Typeface Classifications

Oldstyle: 1435

• Axis of thick-thin contrast slopes slightly to the left
• Cross-bar of the lowercase 'e' is horizontal
• Top serifs are roof-shaped and have triangular form
• Base serifs have no or hardly any rounding at bottom
• Examples: Bembo, Garamond, Palatino, Plantin, Albertina

Transitional: 1750

• Axis of thick-thin contrast is almost vertical or slopes very slightly to the left
• Base serifs are only a little or virtually not rounded at the bottom
• Lowercase 'e' has horizontal cross-bar
• Top serifs of lowercase letters are roof-shaped
• Serifs sometime rounded, sharpened, or horizontal
• Examples: Baskerville, Concorde, Fournier, Perpetua, Times New Roman

Modern: 1775

• Typefaces that have a high thick-thin contrast
• Serifs sometimes rounded, sharpened, or horizontal
• Vertical stress axis
• Thin serifs
• Emphasis on vertical stroke, sharp contrast, symmetry, and sharp transition to straight serifs
• Examples: Bodoni, Didot, Walbaum, Linotype Centennial, Vertrina

Slab: 1800's

• Heavy, rectangular serifs
• Serif weight is almost as thick as the letter itself
• Terminals may be blunt, angular, or rounded
• Examples: Clarendon, Rockwell, Beton, Egyptienne, Courier

Sans-Serif Grotesk (and Gothic): 1920's

• Line thicknesses seem to be equal, but have a slight visual thick-thin contrast
• Ascender height is usually equal to the capital height
• The cure of the lowercase 'e' is pointed up towards the crossbar
• The lowercase 'g' has an open curve that ends pointing upwards
• Examples: Akzidenz Grotesk, Helvetica, Univers, Arial, Futura

Sans-Serif Humanist:

• No serifs
• Line widths are visually equal
• Extension on lowercase 'e' points to right instead of turning toward the cross-bar
• Lowercase 'g' often has classic form with two 'bowls'
• Characters have more distinguishing forms than those of other sans-serifs
• Examples: Gill Sans, Profile, Frutiger, Scala, Myriad

Sans-Serif Geometric:

• No serifs
• Axis of roundings is vertical
• Letters seem to have been drawn using ruler and compass
• Line thicknesses are only visually and minimally corrected
• Examples: Futura, Avenir, DTL Nobel, Erbar, Eurostile