For the past few weeks we've been throwing some fun facts about color at you. Today we thought we'd switch it up and talk a little about type. Knowing the history of a typeface, or font, can help us understand what it represents and when it's appropriate to use. So here are some historical facts about fonts.
Textura
The Bible was first printed by Johannes Gutenburg in 1455. The typeface he used was Textura. This was the first major book printed using movable metal type marking the start of the Gutenburg Revolution.
Caslon
The first version of the Declaration of Independence, produced by John Dunlap and therefore known as the Dunlap Broadside, was printed using the typeface, Caslon. Why is this ironic? Caslon is a European typeface, originating in Rome.
Futura
German designer Paul Renner created Futura in the 1920s as a response to the Nazis taking over Germany. The font was a symbol of change and hope for the future because of its contrast to the Fraktur typeface used by the Nazis.
Avant Garde
The Avant Garde font is directly named after the magazine it was created for. Herb Lubalin was the creator of the font and the magazine, which was published from January 1968 to July 1971. The magazine had a short run, but the typeface lives on.
Gotham
The typeface Gotham exploded in popularity after it was used in the 2008 Obama campaign. The designers John Slabyk and Scott Thomas originally planned to use the serif Perpetua, but changed to the sans serif Gotham.
Did you learn something new about your go-to font? Type is such an important and often overlooked part of the design process. 2nd Story has helped many businesses develop their brands by selecting the perfect type. We'd love to work with you to do the same. So contact us and let's take your business to the next level!
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