playful Yet Precise Typographic Experiment by Pauline Fourest 

In the world of typography, where precision meets artistic expression, Pauline Fourest’s Petanque stands out as a display sans serif that masterfully balances rational geometry with an unexpected twist of playfulness. Inspired by historical type design yet thoroughly contemporary in its execution, Petanque is an exploration of form and consistency, creating a visual rhythm that is as calculated as it is vibrant.

A defining characteristic of Petanque is its systematic repetition of a singular circular shape across different letterforms, including both uppercase and lowercase characters, as well as diacritics and punctuation. This deliberate design choice results in a typeface that exudes harmony and intention, offering a balance between precision and a sense of organic movement. Drawing from the early experimental developments of Fat Faces—a genre shaped by Robert Thorne and William Thorowgood in the early 19th century—Fourest has reimagined these historical inspirations into a modern typographic creation where each component integrates seamlessly, much like perfectly aligned spheres.

Pauline Fourest, a French type designer based in The Hague, brings her extensive experience in print and type design to Petanque. With a background in drawing that spans her entire life, she studied print design at Estienne before advancing to EsadType and later earning her degree from Type and Media at KABK in 2024. Her expertise and creative vision shine through in Petanque, which demonstrates her ability to merge historical typographic concepts with modern sensibilities.

Beyond Petanque, Fourest is active in both retail and custom type design. She collaborates with Future Fonts through Spaghetype, offering typefaces that push creative boundaries, while also working on commissioned projects that include bespoke fonts, logotypes, lettering, and illustrations. Her work consistently reflects a passion for typography that is both technically sound and artistically engaging.