Fontbook Intro English
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Introduction
The new, improved FontBook
fontbook is the only manufacturer-independent type reference guide that compiles original, digital typefaces and presents them in a systematic way. Since 1991 it has been a work of reference, primarily intended for the visual comparison of text faces. An abundance of carefully researched footnotes – on type designers, year of publication, similar fonts and foreign language versions – make this a truly unique Type Encyclopedia. 15 years after its first appearance, FontBook is now up to its fourth completely revised and extended edition. The selection of displayed fonts is based upon the consensus and research of the FontBook editors. It reflects the current international type market as well as recent developments in typography. FontBook contains all the classics of the art of printing, insofar as they exist in digital form, but the majority of the faces are contemporary; many dating from the last 20 years. Symbol fonts, non-Western fonts, and non-Latin fonts have all been assigned their own chapters. With over 32,000 type samples from 90 international libraries, FontBook is the largest type reference guide in the world. The displayed fonts are arranged as follows: → 28,000 detailed headline and text samples ( Western encoding) in the typographic chapters Sans, Serif, Slab, Script, Display, Blackletter and Pi & Symbols → 1,700 single-line font displays (‘CE = Central European’ encoding) in the Latin Plus chapter → 2,300 detailed headline and text samples of non-Latin fonts (Non-Latin chapter) With well over 100,000 additional footnotes and cross-references, FontBook is an invaluable tool for designers, typographers, advertisers, manufacturers, publishers, type historians and anyone else who uses type in their work. The editorial staff would like to thank all those who helped complete FontBook – in particular the staff at the publishers, fsi FontShop International, and also the many freelance colleagues involved.
the type market continues to grow steadily. During the mid-90s grunge and techno faces contributed toward a rapid growth of the fonts on offer, while recent years have seen script, industrial and retro typefaces enriching the worldwide typographic resource. Added to that, a new generation of designers has discovered FontLab font editing software and is busy developing contemporary text and headline families. Last but not least, the conclusive breakthrough of OpenType technology means many existing typefaces are being updated and extended. And so FontBook also continues to grow as a source of information. Our fourth edition represents approximately 30 percent more fonts than FontBook 3. The fact that the number of pages has increased by only 11 percent is due to the improved, functional design. Despite its streamlined form, the information content of FontBook has nearly doubled. Expert sets, additional weights and foreign language versions are all instantly recognizable without the redundancy of repeated displays. Extensive text families no longer spread over several pages; leaving more space for smaller, four-weight families and allowing for a more effective presentation of display faces.
This is how it works:
The ff Meta (Pro) family as shown in FontBook 2006: less than one page for 300 fonts
as with previous editions, the priority of the FontBook editors is to create an overview of the burgeoning world of type. For this reason we’ve sifted through the international type market and established which trends will endure. We’ve consulted manufacturers, retailers, designers and users, and we’ve gathered and distributed countless type statistics and had experts analyse them. The result is a typographic inventory; up to date, yet valid for years to come, and unlike anything else on the book market. In order to further improve FontBook, the editors have made changes to the design as well as the content. We’ve replaced the separate FontFinder with an alphabetical 53-page index at the beginning of FontBook. In this way, all search options have been incorporated into a single volume for the first time. References to foreign language versions of popular fonts are now in the black header bar. In addition, two groups of foreign language fonts have their own chapters: Latin Plus (Latin accented fonts) and Non-Latin fonts. To compliment the four-line text displays of fonts in the main chapters (Western encoding), we’ve added a larger single-line display. This is used when refined details of a typeface are more important than legibility in 12 point, for example with display faces and many script fonts.
Obsolete references have been omitted, for instance those for font packages. Seeing as almost all manufacturers offer their fonts as single-weight downloads, there is hardly any demand for compilation packages. Also omitted is the symbol used in the previous FontBook to denote alternative distribution from a second or third manufacturer. That information has been integrated in the new index. The editors have also removed the FontShop number from the yellow bar above the type specimen, as it was frequently mistaken for a purchase recommendation. In doing this the editors emphasise their desire to present a work of reference rather than a sales catalogue. Appearance and origin of a face take precedence over commercial application or distributor information. Such information is still available, only now it can be found in the index.
The new double-column index replaces the separate FontFinder. The index lists all the fonts in alphabetical order. It shows distributor information as well as the chapter and the page number for all fonts
Berlin, June 2006 The FontBook editors
ff Meta+ 1 and 2 as shown in FontBook 1998: more than two pages for 36 fonts
6
7
fontbook is arranged in nine chapters. Six of them represent typographic styles familiar to us from previous FontBooks, the seventh combines symbol and ornamental fonts, and two new sections allow quick access to foreign language typefaces:
Sans Serif Slab Script Display Blackletter Pi & Symbols Latin Plus Non-Latin
In the first six chapters, the fonts (Western encoding) are arranged alphabetically by family name. If you know what a font is called and/or its style (Sans, Serif,...), you’ll rapidly find it under its name in one of these chapters. If you know the name of a font, but aren’t sure of its style, we’d recommend a look at the newly created alphabetical index. It will direct you to the relevant typographic chapter and page number. Manufacturer’s prefixes in font names, such as itc or ff, are listed but have no bearing on the alphabetical order. An overview of the manufacturer abbreviations and company names can be found after the index.
If you know what type of font you’re looking for but don’t know its name, just dive into the relevant style chapter. These are between 30 and 530 pages long, depending on the style. Fortunately there is help in the form of over 5000 new see-also cross-references when navigating and seeking similar alternatives to a desired font. In this way fonts can be found quickly even in the large Display, Sans and Serif chapters.
The specimen page* The presentation of fonts in the six major chapters has been streamlined by consolidating information. In the black reversed-out headers that contain the font names, you will find details about available foreign languages. The presentation of weights has been condensed and the weight descriptions now list any additional styles such as Expert sets, Small Caps, Old Style figures, etc. Characteristic letters from the additional styles are incorporated in the four-line text font sample. In case you need to set Central European or Asian language texts, you’ll find the necessary fonts straight away in the newly created Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters. Information regarding the character sets and supported languages can be found on the introductory pages of the Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters.
Ê Font name. On the left side of the black bar you’ll find the name of the font family, single typeface or font package – large families also have a package number (e. g. 1, 2,...). The initial letter determines the alphabetical order; manufacturer prefixes are ignored. Families with a large number of interpretations (for instance Garamond or Bodoni) are sub-arranged in order of popularity and/or date of publication. Á Historical information. Here you can find the name(s) of the designer(s) and year of publication of almost all of the typefaces in FontBook. If the typeface is a reinterpretation or adaptation of an earlier design, the original date of publication will appear in brackets. Ë Display font sample. The new single-line large display was created primarily for headline and script faces. It is used for designs where a 12 point text sample doesn’t show enough detail.
The font specimen pages are divided into six typographic chapters plus one for Pi- and Symbol fonts. Every typeface has a 24 point headline sample (A-Z, a-z,...); text families also have a 12 point sample text for all weights. Display faces show a single line of 24 point text for each weight.
È Header sample. The most important characters of a font are displayed here (upper and lower case, numbers and punctuation), generally in 24 point. The sample also shows accented letters, special Western European characters and currency symbols if they are available.
The Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters enable quick searches for foreign language typefaces; Central European and other accented fonts as well as non-Latin fonts such as Arabic or Cyrillic.
Í »See also« reference. Here you’ll find references to similar or related fonts. If these are in a different chapter, it will be noted in brackets ( e.g. »Display«). With over 7,000 references, FontBook invites vast typographical forays.
Î Text sample. If a typeface (family) contains more than one weight, a small (12 point) four-line text specimen is shown for each; including the one used for the header (note the black instead of yellow arrow). A text sample may display several versions of a weight such as Roman, Small Caps, Expert set, Old Style Figures, Tabular Figures, etc. Please read the introduction to the foreign language chapters, Latin Plus and Non-Latin. It explains the character sets and supported languages of the foreign language fonts.
*The sample page shown above
does not exist like this; it is just a made-up example showing all possible elements on the same page
8
9
Ï Weight names. The name of the weight is listed above every text sample. Should a weight have variations (e.g. Small Caps, Tabular Figures,...) these are attached to their names, separated by a slash. The weight displayed in the header is indicated by a black ∞ arrow.
Ì Foreign language references. Should a font be available in language versions other than Western (for example CE = Central European, B = Baltic, T = Turkish,... see list of abbreviations in the Non-Latin introduction), references will be found on the right hand side of the bar. The fonts are displayed in the Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters.
The new, improved FontBook
fontbook is the only manufacturer-independent type reference guide that compiles original, digital typefaces and presents them in a systematic way. Since 1991 it has been a work of reference, primarily intended for the visual comparison of text faces. An abundance of carefully researched footnotes – on type designers, year of publication, similar fonts and foreign language versions – make this a truly unique Type Encyclopedia. 15 years after its first appearance, FontBook is now up to its fourth completely revised and extended edition. The selection of displayed fonts is based upon the consensus and research of the FontBook editors. It reflects the current international type market as well as recent developments in typography. FontBook contains all the classics of the art of printing, insofar as they exist in digital form, but the majority of the faces are contemporary; many dating from the last 20 years. Symbol fonts, non-Western fonts, and non-Latin fonts have all been assigned their own chapters. With over 32,000 type samples from 90 international libraries, FontBook is the largest type reference guide in the world. The displayed fonts are arranged as follows: → 28,000 detailed headline and text samples ( Western encoding) in the typographic chapters Sans, Serif, Slab, Script, Display, Blackletter and Pi & Symbols → 1,700 single-line font displays (‘CE = Central European’ encoding) in the Latin Plus chapter → 2,300 detailed headline and text samples of non-Latin fonts (Non-Latin chapter) With well over 100,000 additional footnotes and cross-references, FontBook is an invaluable tool for designers, typographers, advertisers, manufacturers, publishers, type historians and anyone else who uses type in their work. The editorial staff would like to thank all those who helped complete FontBook – in particular the staff at the publishers, fsi FontShop International, and also the many freelance colleagues involved.
the type market continues to grow steadily. During the mid-90s grunge and techno faces contributed toward a rapid growth of the fonts on offer, while recent years have seen script, industrial and retro typefaces enriching the worldwide typographic resource. Added to that, a new generation of designers has discovered FontLab font editing software and is busy developing contemporary text and headline families. Last but not least, the conclusive breakthrough of OpenType technology means many existing typefaces are being updated and extended. And so FontBook also continues to grow as a source of information. Our fourth edition represents approximately 30 percent more fonts than FontBook 3. The fact that the number of pages has increased by only 11 percent is due to the improved, functional design. Despite its streamlined form, the information content of FontBook has nearly doubled. Expert sets, additional weights and foreign language versions are all instantly recognizable without the redundancy of repeated displays. Extensive text families no longer spread over several pages; leaving more space for smaller, four-weight families and allowing for a more effective presentation of display faces.
This is how it works:
The ff Meta (Pro) family as shown in FontBook 2006: less than one page for 300 fonts
as with previous editions, the priority of the FontBook editors is to create an overview of the burgeoning world of type. For this reason we’ve sifted through the international type market and established which trends will endure. We’ve consulted manufacturers, retailers, designers and users, and we’ve gathered and distributed countless type statistics and had experts analyse them. The result is a typographic inventory; up to date, yet valid for years to come, and unlike anything else on the book market. In order to further improve FontBook, the editors have made changes to the design as well as the content. We’ve replaced the separate FontFinder with an alphabetical 53-page index at the beginning of FontBook. In this way, all search options have been incorporated into a single volume for the first time. References to foreign language versions of popular fonts are now in the black header bar. In addition, two groups of foreign language fonts have their own chapters: Latin Plus (Latin accented fonts) and Non-Latin fonts. To compliment the four-line text displays of fonts in the main chapters (Western encoding), we’ve added a larger single-line display. This is used when refined details of a typeface are more important than legibility in 12 point, for example with display faces and many script fonts.
Obsolete references have been omitted, for instance those for font packages. Seeing as almost all manufacturers offer their fonts as single-weight downloads, there is hardly any demand for compilation packages. Also omitted is the symbol used in the previous FontBook to denote alternative distribution from a second or third manufacturer. That information has been integrated in the new index. The editors have also removed the FontShop number from the yellow bar above the type specimen, as it was frequently mistaken for a purchase recommendation. In doing this the editors emphasise their desire to present a work of reference rather than a sales catalogue. Appearance and origin of a face take precedence over commercial application or distributor information. Such information is still available, only now it can be found in the index.
The new double-column index replaces the separate FontFinder. The index lists all the fonts in alphabetical order. It shows distributor information as well as the chapter and the page number for all fonts
Berlin, June 2006 The FontBook editors
ff Meta+ 1 and 2 as shown in FontBook 1998: more than two pages for 36 fonts
6
7
fontbook is arranged in nine chapters. Six of them represent typographic styles familiar to us from previous FontBooks, the seventh combines symbol and ornamental fonts, and two new sections allow quick access to foreign language typefaces:
Sans Serif Slab Script Display Blackletter Pi & Symbols Latin Plus Non-Latin
In the first six chapters, the fonts (Western encoding) are arranged alphabetically by family name. If you know what a font is called and/or its style (Sans, Serif,...), you’ll rapidly find it under its name in one of these chapters. If you know the name of a font, but aren’t sure of its style, we’d recommend a look at the newly created alphabetical index. It will direct you to the relevant typographic chapter and page number. Manufacturer’s prefixes in font names, such as itc or ff, are listed but have no bearing on the alphabetical order. An overview of the manufacturer abbreviations and company names can be found after the index.
If you know what type of font you’re looking for but don’t know its name, just dive into the relevant style chapter. These are between 30 and 530 pages long, depending on the style. Fortunately there is help in the form of over 5000 new see-also cross-references when navigating and seeking similar alternatives to a desired font. In this way fonts can be found quickly even in the large Display, Sans and Serif chapters.
The specimen page* The presentation of fonts in the six major chapters has been streamlined by consolidating information. In the black reversed-out headers that contain the font names, you will find details about available foreign languages. The presentation of weights has been condensed and the weight descriptions now list any additional styles such as Expert sets, Small Caps, Old Style figures, etc. Characteristic letters from the additional styles are incorporated in the four-line text font sample. In case you need to set Central European or Asian language texts, you’ll find the necessary fonts straight away in the newly created Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters. Information regarding the character sets and supported languages can be found on the introductory pages of the Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters.
Ê Font name. On the left side of the black bar you’ll find the name of the font family, single typeface or font package – large families also have a package number (e. g. 1, 2,...). The initial letter determines the alphabetical order; manufacturer prefixes are ignored. Families with a large number of interpretations (for instance Garamond or Bodoni) are sub-arranged in order of popularity and/or date of publication. Á Historical information. Here you can find the name(s) of the designer(s) and year of publication of almost all of the typefaces in FontBook. If the typeface is a reinterpretation or adaptation of an earlier design, the original date of publication will appear in brackets. Ë Display font sample. The new single-line large display was created primarily for headline and script faces. It is used for designs where a 12 point text sample doesn’t show enough detail.
The font specimen pages are divided into six typographic chapters plus one for Pi- and Symbol fonts. Every typeface has a 24 point headline sample (A-Z, a-z,...); text families also have a 12 point sample text for all weights. Display faces show a single line of 24 point text for each weight.
È Header sample. The most important characters of a font are displayed here (upper and lower case, numbers and punctuation), generally in 24 point. The sample also shows accented letters, special Western European characters and currency symbols if they are available.
The Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters enable quick searches for foreign language typefaces; Central European and other accented fonts as well as non-Latin fonts such as Arabic or Cyrillic.
Í »See also« reference. Here you’ll find references to similar or related fonts. If these are in a different chapter, it will be noted in brackets ( e.g. »Display«). With over 7,000 references, FontBook invites vast typographical forays.
Î Text sample. If a typeface (family) contains more than one weight, a small (12 point) four-line text specimen is shown for each; including the one used for the header (note the black instead of yellow arrow). A text sample may display several versions of a weight such as Roman, Small Caps, Expert set, Old Style Figures, Tabular Figures, etc. Please read the introduction to the foreign language chapters, Latin Plus and Non-Latin. It explains the character sets and supported languages of the foreign language fonts.
*The sample page shown above
does not exist like this; it is just a made-up example showing all possible elements on the same page
8
9
Ï Weight names. The name of the weight is listed above every text sample. Should a weight have variations (e.g. Small Caps, Tabular Figures,...) these are attached to their names, separated by a slash. The weight displayed in the header is indicated by a black ∞ arrow.
Ì Foreign language references. Should a font be available in language versions other than Western (for example CE = Central European, B = Baltic, T = Turkish,... see list of abbreviations in the Non-Latin introduction), references will be found on the right hand side of the bar. The fonts are displayed in the Latin Plus and Non-Latin chapters.
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