The Evolution of Type

Movable Type: Johannes GutenbergEarly 15th Century

Studio on Fire: Minneapolis

Anatomy of Type

Anatomy n n x-height

finial

terminal

ascender

spine

ear

serif

counter

stemeye

bowldescender

cross bar

describes gtype forms

capheight

Humanist Typefaces / Old Style

Nicolas JensonWilliam Morris

Garamond

Bembo

Jenson

Palatino

Type Classifications: Old Style

Garamondslanted stress

sharperhorizontal cross barswedge-shaped serifs

slanted serif

greater thick and thin

oldest style typeface—use could be for historical reference or text

Other typefaces include:

GoudyCaslonBemboPalatinoPerpetua

Italic Letterforms

Aldus Manutius

Italic LetterformsGaramond italicslanted Old Style forms used for emphasis

Roman Idealism / Enlightenment

William CaslonJohn BaskervilleGiambattista Bodoni

CaslonBaskervilleBodoni

Type Classifications: Transitional

Baskervillevertical stress

serif more hoizontal

greater thick and thin

Roman du RoiLess Caligraphic FlowEasier to ReadNewspapers

Other typefaces include:

ClearfaceCochinCaledonia

Type Classifications: Modern

http://ilovetypography.com/2008/05/30/a-brief-history-of-type-part-4/

Type Classifications: Modern

Didothorizontal stress

Vertical axisSmall aperture

abrupt thick and thin

move away from humanist or handwritten letterformsNeed lots of spaceAustere

Other typefaces include:

BodoniModern No. 20OptimaDidone

Abrupt (unbracketed) hairline (thin) serifs

Rise of Advertising

Display Type

ClarendonGothicCondensed

http://ilovetypography.com/2008/06/20/a-brief-history-of-type-part-5/

Type Classifications: Display

STENCIL

Different each face

Script Type falls into this category

SignPainter

Turn of the Century Manufactured GoodsLeading to AdvertisingUsed to make meaning through type and gain attention

Other typefaces include:

Giddyup

MeSquiteBlockheadand many others

Type Classifications: Egyptian / Slab Serif

Clarendonmore even stress

Often times fatter

more even strokes

AdvertisingBorn in Britain

Other typefaces include:ClarendonOfficinaCourierAmerican TypewriterCharter

Unbracketed Serifs

Universal Language

Theo Van Doesburg—DeStijlJosef Albers, Herbert BayerPaul Renner “subtle variations...calming...ab-stract and proportion...a tool for constructing a page in subtle shades of gray

Futura

JOSEPH MÜLLER-BROCKMANN

Type Classifications: Sans Serif

Futuraeven modular stress

Often times fatter

perfect exact strokes

Function v. FormBauhausSwiss ModularityOther Terms: Grotesque, Modular, Gothic, Humanist

Other typefaces include:

HelveticaFranklin GothicGill SansFrutigerMeta

Unbracketed Serifs

Type for the Screen

Wm Cromwell—New AlphabetDesign methodology as rule-based and systematicZuzana Licko—EmigreRudy VanderLans

Universal

Reaction to Perfection

Barry DeckP. Scott MakelaDavid Carson

Dead HistoryTemplate Gothic

Let’s Get Serious / Contemporary

Zuzana LickoMartin MajoorTobias Frere-Jones

Mrs. Eaves Mr. Eaves

Type Classifications

Humanist / Old Style:

GaramondTransitional:

BaskervilleModern:

Bodoni

Humanist

Gill SansTransitional Sans Serif

HelveticaGeometric

FuturaDisplay

NoteworthySlab Serif / Egyptian:

Clarendon

Project 1 Steps

1. Go onto Adobe Typekit and find fonts that match the following categories and sync/download:

Old Style/Transitional/Modern Slab Serif Sans Serif Display

2. Create a document in InDesign or Illustrator with 4 8 x 8 pages (can use more for playing putting information on the back).

3. Choose 2-4 letterforms from each font and turn them into outlines.

4. Play with those 4 letterforms from each category on one side of the 8 x 8 pages.

5. Create 4 compositions with the goal of creating interesting positive and negative space in each and also recognizing the anatomical details of each, making notes on the opposite facing page describing those details.

6. Finalize your compositions after getting feedback from your peers and instructor.

7. Print and mount on matte board for presentation.