Type Classification A Guick Guide

Type Classifcation
Introduction
Type Classification is just that, the classification of type. More specifically, it is the classification of fonts, or fonts that are used regularly in the world of type and graphic design. There are a few main categories for classifying typefaces and fonts. These are, Humanist or Oldstyle (also called Blackletter), Humanist SansSerif, Transitional, Modern, Geometric Sans-Serif, Eyptian or Slab-Serif. There is also Italic, Script, Calligraphic, Ornamental, Decorative and Novelty. These make up the most common classes (or categories) of type (fonts). The reason Type Classification exists - is so that people can identify fonts and typefaces. It also exists so that people can identify the most suitable and appropriate fonts for what they are doing Graphic Designwise. It also helps us seperate the true and original fonts (such as Helvetica) from custom made and designed fonts that are now available all over the internet, it helps people make sure that they are using an authentic font instead of a copy. It helps Graphic Designers navigate the sea of downloadable and illegible fonts. On this poster I will be quickly and simply explaining and showing you the mostcommon and well-known classifications to keep it as simple as possible, because Type Classifications can be confusing and even controversial.

Humanist
Humanist Fonts were invented in the 1400s, during the Renaissance. The movement, led by Italian cultural hubs such as Florence and Venice, was drawing Europe away from medieval practices, and typography was one part of that. Rather than using Blackletter, or Frakur-type, that Gutenberg used, printers began to create type mimicking the latin writing hand of the philosophers and scribes of the time, beginning around 1465. A number of distinct characteristics define Humanist typefaces. Primarily, Humanist typefaces were very calligraphic in nature. Not all Humanist typefaces are from the Rennaissance era, however, many revivals have been created in more recent years. Humanist fonts usually have a strong axis, inconsistencies in stroke weight and the way serifs are formed. Other defining characteristics include a small x-height and a lower contrast between thick and thin strokes.

Old-Style
This category involves the first Roman Types, originally created around the late 15th and mid 18th Centuries. Serifs are almost always bracketed in Old-Style designs and head Serifs are often angled. Old-style typefaces are often called Garaldes. This is when type really began to come into its own. This period in history lasts from the late 15th century all the way until the early 1700s. The type created in this period has shown remarkable longevity. There are many similarites to the Humanist typefaces. A huge amount of type was created in this era, and much of it is commonly used today, either digitized versions or new revivals. Common examples of the Old-style typefaces include Caslon, Sabon, Galliard and Janson. Old-style typefaces usually have a thick-to-thin stroke, bracketed serifs, and a slanted stress. Old-style remains one of the most leggible classes of text, due to the moderate stroke variations and good distinction between letterforms. Example: Humanistic Example: Old-style

Transitional
Transitional typefaces bridge the gap between Old-style and Modern typefaces. Largley due to technological advances in casting type and printing, transitional embodies greater thick-to-thin strokes, and smaller brackets on serifs. Stress move to be more vertical. Dates around 1750s. Work was begun on the first Transitional typeface in 1692, long before people had left behind making Garaldes. In fact, William Caslon was creating typefaces based on Old-style Dutch Type as late as the 1720s. These typefaces have sharper serifs and a more vertical axis than Humanist letterforms. When the fonts of John Baskerville were introduced in the mid 18th century, their sharp form and high contrast were considered shocking. Transitional typefaces have greater thick-to-thin strokes and smaller brackets on serifs. The stress usually tends to be more vertical.

Modern
Furthering the trends started with Transitional, modern pushes to extreme thick to thin strokes, and unbracketed (square) serifs. The typefaces designed by Giambattista Bodoni in the late 18th and 19th Centuries are radically abstract. Note the thin, straight serifs, vertical axis and sharp contrast from thick to thin strokes. Modern typefaces developed in the late 18th and early 19th Century and were a radical break from the traditional typography of the time with high contrast of strokes, straight serifs and a totally vertical axis.

Example: Modern

Slab-Serif

Slab serif, also known as Square Serif or Egyptian, was developed for heavy type in adverstising. Slab Serif usually has little variation in stroke weight, its generally very uniform and heavy. Letterforms are more geometric, and less calligraphic. It was created around 1825 during the Eqyptology craze in Europe.

Example : Slab-Serif

Script
Script fonts are a formal replication of Calligraphy. Script may also be based on engraved forms. As type, Script fonts are unsuitable for text, but is widely used to lend a formal or decorative element to a layout. Dates from 1550.

Example : Script

Sans-serif

Although appearing earlier, sans-serif gained much popularity in the twentieth century, mainly as a move towards an international aesthetic. Sans-serif can be strictly geometric, as in a font such as Futura, or more humanist, as with the font Gill Sans. More recently, sans-serifs with a variation in stroke weight are becoming more common (Optima, Myriad). It dates from 1900 to the modern day.

Example : Sans-serif

Example : Humanist Sans-Serif

Another Sans-Serif Example Novelty and Decorative

Decorative and Novelty fonts is one of the largest font classifications. These fonts are rarely used for body text, decorative fonts and novelty fonts are used for signage, headlines and even logos. They frequently reflect culture, a state of mind, time period or theme. Many are time-sensitive and fall in and out of fashion and popularity. Some decorative and novelty fonts use unorthodox letterforms and proportions to achieve distinctive and dramatic results. Some even appear three-dimensional.

Example : Novelty and Decorative