Typography One typeface classification

Transcription

1 Typography One typeface classification

2 Why classify? Classification helps us describe and navigate type choices

3 Typeface classification helps to: 1. sort type (scholars, historians, type manufacturers), 2. reference type (educators, students, designers, scholars)

4 Approximately 250,000 digital typefaces are available today Even with excellent search engines, a common system of description is a big help!

5 classification systems Many systems have been proposed

6 Francis Thibaudeau, 1921

7 Maximillian Vox, 1952

8 Vox-ATypI, 1962

9 Aldo Novarese, 1964

10 Alexander Lawson, 1966 Blackletter Venetian French Dutch-English Transitional Modern Sans Serif Square Serif Script-Cursive Decorative

11 J. Ben Lieberman, 1967

12 Marcel Janco, 1978

13 Ellen Lupton, 2004

14 The classification system you will learn is a combination of Lawson s and Lupton s systems

15 Black Letter Old Style serif Transitional serif Modern Style serif Script Cursive Slab Serif Geometric Sans Grotesque Sans Humanist Sans Display & Decorative

16 basic characteristics + stress + serifs (or lack thereof) + shape

17 stress: where the thinnest parts of a letter fall diagonal stress Old Style serif (Centaur) vertical stress Transitional serif or Modern Style serif (Baskerville) no stress Slab Serif or Sans Serif (Helvetica) horizontal stress or reverse stress Display & Decorative (Edmunds)

18 serif types bracketed serifs Old Style Serif and Transitional Serif (Baskerville) unbracketed serifs Modern Style Serif (Bodoni) slab serifs Slab Serif or Square Serif or Egyptian (Rockwell/Clarendon) no serif Sans Serif (Helvetica)

19 shape Geometric Sans Serif (Futura) Geometric sans are based on basic shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles. Grotesk Sans Serif (Helvetica) Grotesk sans look precisely drawn. They have have uniform, symetrical curves Humanist Sans Serif (Gill Sans) Humanist sans are based on human writing. They have asymetrical curves, open apetures, and finials that reach away from the letter.

20 problem area: stress direction Remember the clock Look at all the round letters diagonal stress Old Style serif (Caslon) 12 & 6: vertical stress 9 & 3: horizonal stress Everything else: diagonal stress vertical stress Transitional serif (Baskerville)

21 problem area: humanist vs. grotesk Grotesk Sans Serif symetrical curves (Helvetica) Humanist Sans Serif asymetrical curves (Gill Sans)

22 Black Letter Black letter was developed from the handwritten manuscripts of 1400 s Germany. + upright calligraphic strokes + looks medieval

23 Old style serif A style popular from the 1460 s 1770 s + diagonal stress in the round strokes + Minimal variation of thick and thin strokes + small, coarse serifs, often with concave bases + small x-height + lowercase ascenders often exceed the capital height

24 Transitional serif A style introduced in the 1780 s by John Baskerville. + vertical stress in rounded strokes + bracketed serifs with flat bases + greater contrast between thick and thin strokes + larger x-height + lowercase ascenders often match the capital height

25 Modern Style serif Introduced in the 1770s by Didot and Bodoni. + vertical stress in rounded strokes + unbracketed hairline serifs + extreme contrast between thick and thin strokes + small x-height

26 Script Designed to mimic hand-written text + looks hand written + joined lowercase letters + variation between thick and thin strokes + no serifs (often replaced by swashes) + a variety of x-heights

27 Cursive Designed to mimic hand-written text + looks hand written + unjoined lowercase letters + variation between thick and thin strokes + no serifs (often replaced by swashes) + a variety of x-heights

28 Display & Decorative Introduced in the 1800s to meet the demands of advertising. + often whimsical or decorated + usually only legible at large sizes + wide variation in stroke weight and quality + both serif and sans serif

29 Slab Serif (Also called Square Serif or Egyptian) Introduced in the early 1800s. + thick serifs with squared-off ends; serifs are nearly as thick as strokes + slab serifs may be bracketed or unbracketed) + minimal variation of thick and thin strokes + large x-height + vertical stress (if any) in rounded strokes

30 Geometric Sans + Sans serif constucted with geometric forms: triangles, circles, squares

31 Grotesque Sans Sans serif with a precise, mechanical appearance + uniform, symetrical curves + little to no variation of thick and thin strokes + May also be spelled Grotesk

32 Humanist Sans Sans serif with the shape of human writing + asymetrical curves and open apetures + some variation of thick and thin strokes

33 Classification decision guide sheet: use for practice and worksheets. Type classification characteristics Typography 1 Professor King Type classification decisions 1: start easy: Does it look like medeival calligraphy, like Goudy Text? Then it s Blackletter. Typography 1 Professor King Does it look like handwriting? If yes, are the letters connected, like Snell Roundhand? Then it s Script. diagonal stress Old Style serif (Centaur) vertical stress Transitional serif or Modern Style serif (Baskerville) no stress Slab Serif or Sans Serif (Helvetica) horizontal stress or reverse stress Display & Decorative (Edmunds) Does it look decorated? Is it only legible in large sizes, like Cottonwood? Then it s Display & Decorative. If it looks like writing but the letters do not connect, like Charme, then it s Cursive. 2: is it a serif face? Look at the stress of the round letters and the serif style. Does it have thick square serifs, like Rockwell or Clarendon? It s a Slab Serif. (Also known as a Square Serif or Egyptian.) Does it have vertical stress and bracketed serifs, like Baskerville? Then it s a Transitional Serif. bracketed serifs Old Style Serif and Transitional Serif (Baskerville) unbracketed serifs Modern Style Serif (Bodoni) slab serifs Slab Serif or Square Serif or Egyptian (Rockwell/Clarendon) no serif Sans Serif (Helvetica) Do the round letters have diagonal stress, like Centaur? It s an Old Style Serif. Does it have vertical stress and unbracketed serifs, like Bodoni? Then it s a Modern Style Serif. 3: is it a sans serif face? Is it based on circles, squares, and triangles, like Futura? Then it s a Geometric Sans Serif. Does it have have asymetrical curves and open apetures, like Gill Sans? Then it s a Humanist Sans Serif. (Some Humanist Sans faces also have variations of thick and thin strokes.) Geometric Sans Serif (Futura) Geometric sans are based on basic shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles. Grotesk Sans Serif (Helvetica) Grotesk sans look precisely drawn. They have have uniform, symetrical curves Humanist Sans Serif (Gill Sans) Humanist sans are based on human writing. They have asymetrical curves, open apetures, and finials that reach away from the letter. Does it have uniform, symetrical curves? Does it look carefully drawn instead of written, like Helvetica? Then it s a Grotesk Sans Serif. (Also spelled Grotesque.) rev: 22 Sept revised 23 Sep

34 type classification quiz: + 25 typefaces to classify (None from worksheet: all new.) + Classification: 2 points + Explanation: 2 points You must understand the process and explain your thinking to do well.

35 type classification practice fill in the worksheet along with the lecture

36 1. Goudy Text: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

37 1. Goudy Text: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Black Letter, because it looks like medieval calligraphy

38 2. Centaur: Big fjords vex quick waltz nymph.

39 2. Centaur: Big fjords vex quick waltz nymph. Old Style, because it has diagonal stress and bracketed serifs

40 3. Baskerville: Two driven jocks help fax my big quiz.

41 3. Baskerville: Two driven jocks help fax my big quiz. Transitional serif, because it has vertical stress and bracketed serifs

42 4. Didot: Fickle jinx bog dwarves spy math quiz.

43 4. Didot: Fickle jinx bog dwarves spy math quiz. Modern Style, because it has vertical stress and unbracketed serifs

44 5. Rockwell: Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph.

45 5. Rockwell: Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph. Slab Serif, because it has thick square serifs

46 6. Snell Roundhand: Nymphs blitz quick vex dwarf jog.

47 6. Snell Roundhand: Nymphs blitz quick vex dwarf jog. Script, because it looks like handwriting with joined lowercase

48 7. Gill Sans: Vamp fox held quartz duck just by wing.

49 7. Gill Sans: Vamp fox held quartz duck just by wing. Humanist Sans Serif, because it has asymetrical curves, open apetures, spread finials

50 8. Classic Grotesque: DJs flock by when MTV ax quiz prog.

51 8. Classic Grotesque: DJs flock by when MTV ax quiz prog. Grotesque Sans Serif, because it has even, symetrical curves

52 9. Eagle light: Brick quiz whangs jumpy veldt fox.

53 9. Eagle light: Brick quiz whangs jumpy veldt fox. Geometric Sans Serif, because it is based on geometric shapes

54 10. Rosewood: Fickle bog dwarves jinx empathy quiz.

55 10. Rosewood: Fickle bog dwarves jinx empathy quiz. Display & Decorative, because it is whimsical and ornamented, and only legible at large sizes

56 11. Helvetica: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

57 11. Helvetica: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Grotesque Sans Serif, because it has even, symetrical curves

58 12. cottonwood: Big fjords vex quick waltz nymph.

59 12. cottonwood: Big fjords vex quick waltz nymph. Display & Decorative, because it is whimsical and ornamented, and only legible at large sizes

60 13. Bell: Two driven jocks help fax my big quiz.

61 13. Bell: Two driven jocks help fax my big quiz. Transitional serif, because it has vertical stress and bracketed serifs

62 14. Village: Fickle jinx bog dwarves spy math quiz.

63 14. Village: Fickle jinx bog dwarves spy math quiz. Old Style, because it has diagonal stress and bracketed serifs

64 15. Mrs. Eaves: Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph.

65 15. Mrs. Eaves: Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph. Transitional serif, because it has vertical stress and bracketed serifs

66 Classify typefaces on your own. (classification worksheet 2)