Meet a forward-looking type
Pinterest Sans — a typeface for tomorrow’s ideas
Written by Andreas Helin and Simon Blockley
As we evolved Pinterest’s visual brand language to align with inspiration, exploring the role of typography quickly became a clear priority.
The heart of Pinterest is visual discovery. With that in mind, it was evident early on that our typeface couldn’t be the loudest core brand component on the stage. Instead, we were curious how it might recede and become more of a supporting cast member to the image-rich ensemble of the inspiration mindset — yet still embody the forward-looking spirit and humanity of the brand.
We turned to Swiss type foundry Grilli Type to help us choreograph this vision. In this article we’ll break down what gives Pinterest Sans its character.
Building blocks
At its core each character is derived from a rectangle, circle or triangle. These primitive building blocks are gestures to the constructive play we engaged in as kids using these geometric tools. Simple foundations that spark imaginative creations. Something that draws a clear parallel to the Pinterest experience and the productive play we now engage in as adults.
However, in the context of typography, pure geometric forms aren’t particularly functional for a versatile end product. Optical adjustments give letterforms a human quality that is preferred over machine-like precision. For example, the letter ‘O’ is perceived as circular even though it’s not geometrically perfect.
Responsiveness and flexibility are key to ensure a consistent experience across multiple touchpoints. A specific cut for UI surfaces incorporates a slightly taller x-height to increase legibility across devices, browsers and apps. Digital ink traps are another key feature, helping avoid optically heavy spots in tight areas where multiple lines meet.
Hand gestures
Calligraphy is another prime contributor to the makeup of Pinterest Sans. Noticeable hand-influenced flourishes include the spur of the two-story ‘a’ and the overhang of the lowercase ‘f’. The use of large counters and wide apertures also provide a general feeling of openness and optimism.
Pronounced tapering is another optical gesture that enables a more natural connection for intersecting strokes. It aids legibility in small sizes and enhances personality at larger scales.
Diagonally cut terminals create forward-facing momentum where each letter flows into the next. As a whole, the character set aims to be harmonious, avoiding any unnecessary distractions.
Facing the future
A true, meticulously drawn italic style serves as the most expressive voice of the brand. It is designed at an 8-degree slant and each letter borrows cues from handwriting.
It has a forward-leaning momentum in comparison to its upright sibling and embodies an enhanced sense of intended action — reinforcing the future-thinking Pinner mindset.
Our goal is that Pinterest Sans will serve as a natural complement to the visual world of tomorrow’s ideas. A typeface that combines playful touches of humanity with a literal lean into the future — suggesting all the fun to come.
A further deep-dive and look behind the scenes can be found on Grilli Type’s blog.
