The idea for Duet started when I decided to create a complex, elegant, and easy-to-read script with particular emphasis using a double line feature in the capitals.

I set out creating several capital characters to see how I could take advantage of the extra line in creating the curves. Finding a treatment that can be applied across all characters is always a challenge.

Several script styles inspired the work, including Sloop, Bickham Script, Ideal Schreibschrift, Cancellaresca Script, Byron RR, Glastonbury, Office Script, Aristocrat, Young Baroque, Donaldson Hand, Kuenstler Script, English Script, Greyton Script, Venetian, and of course, the Universal Penman.

For the lowercase, Sloop’s proportions came closest to fitting with the capitals so I redrew those designs with some important differences: curving starting strokes, rather than blunt; less emphasis on the ascender and descender curving strokes- with thicker thin strokes generally; and a number of characters completely redesigned.