Modern Typeface

didone

In typographic design, modern identifies to the typefaces of late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with flat, unbracketed serifs with extreme contrasts between their thick and thin strokes.

What is Modern typeface ?

The first Modern typeface which is also called “Didone“ is attributed to Frenchman Firmin Didot.

Giambattista Bodoni created “Bodoni“ taking influence from Romains du roi and Baskerville type.

Giambattista Bodoni exhibited 14 of his books at the Exhibition of National Industry in Paris, where he was awarded gold medals.

History of Modern typeface

1783

1784

1806

Bodoni’s Manuale Tipografico (1818)

It contains 142 roman typefaces and their corresponding italics. The second volume includes numerous ornaments, Arabic, Greek, Russian, and Tibetan types.

http://www.rarebookroom.org

What makes a Modern typeface Modern?

• Strong contrast between thick and thin strokes.

• Vertical axis.

• Mechanical appearance constructed rather than drawn.

• Fine, unbracketed, serifs.

Examples of typefaces:

Didot, Bauer Bodoni, Modern no. 20, Fenice, Filosofia.

didoneHigh contrastAbrupt serifs

Vertical axisHorizontal stress Small aperture

Characteristics of Modern / Didone typefaces

didoneTypeface

TypefaceTypeface

CaslonOld style

BaskervilleTransitional

DidotModern

Moderate x-height,long extender

Didot designed by Firmin Didot in 1783Foundry: Hoefler & Frere Jones // Release year: (1784-1811) 1991 //Classification: Didone serif

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Large eye,moderate aperture

Teardrop terminal

Very high contrast, vertical stress

leg extends laterally from stem past width

of bowl, turns up slightly at end

Scalloped terminal

Retor

Heavy ball terminal

quaisModerate x-height,long extender

Large dot, placed far from body

Large bowl extends beyond upper stroke

Upper stroke much shorter than lower stroke

Long thin serif without brackets

SfgVery large lower bowl

Long ear with small ball terminal

Teardrop terminal

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

10 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

12 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

14 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

18 pts

designed by (Giambattista Bodoni) Henrich JoshBauer BodoniFoundry: Bauer Type foundry, Naufville, Bitstream // Release year: (1790)1926 //Classification: Didone serif

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Large eye,moderate aperture

Regolaleg extends laterally

from stem past width of bowl, turns up

slightly at end

Very thin serif without bracket

Ball terminals varies in “g” and “a”

Full round bowls on “a” and “g”

StivoSome thin strokes have serifs with slight bracketing

Dot placed very high above body

Abrupt change from thick to thin stroke

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

10 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

12 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the de-sign of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

14 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

18 pts

Modern no. 20designed by Edouard BenguiatRelease year: Mid-1900 // Classification: Didone serif

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q

R S T U V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w

x y z

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

leg turns up at end

RegolatiSQf2

Less aperture

changes in ear

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

10 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose pur-pose is to express idea(s).

12 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

14 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals mean-ing—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

18 pts

designed by Aldo NovareseFeniceFoundry: Bauer Type foundry, Naufville, Bitstream // Release year: 1977-80 // Classification: Didone serif

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

RegolativoChanges in finial

Change in serif

less aperture

Straight Ear

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

10 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

12 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

14 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

18 pts

Filosofia designed by Zuzana Licko

Foundry: Emigre // Release year: 1996 // Classification: Didone serif

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

O 2 0

ReclassifyingProminent tail

Moderate sized eye and aperture

Heavy ball terminal in “c”, “a”, ‘“y”

Large bowl extends beyond the instroke

Ball terminals rather than serif

Long unbracketed serifs of moderate height and soft rounded ends

Large lower bowl with relatively low stroke contrast

No stroke contrast

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

10 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

12 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the de-sign of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

14 pts

Typography is the art of the letterform, the visual communication of type, and how it reveals meaning—through the design of letters and words, whose purpose is to express idea(s).

18 pts

http://www.sitepoint.com

http://www.sitepoint.com

http://www.sitepoint.com

References

Modern Typography- an essay in critical history by Robin Kinross

The Elements of Typographic Style, page 130

The Typographic Revolution—Porchez Typofonderie

Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, page 83

Exploring Typography by Tora Rabinowitz

http://typedia.com

http://www.thinkingwithtype.com