Ombligo del libro
Commissioned by Rodrigo Ortega from Ombligo del Libro, this project is a typographic revival of Espécimen Roman Scherer.
While working at Tipastype in 2018, I designed and developed Xihtli, a typographic revival that began with the interpretation of the original uppercase characters. Since no visual references for the lowercase alphabet were available at the time, the lowercase was reconstructed through a careful analysis of the capitals’ structural logic, proportions, and formal principles, aiming to preserve the original typeface’s character while extending it into a complete system.
Several months after the project was completed, the original specimen containing the lowercase characters was rediscovered. Comparing both versions revealed a remarkable consistency in their underlying structure and construction system. The main differences lie in deliberate design decisions, including a slightly higher x-height and subtle proportional refinements, while preserving the original typeface's visual DNA and historical character.
