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Mehdi Abedini has designed “Manzar”, an Arabic-Persian body text typeface, under supervision of Damoon Khanjanzadeh in 2011. This typeface is based on Thuluth script in proportions and structure and uses Hashim Baghdadi’s (Iraqi calligrapher, 1917-1973) style as the source.
Thuluth script often is used for titles and architectural inscriptions, rarely for body text. It is noteworthy that in Manzar typeface, Thuluth calligraphic features have been modified resulting in relatively simple letterforms compared to the original forms. For example in Thuluth the ends of most descending letters such as Ra [ر] come up in a hook but in this typeface all the hooks are removed except for Dal [د]. Manzar is a low contrast typeface and unlike Thuluth the difference between thin and thick strokes are not very pronounced.
Thuluth script has tall leftward slanted verticals and deeply curved horizontal strokes. Other properties of this typeface are reduced ascender height and moderated roundness of letterforms which make for a more linear impression. Manzar typeface is therfore intended for reading text.
Written by Mohammad Reza Abdolali
