Display, Script typeface

from G-Type
designed by Nick Cooke

Variable Font

1 axis: Weight

4 Styles

4 Weights: Light to Black

Best for

  • Headings (display text)
  • Long reading text (body text)
  • User Interfaces (functional text)

License starting

around $45 (one style)
around $130 (bundle)

Specialty

A charming script font with a super realistic handwritten feel and elegant flow.

My Goskar Font Review

The charming script font Goskar creates a surprisingly realistic handwritten impression. This typeface feels casual, flowing, and authentic, but also elegant due to the excessive capitals and generous use of space. It is not the most legible choice, but that is one of two things that make it so intriguing to me.

Goskar is based on writing with a broad nib pen held at a steep angle, creating an unusual, lively contrast. Light Medium Bold Black It is great for short and large text. Don’t make it smaller than 40 pixels, and increase the weight. This way it looks natural next to larger text.
Goskar works best in larger sizes, creating vivid, paragraphs, that can be garnished with endearing emoji.

Goskar’s other peculiarity is the unusual contrast. Commonly a broad nib pen is held at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees, but Goskar shows a much steeper angle. This tiny design decision results in text that sometimes seem to be made out of a waving ribbon. It also gives the typeface a calligraphic touch, but without loosing its genuineness.

Goskar’s contrast is based on writing with a broad nib pen at a fairly steep angle.

The lower case letters are fairly small in relation to the cap height, ascenders and descenders. This means you should set Goskar fairly large. To keep it readable, I would not go below 40 pixels. And better use the default line height, which is even below 100%. This will result in the tall ascenders and descenders touching at times, but I don’t see this as problematic, since it happens in normal handwriting too.

Goskar shows enough variety to create a realistic handwritten impression, especially with rare ligatures and contextual alternates turned on. However, there is one thing that does not work so well for me: the small caps. I appreciate this simpler version of capitals, but the obvious character repetitions soon debunk the handwritten look. So use them sparingly.

The Small Caps are nice for emphasis, but character repetition soon becomes quite obvious. All caps have more variety, but might be a bit too much. Small caps are much better, but a bit too similar. I would love more character variety here.
Avoid using all caps, and only use small caps sparingly if you do not want to destroy the illusion of authentic handwriting.

Overall, Goskar is a marvelous display typeface that convinces in packaging design, a logotype, and other large text. Highlight its specialty by combining it with one of my recommendations.

Font Pairings with Goskar

Goskar is a dynamic, contrasting, script style typeface. It is very different, but I would recomend combining it with something more calm and linear for body text and UI text.

Goskar
Goskar
  • Headings

Learn more about pairing typefaces using the Font Matrix.


How do you like Goskar? Tell me in the comments, also if you spotted a great font that I should review.

Typographic power to your inbox

  • Font Friday: I recommend one typeface per week, free fonts included.
  • Type Tuesdays: articles & videos that up your design game.
  • Join 2700+ typography enthusiasts, unsubscribe anytime.
Edition #173, published

One Comment

  1. Looks like hieroglyphs 🤭 I’d choose small caps, freestyle, and a carefree design.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *