Type language
Typography can be classified into several categories based on various factors such as letterform design, historical influences, and intended use.
SERIF. In ancient Rome, inscriptions were carved into stone, creating enduring examples of letterforms.The letterforms exhibited consistent proportions and were often embellished with serifs, small decorative strokes at the ends of the letter strokes. These serif typefaces were known for their legibility.
SANS SERIF. This came about in the industrial revolution of the 19th century, bringing technological advancements and a desire for clean, modern aesthetics. Sans serif typefaces were seen as more streamlined and suited to the modern industrial era. The simplicity and legibility of sans serif designs appealed to the emerging demands of advertising, signage, and display typography. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a proliferation of sans serif typefaces with type foundries across Europe and the United States creating their own sans serif designs, often in response to the demand for modern, clean, and legible typefaces. Famous examples include Akzidenz-Grotesk, Franklin Gothic, and Helvetica.
SLAB SERIF. This was a type of serif typeface characterized by thick, block-like serifs that were unbracketed and had a consistent stroke width. Slab serifs are distinct from traditional serifs because their serifs are bold and do not taper. The term “slab” refers to the rectangular or square shape of the serifs, which are often as thick as the main strokes of the letterforms. Rockwell, Clarendon, and Courier are some well known ones.
SCRIPT. Script typefaces like Brush Script mimic handwritten or calligraphic styles, featuring flowing and interconnected letterforms. They can range from formal and elegant scripts to more casual and playful designs.
DISPLAY. These typefaces were designed for large sizes and attention-grabbing headlines. They often have exaggerated or unique letterforms, intricate details, and strong visual impact. Display typefaces are commonly used in advertising, posters, and branding to create a distinctive and memorable look and include Impact, Bebas Neue, and Cooper Black.
MONOSPACED. Such typefaces, also known as fixed-width or typewriter fonts, have equal spacing between each character. Each character occupies the same amount of horizontal space, regardless of its width. Monospaced typefaces are often used in coding, screenwriting, and other contexts where alignment and precise character placement are important.
TYPE. The characters or symbols used for creating written communication. It can be physical as with wooden blocks with raised letterforms, or digital, as in the form of computer-generated characters.
TYPEFACE. A specific family or design of letterforms that share consistent visual characteristics, including the shape, style, weight, and overall appearance of the characters. Typefaces encompass different variations within a family, such as regular, bold, italic, and different widths.
FONT. A specific set of letterforms, numbers, symbols, and other characters in a particular style, size, and weight. A font file is the digital representation of a typeface and includes various variations (e.g., bold, italic) within the typeface family. When you refer to Inter or Helvetica, you are referring to the typeface. When you refer to Inter Bold or Helvetica Condensed, you are referring to a font within a typeface.
