Re(3): Font Selection Methodology

Subject: Re(3): Font Selection Methodology
From: Jan Henning <henning -at- r-l -dot- de>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 20:58:12 +0200


>I find this statement rather perplexing. Doesn't "sans serif" mean, both
>etymologically and conventionally, "without serif"? Zapf himself apparently
>called it a "serifless roman type," and you agree, stating that it has no
>serifs; doesn't that make it sans serif by definition? Are you suggesting
>that there exists a category _between_ serif and sans serif typefaces?

Yes. You see, "sans-serif" is a name, not a definition. Put very briefly,
sans-serif typefaces have:
- no serifs
- strokes of uniform widths (with a few exceptions)

Serif faces have:
- serifs
- strokes of non-uniform widths

There are text typefaces (as opposed to the fancy faces such as Brush
Script, Mistral, etc.) that do not fall neatly into either category. One
class are the Optima-style faces that do not have serifs (at least not
proper ones) but vary their stroke widths. Another class are the slab-
serif faces (I think there are other names as well) such as American
Typewriter. These faces do have serifs, but their strokes are largely the
same widths.

I'm not a real font expert, so I unfortunately cannot tell you much more.
Hope this answers at least part of your question.

Regards
Jan Henning

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan Henning
ROSEMANN & LAURIDSEN GMBH
Am Schlossberg 14, D-82547 Eurasburg, Germany

Phone: +49 700 0200 0700, Fax: +49 81 79 93 07 12
E-Mail: henning -at- r-l -dot- de, Web: www.r-l.de
Handelsregister: München HRB 99345
--------------------------------------------------------------------



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Are you using Doc-to-Help or ForeHelp? Switch to RoboHelp for Word for $249
or to RoboHelp Office for only $499. Get the PC Magazine five-star rated
Help authoring tool for less! Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr

Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by April 30. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Re(2): Font Selection Methodology: From: Andrew Broman

Previous by Author: Re(5): Font Selection Methodology
Next by Author: Re(2): Font Selection Methodology
Previous by Thread: Re(2): Font Selection Methodology
Next by Thread: RE: Re(3): Font Selection Methodology


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads