When I released Astrochemistry on January 26, 2013, I was in a very particular place, both creatively and personally. My mother had just passed away, and I was looking for a way to ease back into my work. I needed something simple, a project that could help me find my footing again. Astrochemistry is a bold, square typeface with a distinctive top-heavy look. This design choice gives it a bit of a sci-fi vibe—it kind of reminds me of big-headed aliens you might see in old B-movies. I drew some inspiration from old dot matrix printer fonts, particularly for the flat-sided V and A characters. These elements contribute to its slightly retro, techy feel. Now, I’m not going to claim that Astrochemistry is the most groundbreaking design I’ve ever done. It’s not. But I think it has its own weird, alien charm. Sometimes, it’s these quirky, less-than-perfect creations that end up resonating with designers in unexpected ways. Creating Astrochemistry was as much about the process as it was about the result. It was a way for me to get back to work, to immerse myself in the familiar act of crafting letterforms when everything else felt uncertain. The simplicity of the project was exactly what I needed at that time.