TypographyTypography is what language looks like.

TypographyTypography is what language looks like.

One thing absolutely necessary for working with type is knowing its history:

what came after what and, more importantly, why.

6000 BC 113 CE(1st century)

732 1400800 BC1200 BC3200 BC

Pictograms Hieroglyphs Phoenicians Greek Roman Scribes Gutenberg

a quick primer

Transitional Modern Contemporary

1700 1800 1970

Arts & Crafts

1900

Swiss

1950

Classical/Oldstyle

1490

Transitional Modern Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Swiss

1950

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

Classical/OldstyleNicolas Jensonfrancesco Griffopietro BemboClaude Garamond

Classical, or humanist types, have strong roots in calligraphy, mimicking the handwriting of earlier Italian scholars and scribes.

Old Style types, although sharing the same roots, show a marked departure. It’s from this period, that type gets into gear.

A specimen of Nicolas Jenson’s archetypal Roman typefaceLaertis, Venice, 1475

nicolas jenson1420-14801420-1480

centaurbruce rogers, 1914abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

CloisterMorris Fuller Benton, 1926aBCdeFghijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Adobe JensonRobert Slimbach, 1996AbcdefghiJklmnopqRStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

nicolas jenson inspired Typefaces(Humanist)

francesco Griffo

A specimen of Griffo’s typeface, from a 60-page text about a journey to Mount Aetna written by the young Italian poet Pietro BemboDe Aetna, Venice, 1495

(worked for Venetian printer, Aldus Manutius)1450-1518

francesco Griffoinspired Typefaces

BemboStanley Morison, 1929 aBcdefghijklMnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

MinionRobert Slimbach, 1990 abcdefghijklMnopqRStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

claude Garamond

Parisian type founder, publisher, punch cutter, type designerGaramond’s roman text face, (based on type from De Aetna) 1540

1480-1561

claude Garamondinspired TypefacesAdobe GaramondRobert Slimbach, 1989 AbcdefGhijklmnopqRStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Adobe Garamond Premier ProRobert Slimbach, 2004AbcdefGhijklmnoPqRStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

SabonJan Tschichold, 1967abcdefghiJklmnopqrSTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Transitional Modern Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Swiss

1950

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

William Caslon

John Baskerville

TransitionalWilliam CaslonJohn Baskerville

This new type design, belonging to the 18th century, is now called Transitional because of its intermediate position between the Old Style and Modern styles.

Faces features higher level of contrast, mostly vertical stress, and a more linear, austere design.

william caslon1692-1766

English roman, a Latin text face of the Caslon typefaces. Caslon Specimen Sheet, 1764

william casloninspired TypefacesAdobe CaslonCarol Twombly, 1990 AbCdefghijklmnopqrsTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Caslon Open FaceBarnhart Brothers and Spindler,1915aBCdeFghijklmnOpqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

john baskerville

English businessman, printer and typographer.Folio Bible, Cambridge, 1763

1706-1775

john baskervilleinspired TypefacesBaskervilleBruce Rogers, 1917aBcdefghijklmnopqRstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Baskerville Old FaceStanley Morrison, 1923aBcdeFghijklMnOpqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Mrs. EavesZuzana Licko, 1996abCdEfgHijkLMnopqrstuVwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Transitional Modern

Giambattista Bodoni

frederic Goudy

slab serifs

Grotesques

Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Swiss

1950

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

William Caslon

John Baskerville

ModernGiambattista Bodonislab serifsfrederic GoudyGrotesque

Modern fonts have drastically increased contrast, leading this parameter almost to the edge of legibility and technical feasibility.

The most notable Modern offsprings are slab serif fonts (New Century Schoolbook is the most widely used Clarendon font).

GiambaTTisTa bodoni

Italian typographer, most prolific creator of type.Manuale Tipografico, parma, 1818

1740-1813

GiambaTTisTa bodoniinspired TypefacesBauer BodoniHeinrich Jost, 1926aBcdefgHiJklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Bodoni ATFMorris Fuller Benton, 1907ABcdeFghijklMnopqrsTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

FilosofiaZuzana Licko, 1996abcdeFghijkLmnopqrstuvwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

DidotFirmin Didot, 1811abcDeFghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

WalbaumJE Walbaum, 1800abcdEfghiJklmnopqrstuvWxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

similar neoclassical faces

What Prompted Change?18th Century

19th Century

pinnacle for letterpress printing

Mechanicazation offers greater speed at lower quality. Didot and Bodoni cannot survive poor printing conditions, and thick slabs and grotesques are developed.

slab serifs

clarendon

One of the first egyptian slab serif typefaces

Created by robert besley (England), 1845

clarendoninspired TypefacesCentury SchoolbookMorris Fuller Benton, 1918aBCdeFghijklMnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Goudy Old StyleFrederic Goudy, 1915abcdeFGhijklmnOpqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

clarendoninspired TypefacesCentury Schoolbook

aBCdeFgabcdefgqaGoudy Old Style

abcdeFGabcdefgqa

Didot

abcDeFgabcdefg qa

Bodoni

ABcdeFgabcdefg qa

wood TypeMetal type casting was limited to a few inches in height due to difficulties of casting larger type, the weight and the cost.

Darius Wells invented the lateral router (1820), a saw that could cut curves in wood allowing for the production of a lighter, larger and cheaper letterform.

1820’s

woodTypeinspired Typefacesrosewoodadobeabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

KnockoutHoefler & Frere-Jones, 2004abcdeFgHiJKlmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

GroTesqueEarly sans-serifs

Didot

abcDeFgabcdefg qa

Akzidenz GroteskHermann Berthold, 1898ABcdefGHijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Akzidenz GroteskHermann Berthold, 1898ABcdefGHijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Franklin GothicMorris Fuller Benton, 1872aBcdeFGhijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

GroTesque

Transitional Modern

Giambattista Bodoni

frederic Goudy

slab serifs

Grotesques

Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Swiss

1950

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

William Caslon

John Baskerville

Charles rennie Mackintosh

erik Gill

paul renner

futura

Memphis

Arts & CraftsCharles rennie Mackintosh

erik Gill

Arts & Crafts movement set out to revive the use of fine typography.

The typography from Arts & Crafts is characterized as decorative and flourished.

charles rennie mackinTosh

Scottish architect, designer and sculptor.

1868-1928

mackinTosh inspired Typefaces

eric Gill

British sculptor, typeface designer, stonecutter and printmakerTitle Page: Troilus and Criseyde, wood Engraving, 1929

1882-1940

Gill TypefacesGill Sans (based on Caslon)1927abCdefGhijklmnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Perpetua (based on Baskerville)1926aBcdefghijklmnoPqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Joanna (based on Garamond)1931abcdefGhiJklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

paul renner

German typeface designerSwiss National Tourist Office, Zurich, 1933

1876-1956

renner TypefacesFutura1927abcdeFghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Braggadocio (based on Futura Black)Monotype Corporation, 1930aBCdeFghijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Gotham (inspired by Futura)2000abcdeFGhijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Transitional Modern

Giambattista Bodoni

frederic Goudy

slab serifs

Grotesques

Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Charles rennie Mackintosh

erik Gill

paul renner

futura

Memphis

Swiss

1950

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

William Caslon

John Baskerville

adrian frutiger

Max Miedinger

Jan tschichold

helvetica

univers

Swissadrian frutigerMax MiedingerJan tschichold

The Swiss Style (also known as the International Typographic Style), developed in Switzerland in the 1950s.

It emphasizes cleanliness, readability and objectivity. Hallmarks of the Swiss style are asymmetric layouts, use of a grid, sans-serif typefaces, and flush left, ragged right text.

adrian fruTiGer

Swiss typeface designer

b. 1929

fruTiGer TypefacesUnivers1957abcdefghijklmnopqrstUvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Frutiger1975abcdeFghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Avenir 1988Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

max miedinGer

Swiss typeface designer

1910-1980

miedinGer Typefaceshelvetica1957abcdefghijklmnopqrstUvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

helvetica neueerik spiekermann, 1983abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Swiss 721Matthew Carter, 1981abCdefghijklMnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

jan Tschichold

German typeface designer

1902-1974

Tschichold Typefaces

Sabon (based on garamond)1967abcdefghiJklmnopqrSTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Transit1931abcdefghijklmnopqrsTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Transitional Modern

Giambattista Bodoni

frederic Goudy

slab serifs

Grotesques

Contemporary

1500 1700 1800 1970

Classical/Oldstyle Arts & Crafts

1900

Charles rennie Mackintosh

erik Gill

paul renner

futura

Memphis

Swiss

1950

adrian frutiger

Max Miedinger

Jan tschichold

helvetica

univers

Nicolas Jenson

pietro Bembo

Claude Garamond

William Caslon

John Baskerville

Matthew Carter

erik spiekermann

Zuzana licko

herb lubalin

trade Gothic

palatino

Matrix

avant Garde

ContemporaryMatthew Cartererik spiekermannZuzana lickoherb lubalin

Contemporary typography draws on historical type developments. It has also been shaken by problems caused by the emergence of inexpensive powerful design software.

Many designers feel there is a cheapening of the quality of type, especially as metal type transfored into digital sets that don’t make allowances for the subtle changes in proportion and shape for different sizes and weights.

maTThew carTer

British born typographer. One of the few type designers who have created typefaces for fonts in metal, photo and the digital medium. Walker Typeface, 1995

b. 1937

carTer TypefacesBell Centennial1978aBCdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Miller1997abcdefghijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Snell Roundhand1965abcdefghijklmnopqRStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

carTer TypefacesGeorgia1996abcdefGhijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Tahoma1994abcdefghijklmnopqrsTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Verdana1997abcdefghijklmnopqrstuVwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

erik spiekermann

German typographer and designer, founded MetaDesignSpierkerblog, http://spiekermann.com

b. 1947

spiekermann TypefacesITC Officina Sans 1991abCdefghIjklmnOpqrSTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

ITC Officina Serif1991abCdefghIjklmnOpqrSTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

FF Meta1991-1998abcdeFghijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

ZuZana licko

Slovak typographer, founded Emigre. Known for 2 notable revivals: Mrs. Eaves (based on Baskerville) and Filosofia (Bodoni)

b. 1961

licko TypefacesMrs. Eaves1996abCdEfgHijkLMnopqrstuVwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Filosofia1996abcdeFghijkLmnopqrstuvwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Matrix Script1992abcdefghijklMnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

licko TypefacesMrs. Eaves1996abCdEfgHijkLMnopqrstuVwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Filosofia1996abcdeFghijkLmnopqrstuvwxyZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Matrix Script1992abcdefghijklMnopqrStuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

BodoniABcdeFgabcdefg qa

BaskervilleaBcdefgabcdefg qa

licko Typefacescholla1997abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Journal1990abcdefghiJklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Soda S c r i p t1 995abcd e fgh i j k lmnopqrStuvwxyzabcd e fg h i j k l m nopq r s t u vw x y z1 2 3 4 56789

herb lubalin

Typographer, designer, responsible for 3 important publications: Eros, Fact, and Avant Garde; designed typeface ITC Avant Garde

1918-1981

lubalin Typefaces

ITC Avant Garde Gothic CondensedEd Benguiat, 1974ABCdEfGhIjklmnopqrsTuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Century Gothic (inspired by Avant Garde)Monotype Corporation, 1991AbCdefGhijklMnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789

Avant Garde Gothic 1968AbcdefGhijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz123456789