Development of Typefaces (15th to 20th century)

Progression of Typefaces and Fonts (15th century to 20th century) 

Bastarda 

Black letter Johannes Gutenberg 1454

• Mimic German calligraphy in bible writing 
• “Movable type” first eg 
• Alternate Characters and various actions employed to further reflect writing traditions 
• Rough, blotchy
• Still black letter 

Jenson (15 years later) 

Roman/serif 

Nicolas jenson 1470 

• Reflects style of roman architecture 
• Variations on blackletter reduced to standardised singly glyph form per letter 
• condensed all possible variations that could be used in handwriting to basic letter forms 
• More functional, reduced work load 
• More consistency in production 
• Printed word starts to influence written language, as literacy starts = recyclical influence 

Griffo’s Roman 

Roman/serif 

• more refined more precise 

Italic 

Francesco griffo 

• took up less space 
• Represented cursive hand writing 

Fraktur 

Blackletter 

Leonhard wagner 1513 

• Exaggerated version of blackletter styles 
• Used in Protestant reformation literature 16th century

Garamond Roman 

Roman/serif 

Claude Garamond 1538

• popular = still used today 
• Much more refined and precise, used more developed techniques and better metal 
• Garamond perfectionist 

Baskerville

Serif/transitional 

John Baskerville 1757

• refined, rational forms, more dynamic  and consistent, improved proportions 
• Publishing at this time would have consisted in many philosophical, scientific, secular texts
• More delicate and elegant, more linear, forms compliment each other vs Garamond which can be clunky and clumsy

Bodoni 

Serif/“modern” 

Pre industrial revolution 

Giambattista Bodoni 1788

• highly refined perfected and precise versions developed for finer papers and techniques

Figgins’ antique

slab serif/display type 

Vincent figgins 1815 

• development of capital commerce and business 
• Used for display: posters and public notices 
• Popular for commercial use that could be used large scale and read in the street at a glance 

Thorowgoods grotesque 

Sans serif/display 

William thorowgood 1815

• first example of grotesque 
• Series abandoned 
• Grotesque typefaces were experimental and largely rejected for being inadequate - clumsy, unreadable

Clarendon 1845 

• very popular 
• Stylish more rounded serif grotesque 

Franklin gothic 

Sans serif/grotesque 

American type foundries 1940 

• used in newspapers and for advertising 
• Functionality and clarity 

Avant garde 

Sans serif/geometric 

Herb libation 1970 

• Rigorous geometric design owing to typefaces like future 

Verdana 

Sans serif/digital 

Mathew Carter 1996

• digital typeface 
• Made for specifically computer screens