This document aims to provide a simple introduction to the history of typography by covering six main classifications of type, some famous typefaces and their connotations, the metalinguistic function of typography, and details about kerning and x-heights. It discusses type from Gutenberg's printing press to modern sans serif fonts. The document introduces humanist, old style, transitional, modern, slab serif, and sans serif type classifications and examples like Garamond, Bodoni, Gill Sans, and Times New Roman. It concludes by emphasizing the visual communication of type beyond just content.

1. A History of Type
richard.miles@leeds-art.ac.uk

2. A History of Type
richard.miles@leeds-art.ac.uk

3. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of type
• Introduce some famous type faces and their
related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about kerning
and x-heights

4. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of
type
• Introduce some famous type faces and
their related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about
kerning and x-heights

5. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of
type
• Introduce some famous type faces and
their related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about
kerning and x-heights

6. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of type
• Introduce some famous type faces and their
related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about kerning
and x-heights

7. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of
type
• Introduce some famous type faces and
their related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about
kerning and x-heights

8. AIMS
• Give a simple introduction the history of
typography
• Introduce the six main classifications of
type
• Introduce some famous type faces and
their related connotations
• Introduce the metalinguistic function of
typography
• Bore everyone to death talking about
kerning and x-heights

9. Visual Verbal
Communication Communication
Writing

10. Meta-communication
Typography = Paralinguistics
Kinesics

15. Type Classifications
Humanist | Old Style | Transitional | Modern
Slab Serif (Egyptian) | Sans Serif

16. ‘LATE AGE OF
PRINT’
Term comes from the
media theorist Marshall
Mcluhan –
The “age of print” began
around 1450
Gutenberg’s printing press

18. Gutenberg Gothic Script 1450

19. Humanist Typefaces

21. Mitchell Kennerly, 1911
F.H.Ernst Schneidler, 1936
Gustav Jaeger, 1985

24. (New)Old Style Typefaces
Palatino
Garamond
Perpetua
Goudy Old Style

31. Modern / Didone
Typefaces
Attributed to Firmin Didot, 1784
but the most influential ‘Didone’
typeface was created by
Giambattista Bodoni

35. Slab Serif / Egyptian - 1800’s

39. Sans
serif
Type-
faces
Berthold Type Foundry in 1896

40. Example of Herbert Bayer’s
sans- serif typeface- Bayer, 1925
• A unicameral type - all text to be lower
case, (to ditch capitals)

41. Eric Gill, ‘Gill
Sans’, 1926

42. Times New Roman Font
Stanley Morison
1932

43. Johann Christian Bauer in 1850. Used by the Third Reich until 1941

44. Oswald Bruce Cooper, Cooper Black, 1921

45. Designed in 1957 by Max Miedinger

47. Jonathan Barnbrook, 1990
1994 Rudy Vanderlans argues ‘there is a new generation of graphic designers who,
before ever considering what their favourite typeface is, will design a new one’

49. Conclusion
• Different Type families to explore –
Humanist / Old Style / Transitional /
Modern / Slab Serif / Sans Serif
• Remember that type communicates
visually and is not just a vehicle for
content
• There is nothing more satisfying than a
beautifully tight kern