Typography Classifying Typefaces

Typeface Classification - Serif, Sans and Script Type can be classified into 3 broad categories: SERIF, SANS SERIF and SCRIPT. SERIF has 5 sub divisions: 1. Humanist, Venitian Examples: Centaur Serifs are bracketed. Cross bar of lower case e is oblique. There is not much contrast between thick and thin strokes. A A A Serif Sans Serif Script Centaur

Typeface Classification - Serifs 2. Old Face Examples: Bembo, Caslon, Garamond, Plantin Letters have classical elegance and proportions. These typefaces are good for large areas of text. Greater contrast between thick and thin strokes compared with Humanist faces. Old Face Baskerville Garamond 3. Transitional Examples: Baskerville, Janson, Caledonia Developed during the 18th century, they are lighter in colour than Old Face faces. Excellent for large areas of text. Classical elegance with clean strong line. Typefaces in which the axis of the curves is vertical or slightly to the left. Bracketed serifs.

Classification - Serifs 3. Modern Examples: Bodoni, Didot, Carousel Introduced in the 1770’s by the Frenchman Firman Didot. Great contrast between thick and thin strokes. Good for short amounts of text. Not good when reversed out of textured backgrounds. 4. Slab Serif (Egyptian) Examples: Rockwell, Clarendon, Glypha, Memphis Typefaces with heavy square-ended serifs.Introduced during the19th century for headlines and posters. Best used for advertising. Lighter designs have been introduced that are suitable for text. Modern Didot Rockwell Slab Serif

Classification - Sans serifs SANS SERIF - Typefaces without serifs Examples: Gill Sans, Univers, Helvetica There are several categories: Grotesque Sans serifs with 19th century origins ie. Grotesque 9, Franklin Gothic. Neo Grotesque 1950/60’s sans serif designs based on the 19th Century versions ie. Helvetica, Univers. Geometic Constructed with strong geometric form. First appeared in 1920’s. Single thickness strokes ie. Futura, Kabel. Humanist Sans serif with proportions of Roman capitals. Noticeable stroke contrast ie. Gill Sans, Frutiger. Neo Humanist Sans serifs of the1980’s that have definate tendency for varying stroke thickness with roman charcater influence ie. Optima, Meta, Scala Sans. Sans serif Helvetica

Classification - scripts SCRIPTS Examples: English Script, Mistral connecting Zapf Chancery, Vivaldi non-connecting These are typefaces that imitate cursive writing. Some join letter to letter (called connecting scripts) and others that do not join are called non-connecting. Not suitable for text, or as all caps. Good for dramatic impact. Script Brush Script Zapf Chancery

Hybrid examples Frudoni - Frutiger & Bodoni A poster which uses Caslon No 471 and Avant Garde Bold