Which Arabic typeface matching with Baskerville Pro?

[Géraldine]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

Hello,

I am currently working on a project which involves setting 20 short texts in English and in Arabic.
The texts are printed on big panels (107x72cm) and the Arabic text will sit under the English text.
I am using Baskerville Pro (by Storm) and was wondering which Arabic font would match the typeface?

Your help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[aratypo.net]

I use Lotus (Linotype) for this kind of matchmaking...

http://www.stormtype.com/family-baskerville-original-pro.html
http://www.linotype.com/1183/LotusArabic-family.html

[Géraldine]

Thank you!
Why this typeface in particular? Is there any other options?

[aratypo.net]

I did many tests in order to match-make Times alike family with all available fonts and found that Lotus is the most convenient.

If you have an example of your work please post it and I will do a matchmaking with your sample...

[hrant]

Isn't Lotus a version of Yaqout, which is not very sophisticated? Baskerville is sophisticated.

hhp

[Khaled Hosny]

Nope, Lorus is more classical Naskh with wider selection of ligatures, though I don't generally like it as many of it ligatures are poorly constructed, and it it quite anemic any way.

[John Hudson]

What are the texts? At what size will the type be set? Are you using the text font of Storm's Baskerville, or the display font?

The Arabic script is traditionally writting with a broad nib reed pen, and the typical stroke modulation of the letters expresses this, as do most typefaces. Baskerville's stroke modulation is based on the flexible split nib, so my first question to you would be how committed are you to using Baskerville? There are a lot of Latin types that would easily harmonise with a range of Arabic types, and almost no Arabic types that harmonise easily harmonise with Baskerville. If you were to pick a Latin type with a stroke modulation modelled on a broad nib, e.g. anything from Italian romans to French mannerist or Dutch baroque types, or any number of recent designs, you would find your Arabic choice much more flexible and would be more easily able to select companions based on relative colour on the page.

[Géraldine]

Thank you very much for all your answers!
and sorry for my late response.

I have to use Baskerville (text), I have no other choice.

>John Hudson
The size of the type is 150pt on a 107x72cm panel.

>Aratypo.net
Here is an example of the text set (it can't be changed). The Arabic text would sit instead of the Mandarin text. The Arabic text should be a bit smaller than the English text (I haven't decided how small, any advice is welcome) and the final will be done in letterpress.
I'm not fond of Lotus Linotype, though. Someone suggested me Adobe Arabic: is it a good typeface?

Thanks

[hrant]

BTW from my own (limited) experience I know that it's hard printing letterpress light-on-dark...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48413419@N00/4121695105

hhp

[aratypo.net]

This what I have done with Lotus Light (left) and Adobe Naskh Medium (right)

Adobe Naskh is included in InD CS6 (http://blogs.adobe.com/typblography/tag/cs6)

et bon test !