Typeface Review: "Copperplate"

What It Looks Like:

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It's History: Designed by Frederic W. Goudy in 1901 and published by Apple Computer Inc. "Goudy is probably the best known of American typographers and exemplifies the Golden Age of American Printing. He is famous for his prodigious output; he designed over one-hundred typefaces, yet did not start design in earnest until he was 45.

"Born in Bloomington, Illinois, he studied at the Chicago School of Lettering. He best and most popular types are Goudy Old Style and Goudy Text. He was also well-known as a spokesperson for the trade and spent a great deal of time speaking in clubs, associations etc. He was not a 'modern'; he loved the 15th century and found much of his inspiration there.

" 'It is hardly possible to create a good typeface that will differ radically from the established forms of the past; nevertheless, it is still possible to secure new expressions of life and vigour.' " (Source #1)

"Originally designed in 1901, Copperplate Gothic was first released as a font family containing several weights and condensed variations. The font name reflects the popularity of this particular style of typeface during the time that copperplate engraving was a popular technique for reproducing illustrated material; from about 1530 up to the 19th century. Although a true lowercase has never been designed, Copperplate Gothic is ideal for all-capital text typically set in small print. For example, it's very popular for use on business cards. Tiny serifs lend Copperplate Gothic a distinctive feel. The design captures both the sturdiness of a sans serif, as well as the elegance of typefaces with serifs." (Source #2)

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What Type of Font It Is: Glyphic; "Glyphics are primarily a titling form and many have no lowercase. Some of the Germanic Glyphics can be effectively used for limited amounts of text setting, providing a tonal depth similar to that of the heavier Humanist revival faces. Their weight can create more dramatic color in a text page but their application in this context is very specialized." (Source #3)

"Misleadingly titled, this is a Gothic with a Glyphic accent in its very subtle flare serifs. It has no lowercase, and is available in a range of numbered weights and widths." (Source #4)

How You Can Design With It: "You may have been scrolling down your list of fonts on Microsoft Word or PowerPoint one day and thought, 'Hey, that's a cool, subtly seriffed font. It's nice and wide. It looks classy, and yet I don't think I'd want to pick a fight with that font. I'm going to use that font for my poster/presentation.' " (Source #5)

Where You Can Get It: You can download the font for free at FontZone and Fonts101. There are also fonts very similar to Copperplate, available to buy at FontSpring.

Descriptive Terms for It: All-caps, business cards, Capital Only, classy, Frederic Goudy, Glyphic, legible, and logos.

Sources:
- #1 - http://www.identifont.com/show?13B
- #2 - http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/family.aspx?FID=40
- #3 - The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type" by Will Hill, 2nd Edition, p. 142
- #4 - The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type" by Will Hill, 2nd Edition, p. 148
- #5 - http://lifeatluther.blogspot.com/2008/02/copperplate-font-must-be-stopped.html

Examples:

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Typeface Review: "Bank Gothic"

What It Looks Like:

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Its History: Created by Morris Fuller Benton in 1930, "'Bank Gothic' as a typeface made exclusively of small capitals, which adds to the technical impression it creates. Morris Fuller Benton took inspiration from a late-19th-century gravestone, whose inscription he recorded by taking a rubbing.

"In February 2007, Linotype released a wonderfully reinterpreted and expanded version of Bank Gothic, Morris Sans, designed by Dan Reynolds under type director Akira Kobayashi. For the first time, the geometric typeface was available in three weights and two widths, with a lowercase and a great number of extras. The new typeface takes its name from its original 'inventor'." (Source below.)

It is part of a family of fonts with a long range of varieties of weight such as Light, Light Condensed, Medium, Medium Condensed, Bold, and Bold Condensed.

Poster for the movie "I, Robot" featuring the typeface Bank Gothic.
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What Type of Font Is It: Grotesque Sans Serif - "developed in the 19th century, [they] evolved from display type, sign-writing, and architectural lettering. Grotesques combine legibility with visual interest and are well adapted to a range of functions, from informational signage to display typography, exploiting the dynamics of space, scale, and alignment." (Source below.)

How You Can Design With It: With its legibility useful as a way to communicate something in a short and bold burst of text, like a poster or book cover, but can also be used in smaller blocks of text.

Where You Can Get It: Available for a free download here: http://fontzone.net/font-details/BankGothic+Md+BT+Medium/ and http://www.fonts101.com/fonts/view/Uncategorized/53668/BankGothic. There are Bank Gothic Alternatives available for purchase here: http://www.fontshop.com/fontlist/alternatives/bank_gothic/.

Descriptive Terms For It: all-caps, classical, large blocks of text, modern, readable, sans serif, scifi, strong, technical, versatile, variety, and whole family.

Sources: http://luc.devroye.org/fonts-46711.html, http://www.100besttypefaces.com/74_Bank+Gothic.html, "The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type" by Will Hill, 2nd Edition, p. 118, and http://www.typeoff.de/2008/04/10/this-typeface-will-break-your-heart/.

Examples:

Poster for the movie "Gridiron Gang" featuring the typeface Bank Gothic.
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Poster for the movie "Event Horizon" featuring the typeface Bank Gothic.
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Poster for the movie "Ironman" featuring the typeface Bank Gothic.
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Typeface Review: "Hangbord DSG"

What It Looks Like:

Its History: Created by DotSpot Graphics about 2007 or earlier. "This font was created using Font Creator 5.0 from High-Logic.com". (Sources below.)

What Type of Font It Is: Ornamental: "the form of the letter itself is determined by some decorative or figurative intention. The Ornamental form may thus be composed of foliage, rustic woodwork, the human form, or abstract elements. The majority of Ornamental faces from the 19th century are capital only, and necessarily designed for use at larger sizes." (Source below.)

How You Can Design With It: It's lower case letters are the same size as it's uppercase letters so it is clearly meant mainly for display in large blocks of text as a way of grabbing someone's attention; logos, posters, book covers, large containers, etc.

Where You Can Get It: Available for free download at all of these places, just to name a few: http://www.fonts2u.com/hangbord-dsg.font, http://www.azfonts.net/load_font/hangbord_dsg.html, and http://www.abstractfonts.com/font/11208.

Descriptive Terms For It: 3D, grunge, large blocks of text, display, modern, ornamental, all-caps, Capitol Only, poster.

Sources: http://www.abstractfonts.com/designer/309/Dotspot+Graphics, http://www.mediafont.com/font-9887-hangbord_dsg.html and "The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type" by Will Hill, 2nd Edition, p. 160.

Examples:

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Typeface Review: "Beast Wars"

What It Looks Like: 

Its History: Created by Neale Davidson (source below), "Beast Wars" is best used on posters and other mediums where large print is acceptable.

What Type of Font Is It: Ornamental: "the form of the letter itself is determined by some decorative or figurative intention. The Ornamental form may thus be composed of foliage, rustic woodwork, the human form, or abstract elements. The majority of Ornamental faces from the 19th century are capital only, and necessarily designed for use at larger sizes." (Source below.)

How Can You Design With It: Best used on posters, in this particular case for anything that is fun, thrilling, or excitable, such as thrill rides at an amusement park, horror movies, or a rock band.

Where You Can Get It: It's a free download at

http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/Beast_Wars.htm or 

http://www.fontshark.com/font/Beast-Wars-233.html.

Descriptive Terms For It: ornamental, thrilling, all-caps, exciting, horror, poster, fun, Capital Only, loud, in your face.

Sources: http://www.fontshark.com/font/Beast-Wars-233.html and "The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type" by Will Hill, 2nd Edition, p. 160.

Examples:

A very similar font in use, ironically, for the name of the typeface itself.
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