Font Classifications

Old Style – roman typefaces in 15 & 16 c., supposed to feel like calligraphy.
Caslon, Bembo, Janson

Transitional – sharper serifs, more of a vertical axis than old style, mid 18 c.
Didoni, Eurostile, ITC Franklin Gothic

Modern - designed by Bodoni in late 18^th c., thin straight serifs, sharp contrast of thick and thin
Kepler, ITC Century, Electra

Slab Serif – also called Egyptian, bold and decorative typefaces, 19^th c., heavy slab like serifs
Clarendon, American Typewriter, Belizio

Sans Serif – became common in 20^th c., small, lilting counter, calligraphic variations in line weight
Akzidenz Grotesk, Franklin Gothic, Future

Script – all are different, imperfection of handwriting, 21^st c., different weights, strokes, and connections
Mistral, School Script, Choc

Blackletter – used on newspapers, labels, scriptures, tattoos, etc. Famous for Old English, also became famous between 15^th and 16^th c.
Engravers Old English, Fette Fraktur, San Marco

Grunge – postmodernism and deconstructive typography (1980s), jarring aesthetic, appropriation of existing types
Escalido Streak, Dead History, Turbo Ripped

Monospaced – resemble typewriters, letters have specific width that are not the same, good for programming
OCR A, Courier, Orator

Undeclared – serifs attatched to sans serif typefaces

Optima, Copperplate Gothic,