The Astern typeface and accompanying digital software intially started as a student project at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts in the fall of 2022. The project is an attempt at exploring the visual heritage of the traditional county of Telemark without resorting to nostalgia or National Romanticism, as is so often the case when the region is portrayed.

The alphabet takes its motif from machine-age brass lettering and various signage, imbuing their forms with new relevance as a digital democratic tool. The technique that allows for reproduction of the traditional engraving patterns also makes experimental compositions possible. The aim of the project was to contribute towards a locally founded avant garde.

The design process is accompanied by the Astern typesetter, an open-source tool tool providing controls for setting type on curves.