Literary Digest LITERARY DIGEST MAY 2020 | Página 8

Understanding types of fonts.....
SERIF FONTS:
These are the oldest types of fonts,
with the first examples appearing
as early as the late 15th century.
The word ‘serif’ refers to the small feet
present at the tops and bottoms of each
letter. These tiny flourishes stemmed from
artists’ brushes and would be added to
the letters as decorative elements.
Serif fonts can be broken down even
further into several subcategories (Old
Style, Classical, Neo-Classical,
Transitional, Clarendon, etc). Today, Serif
fonts are among the most popular
typefaces in use, with styles like ‘Times
New Roman’ being ever-present in books,
documents, and even some logos.
This style of font is characterized by a
more conservative design and (some of
the many subclasses notwithstanding) the
presence of serifs at the tops and bottoms
of most letters.
Example:
Times New Roman, Garamond,
Century, Caslon, Georgia etc.
SANS-SERIF FONTS:
Sans serif fonts dispense with the
flourishes of their predecessor for a
cleaner, more modern approach,
and this contrast makes them pair
well with serif fonts. They date back
to the 19th century and became
immensely popular in the 1920’s
and 30’s. During the mid-20th
century, German designers further
expanded the typeface with the
creation of the popular Helvetica
design.
These fonts are defined by their
clean, straight lines. They feature no
flourishes and emphasize readability
and simplicity for a more scalable
look. Sans serif fonts can also be
broken down into several
subcategories, including Grotesque,
Square, Geometric, and Humanistic
styles.
Example:
Helvetica, Verdana, Futura,
Avante Garde etc.
LITERARY DIGEST / May 2020