Font / Typeface

Font or Typeface Typeface (letters & numerals with unique design) Typeface (letters & numerals with unique design) E.g., Ariel, Helvetica, Time New Roam, Courier E.g., Ariel, Helvetica, Time New Roam, Courier Font (style) – includes typeface, weight, style, size Font (style) – includes typeface, weight, style, size E.g., Roman, regular(or boldface), italic E.g., Roman, regular(or boldface), italic

Typeface Categories Serif Serif Sans Serif Sans Serif Helvetica

Typeface Categories Proportionally Spaced Proportionally Spaced Monospaced Monospaced

Technological Influence Medieval: Hand scripting by scribes Medieval: Hand scripting by scribes Gutenberg: Printing Press ( ) Gutenberg: Printing Press ( ) Industrial Revolution: Linotype (1870’s- 1960’s) Industrial Revolution: Linotype (1870’s- 1960’s) Photocomposition: (1950’s-1980’s) Photocomposition: (1950’s-1980’s) Computers: Digital fonts (starting in 1970’s) Computers: Digital fonts (starting in 1970’s)

Black Letter Fonts (Medieval) Characteristics Ornate, throwback from hand scripting in monasteries Characteristics Ornate, throwback from hand scripting in monasteries Textura Textura Cloistered Black Cloistered Black

Old Style (Reinassance) Characteristics Considered “warm” and friendly, serif (Serif allowed for wearing off of print head) Characteristics Considered “warm” and friendly, serif (Serif allowed for wearing off of print head) Centaur Centaur Bembo Bembo

Transitional Characteristics Vertical stress, horizontal serifs Characteristics Vertical stress, horizontal serifs Fournier Fournier Bembo Bembo

Modern Characteristics Horizontals and serifs are thin. (Technology allowed serifs and horizontal strokes to be thin.) Characteristics Horizontals and serifs are thin. (Technology allowed serifs and horizontal strokes to be thin.) Bedoni Bedoni Walbaum Walbaum

Sans-Serif Characteristics No horizontal flourishes. Geometric (Serif no longer needed to compensate for print head erosion.) Characteristics No horizontal flourishes. Geometric (Serif no longer needed to compensate for print head erosion.) Helvetica Helvetica Arial Arial AaBbCcDdEe

Script/Cursive Characteristics Resemble handwriting, especially with steel nib. Characteristics Resemble handwriting, especially with steel nib. Staccato222 BT Staccato222 BT Monotype Corsive Monotype Corsive AaBbCcDdEe AaBbCcDdEe

Serifs vs Sans-serifs Serifs Serifs Most common in printed text. Most common in printed text. Easier on the eye for regular text Easier on the eye for regular text Sans-serifs Sans-serifs OK for short text. OK for short text. Useful to make text stand out. Useful to make text stand out. Effective as titles Effective as titles

Other Examples Monospaced Monospaced Monospaced Decorative Decorative Decorative Symbols Symbols Symbols Computer-related Computer-related Computer-related

Advice (Comic Sans MS) Do not overuse the variety of font typeface. (Monotype Corsive) Do not overuse the variety of font typeface. (Monotype Corsive) Too many typefaces on a page is distracting. (Courier New) Too many typefaces on a page is distracting. (Courier New) Same goes for bolding and italicizing. Use them for emphasis effect. (Times New Roman) Same goes for bolding and italicizing. Use them for emphasis effect. (Times New Roman)

References Thomas Phinney, A Brief History of Typeface Thomas Phinney, A Brief History of Typeface The Font Pool – source of 27,372 fonts The Font Pool – source of 27,372 fonts Fonts by Category— Fonts by Category—