WinSoft announces the release of Nastaliq
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WinSoft International announces the release of Nastaliq, the latest member of the Tasmeem typeface family. |
Grenoble - 10 July 2009 - WinSoft International is proud to announce the release of Nastaliq by DecoType, the latest member of the Tasmeem typeface family. It is now easier than ever for graphic designers, web and print publishers to access the richness of traditional calligraphy with modern design technology.
In line with their ongoing collaboration with WinSoft International, DecoType have captured a classic script, the nastaliq style with all its elegance, in a new typeface for the Tasmeem collection. Along with Naskh and Emiri, the high quality of Nastaliq adds a new dimension to the classic font range offered for Tasmeem 4 - time-saving computer typography that combines refinement and editability in Arabic digital documents.
"Nastaliq is a keystone in Arabic typography and calligraphy. Contrary to other calligraphic styles, Nastaliq remains easy to read while continuing to offer a rich medium for complex design," said Ashraf Kessaissia, WinSoft International's Business Development Manager for the Middle East and North Africa.
"It is a pure typography in areas under the Persian cultural influence but it is also one of the pillars of Arabic calligraphic styles," he continued. "One reason is that the Nastaliq drawing tradition may go all the way back to the dawn of Persian and Mongolian miniatures, with their typical pencil stroke. The availability of Nastaliq for Tasmeem will give graphic designers as well as publishers and book designers an amazing tool."
The new DecoType Nastaliq not only presents this classic style in its full elegance, but also allows users to adjust the appearance of the typeface according to regional preferences - for example Persian or Pakistani.
The DecoType Nastaliq is the first of its kind to render any imaginable letter group, generate all attested shaping alternatives, provide external kashida (swashes), a switch between a classic-shaped and an a cursive hamza and cover all Arabic-based orthographies from Ottoman and Persian through Pashto, Beluchi, Punjabi, Urdu and Kashmiri.
Nastaliq, contracted from the Persian naskh-i ta‘liq "naskh italic", is the most elegant and sophisticated of Arabic script styles. Being the true simplified Arabic, it is immensely popular throughout the Arabic-scripted world and provides a refreshing alternative to the commonly used Naskh style.
Perfectly suited for short Arabic texts, poetry, titles and headlines, Nastaliq is the core script of the Persian writing tradition, and equally important in the areas under its cultural influence; the languages of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and the Uighur language of the Chinese province of Xinjiang, among others, historically rely on Nastaliq.
Pricing and availability
Nastaliq is available in the WinSoft International e-store for individual purchase (€799/$799) or as part of the Rast (€1099/$1099) and Bayati (€1699/$1699) collections. Nastaliq can also be purchased with Tasmeem and the Rast collection (priced together at €1499/$1499) or with Tasmeem and the Bayati collection (priced together at €2099/$2099). Special education based prices are also available.
About DecoType
DecoType develops computer technology for typography, bringing together three disciplines: graphic design, linguistics and information technology. With this unusual combination of expertise it has developed a novel typographic computer technology, now at the heart of Tasmeem: ACE - the Arabic Calligraphic Engine. Based in Amsterdam, DecoType - Designers of Computer-aided Typography - was founded in 1985.
About Tasmeem 4
Tasmeem 4 is a series of Arabic typographic enhancements, available as a plug-in exclusively for Adobe InDesign, Middle Eastern or North African versions. Tasmeem transforms InDesign into the ultimate typesetting and design tool for Arabic. It allows designers and publishers to showcase the true beauty of Arabic script, all while opening up new creative possibilities.
