Flipper

RandomFonts proved it was possible but left little control to the designer. We searched for a subtler way to make letters move. Was it necessary, for instance, that each letter shape be different? The eye only registers similarities between things that are relatively close together. That means it is possible to make a font with a limited number of alternative shapes per character which would still give the impression that all shapes are unique. Each alternative can then be designed as a normal still font. These are FlipperFonts.

Lexicographical research showed that there aren't many words with more than two identical characters on a row. We found the almost-Dutch ‘jazzzanger’ and the German ‘sauerstoffflasche’. The Dutch ‘zeeëgel’ does not count because the e dieresis (ë) is a different position in the font and would get a different shape anyway. Three alternatives for each character would be enough.

The lettershape selection mechanism is remarkably simple: it cycles through versions one - two - three - one and so on. That means that font one will provide lettershapes for character one and four. In words where the first and fourth letters are the same, such as ‘anna’ or ‘otto’, the eye won't notice because they are separated by two other letters.