![]() Its typeface-font family comprises 22 fonts. Its clear crisp lines make it easy and accessible to read. Helvetica (formerly known as Neue Haas Grotesk) is currently the most popular font. He helped to establish Venice as one of the great centers of printing. Jenson spent most of his time in Italy and, like Johannes, was a printing pioneer. The French engineer, Nicholas Jenson (c.1420-1480) developed one of the earliest Roman typefaces in 1470. It was a blackletter variety resembling calligraphy. Not satisfied with inventing the first printing press, he had to go develop the first font as well. Let’s skip back to Johannes Gutenberg for a moment. Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a blacksmith, goldsmith, printer, and publisher who introduced the printing press. Suitability: headline or main body text.Classification: Script, Serif, Display, etc.Symbol/Ornamental (Wingdings, Glyphyx One, Rosette)Įach font has different attributes-certain features that make them unique.Monospaced (Courier, Roboto Mono, Inconsolata).Display (Brandon Grotesque, Adevale Script, Bourton).Blackletter (Karson Typeface, Portico Diablo, Osgard Pro).Script (Dancing Script, Parisienne, Lobster).Serif (Times New Roman, Garamond, Baskerville).Seeking a definitive answer on typeface classification is like trying to read the small print on the optometrist's test board- not easy, but here are seven recognized classifications along with font examples: A historical categorization that is still widely regarded as the standard. In 1954 Maximilien Vox (1894-1974) developed the Vox-ATypl classification. His designs include Franklin Gothic, Alternate Gothic, and News Gothic. He was the chief type designer at the American Type Founders (ATF) from 1900 to 1937. The guy credited with the invention of font classification is the American typeface designer Morris Fuller Benton (1872-1948). From The Business Encyclopaedia and Legal Adviser, published 1907. Specimens of the different styles and sizes of type in general use, with their correct designations. Pretty impressive and although Gutenberg automated and mechanized the process of printing, in Asia, they were using movable type for almost a century prior. With this new-fangled press, he could print up to 3,600 pages per day-a shedload more than hand printing, which could only manage a measly forty pages per day. His invention was a movable type printing press which kicked off the printing revolution. Hand-colored woodcutĪ German goldsmith named Johannes Gutenberg (c.1393-1406-1468) invented the printing press around 1440 (other sources state 1436). Johannes Gutenberg's printing press Mainz Germany 1450s. Metal proved to be much more hardwearing than previous materials. Metal movable type was invented around 1230 in Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty. It was later discovered that wood was easier to replace-all you needed to do was quickly carve a new letter or character. His lightbulb moment came between 10 when he created his movable type using porcelain. It was invented by a guy called Bi Sheng (990-1051). Typography began in China during the Song Dynasty. It all started way back in the 11th century-the burgeoning days of printing. From Hutchinson's History of the Nations, published 1915. Chinese inventor of the world's first movable type technology. With that being said, let’s strap ourselves into the time machine… The origins of typography So everything we’re going to cover here comes under the banner of typography. A typographer would select a typeface (font family) along with size, line length, spacing and letter spacing. Not only readable type, but type that’s pleasing to the eye. Typography is the arrangement of words and letters (type) into something that’s readable. ![]() The word ‘font’ comes from the Middle French word ‘fondre’-to melt, from the Latin ‘fundere’-melt, cast, pour out. Since the digital revolution, the word ‘font' has been interchangeable with the word ‘typeface’ but if we’re being pedantic, that term more accurately means ‘font family’-a series of fonts with a similar design. ![]() ![]() This harks back to those days when analogue printing was all the rage. In this context, we’re talking physical words. We use them every time we press our fingers on the keyboard, but when and how did they first come into existence? If you’re sitting there daydreaming right now, asking yourself these very questions, then this brief history of fonts is just for you.In addition to the history of fonts, we’ll also reveal why they are a big deal for your own online store.īefore we take a trip back to the past, we need to understand and differentiate some terminology: What is a font?Ī font is a typesetting-text that is a particular size, weight, and style. We’re all familiar with what a font is, at least, we think we are. ![]()
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