Limited Letters
by Peter Ha, posted on December 5, 2025
Idea
Limited Letters is an experimental font that responds to the constant information bombardment we face in our daily lives. But if we had limited resources, how could we still create an impactful message? This is what this font tries to achieve. The font contains only 26 characters (A-Z), where each letter is drawn and erased in a matter of seconds. The entire font, composed of individual GIF files for each letter, is strictly constrained to 128 kB. By embracing the GIF format, the font uses motion to capture attention, while simultaneously commenting on how quickly we tune out messages in a saturated visual environment.
The prototype web application is inspired by this website and by the display of data usage in the top-left corner. The website challenges the perception of infinite digital resources by limiting users to a total letter count that fits within the 128 kB constraint.
Try it out here! Only available on desktop.
Process
I experimented with drawing different letters that had visual interest through form and movement, while staying within the technical constraint of 128 kB. I also knew I wanted a looping animation for the letters, which is a core feature of a GIF. To stay true to the challenge, this constraint meant that each of the 26-character GIFs that make up the entire font would need to be 5 kB or less.
To gain better control of drawing the letterforms, I used a Wacom tablet. However, the Tablet library by Andres Colubri, which is necessary for pressure-sensor functionality, is not supported in Processing 4 or on my current Mac operating system, Sequoia. This required me to switch to Processing 3 to access the sensor. Although the font ultimately did not require pressure sensitivity, the tablet’s quick input proved valuable for accurately drawing and erasing the letterforms.
Besides different variations, I had a difficult time optimizing the files. Reflecting on this process and considering permacomputing principles, I wonder whether these constraints contribute to a different kind of digital waste. While the final PNG source files were minuscule (around 1kB), the workflow itself—creating numerous iterations and syncing them through cloud services like Google Drive—still consumed background processing and upload resources for each individual file. This is one I think about often in my own practice because I create many variations and generate a lot of PNG outputs. Some never see the light of day and just remain on my hard drive or in the cloud.
A favorite piece of code
Even though there were no restrictions on the number of frames, I tried to stay within 128. Most of the letters in the final font are around 50 frames each.
if (frameCount == 128) {
exit();
}Who I am
My name is Peter Ha and I’m a designer, artist and educator. I co-founded Equal Parts Studio, a contemporary Toronto-based graphic design practice. Our process is founded on curiosity and finding the joy and playfulness in every project. My artistic work uses code to explore form and colour in motion. Alongside my practice, I teach graphic design and typography at Toronto Metropolitan University.
