In part one we traveled all the way back to the 15th century to take a closer look at the Humanist or Venetian style types with their distinctive lowercase ‘e’ (remember that sloping crossbar?). Welcome to part three of our Type Terms series. Similar fonts are : Bodoni Ultra, Monotype Bodoni, Torino Modern, Berthold Bodoni Antiqua Pro, Parma, and Computer Modern Roman, designed for use with the METAFONT program written by Donald Knuth which generates characters from a set of templates and a list of modifiable parameters.For a modern-day transitional typeface, be sure to check out the Brill typeface family. Look for the characteristic thin stroke serifs, coupled with heavy leg strokes. Although little is seen of Didot, a reinterpretation by Justus Erich Walbaum (ca. al., featuring three different optical sizes. One of the most successful reinterpretations is the 1994 ITC Bodoni by Sumner Stone et. Today, the most common “modern” typefaces are the dozens of reinterpretations of Bodoni’s work (which itself evolved over time). Ironically, historians of type often relate the development of the “modern” letterforms to a then-current obsession with things Roman - in this case the strong contrast and sharp serifs of classical Roman inscriptions. One of the first, and ultimately the most influential, was Giambattista Bodoni, of Parma, Italy. Although they are very striking, these typefaces are sometimes criticized as cold or harsh, and may not be quite as readable for very extensive text work, such as books.Ī number of designers, perhaps semi- independently, created the first modern typefaces in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Modern serifs and horizontals are very thin, almost hairlines. “Modern” typefaces are distinguishable by their sudden-onset vertical stress and strong contrast. The most well known fonts to represent the Modern type movement are Didot, Bell, on the other hand, can be found at Monotype, along with Bulmer, which has received more attention since its revival by Monotype in late 1994. Although Scotch Roman has been a very common face in metal type usage since Monotype’s 1920 revival, it is not a common digital face. Fournier’s work, although several versions of it are available in digital or metal form. Current examples of such are based on originals from approximately 1788-1810, and are dominated by British isles designers, such as Richard Austin ( Bell, 1788), William Martin ( Bulmer) and Miller & Richard ( Scotch Roman, which eventually became Bookman).įor currently available examples of transitional type, there are many types which bear Baskerville’s name, descending from one or another of his designs.
Contrast is accentuated, and serifs are more flattened. Later transitional types begin to move towards “modern” designs. Although today we remember Baskerville primarily for his typeface designs, in his own time people were much more impressed by his printing, which used an innovative glossy paper and wide margins.
The most influential examples are Philippe Grandjean‘s “Romain du Roi” for the French Crown around 1702, Pierre Simon Fournier‘s work circa 1750, and John Baskerville‘s work from 1757 onwards. The distinguishing features of transitional typefaces include vertical stress and slightly higher contrast than old style typefaces, combined with horizontal serifs. Most notable representative fonts of the Transitional Age were Baskerville, and Fournier “TRANSITIONAL” TYPE is so-called because of its intermediate position between old style and modern. Now we continue with the Transitional genre of typography, so-called because of its intermediate position between old style and modern - as we continue the brief History of Typography.Ĭontinuing from the previous page, Part Three of “A Brief History of Typography”
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