Clarendon Research Continued... Type Classification's

Clarendon Research Continued...

I have finally found a bit more information on my font.

From page 104 - 105 from 'The Fundamentals of Typography' by Gavin Ambrose & Paul Harris


Type Classification by Date: The Alexander Lawson type Classification.

'The Alexander Lawson type classification is based on date. The names of many type styles derive from the epoch in which they first appeared, for example Old English, and so this method is closely linked to the development of typograohy. An understanding of this development timeline, as expressed through Lawson's system, can help a designer choose type of a certain period. For example, we may be transported back to the Middle Ages through the use of Blackletter type.

1400's Blackletter: Blackletter typefaces are based on the ornate writing style prevalent during the Middle Ages. Also called Block, Gothic, Old English, Black & Broken.

1475 Old Style: This style refers to Roman fonts created in 15th and 16th century Italy which have slight stroke contrast and an oblique stress. This group includes Venetians and Garaldes.

1500's Italic: Based on Italina handwriting from the Renaissance period, letter forms are more condensed. Originally a seperate type category, they were later developed to accompany Roman forms.

1550 Script: Fonts that attempt to reproduce engraved calligraphic forms.

1750 Transitional: Transitional typefaces are those that marked a divergence from Old Style forms towards more modern forms at the end of the 17th century. Their characteristics include increasing stroke contrast, and greater vertical stress in curved letters.

1775 Modern: Typefaces from mid 18th century with extreme stroke contrast, as typified by the widespread use of hairlines and unbracketed serifs.

1825 Slab Serif - These typefaces have little stroke weight variation and thick, square serifs. For example Clarendon MT.

1900's Sans Serif: Typefaces without serifs and little stroke weights variation first introduced by William Caslon in 1816.

1990's Serif/ Sans Serif: This recent development encompasses typefaces that include both serif and sans serif alphabets such as Rotis.



Classification by type: The Vox System

The Vox system was devised by Maximilien Vox in 1954 to modernise type classification. It has nine divisions and places graphic fonts into a seperate category. It attempted to make a simpler classification system that was detailed enough to be useful.

Humanist: Typefaces inspired by classical and Roman letterforms such as Centaur and Italian Old Style.

Garalde: Old style typefaces from 16th century France and their Italian predecessors, consisting of subtle contrast and steeply angled serifs, such as Bembo and Garamond.

Transitional: Transitional typefaces are those that marked a divergence from Old Style forms towards more modern forms at the end of the 17th century. They feature increasing stroke contrast and greater stress in curved letters such as Baskerville and Fournier.

Didone: Didone is a term that is used in place of 'modern', given that modern types were those created in the 18th century, such as Bodoni.

Slab Serif: Slab - serif typefaces are distinguished by larger, square serifs that were considered to be bolder than those of their predeccessors. Also called Egyptian or Antique.

Lineable: Lineable fonts are sans serif with further divisions of Grotequw, 19th century types, Neo - grotesque and recent versions, such as Univers and Gills Sans.

Glyphic: Fonts with glyph types as Albertus.

Script: Script typefaces are designed to imitate handwritting so that when printed the characters appear to be joined up. As with handwriting, some variations are easier to read than other.

Graphic: Graphic typefaces contain characters that could be considered images in their own right and this category contains the most diverse array of styles. Often designed for specific, themed purposes, they can provide an image connection to the subject matter.