Meta Typeface Book

a friendly typeface

designed by erik spiekermann

a friendly typeface

Meta was designed to be legible at all sizes

The stems of the m, n, p, and q are slightly bent. This aspect adds to the friendly appearance of the font.

The finial of the t is angled, which is a trend seen also in the finials of the v, w, y as well as in some Meta capitals.

The spur of the a also bends slightly outward, as with the spur of the u, as if the letters are kicking up their heels.

The finial of the e is angled in a way that gives the letter an almost buck-toothed aesthetic.

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characteristics

the stems of the M are oblique

the junction of the M rests on the baseline

the ear of the g angles upward

Meta bowls are geometric

the loop of the g is free

Amazingly, few discotheques provide jukeboxes.





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Meta Book Roman, 21 pt.

Meta Bold Roman, 21 pt.

Meta Book Italics, 21 pt.

Meta Bold Italics, 21 pt.

Meta Book Capitals, 21 pt.

characteristics

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

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meta helveticagill sans

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The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy do g .

Meta Book Roman, 36 pt.

Gill Sans, 36 pt.

Helvetica, 36 pt.

comparisons

1. MetaWhen compared to the other two typefaces, it is easy to see the highly legible, albeit highly condensed nature of Meta.

2. HelveticaHelvetica is the most visually demanding of the three typefaces due to its aggressive width and tracking. Its x-height is similar to that of Meta.

3. Gill SansGill Sans is a wide and short typeface and appears much more squat than Helvetica or Meta.

The width and roundness of Helvetica is especially pronounced compared to the condensed frame of the Meta a. The playfulness of the spur and the bowl in the Helvetica a contrasts with Meta’s more reserved aesthetic.

The Gill Sans o is much more geometric and based on a consistent shape while Meta’s o, with its more rectangular counter, has a more polished and sophisticated aesthetic. The Gill Sans o is also wider than its Meta counterpart.

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The stems of the Meta M are set at oblique, not right, angles. This gives the letter a more condensed appearance. Like the Helvetica M, however, the junction rests on the baseline.

The Gill Sans M is geometric and based on the square. Its junction bisects the stems. The Gill Sans m has a much smaller x height than the Meta m and has angled junctions, similar to the Meta m.

The Helvetica M is distinct from the Gill Sans M in that its junction rests on the baseline. However its stems are right angles, unlike the Meta M. The Helvetica m is wider than the Meta m, but with smoother junctions.

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comparisons

“I’m very much a word person, so that’s why typography for me is the obvious extension. It just makes my words visible.”

—erik spiekermann, creator of metaborn in 1947 in Stadthagen, Lower Saxony

creator

When it comes to the design of typefaces, Spiekermann sees himself as more of a problem solver than an artist. His process for beginning a new typeface is simple and straightforward. “Identify a problem – like space saving, bad paper, low resolution, on-screen use – then find typefaces that almost work but could be improved,” he explains. “Study them. Note the approaches and failings. Sleep on it, then start sketching without looking at anything else.”1

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for everyone

Bibliography References

Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word up. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications, 1999.(A&A: VNC999.6.G4 M48 1999 and Vault)

Spiekermann, Erik and Ginger, E.M. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find out how Type Works. USA: Hayden, 1993.(Vault)

Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces/essays by Carolyn Annand ... [et al.]; edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy McKelvey, New York: RC Publications, c2000.(A&A: Z250 .R45 2000)

1. Fonts.com, Available at http://www.fonts.com/AboutFonts/DesignerProfiles/ErikSpiekermann.htm Accessed November 1, 2005

2. Leland M. Hill. Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces (New York: RC Publications), 142-143.

3. Ibid., 143, 144.

4. Ibid., 145.

for everyone

This book was designed by Erin McLear at Washington University in St. Louis in the Fall of 2011, Typography 1.

Typefaces used include the Meta family as well as Helvetica and Gill Sans for comparisons.

Meta Typeface Book

Documents

Transcript of Meta Typeface Book