• 7th century BC – adaption of Etruscan alphabet to Latin language

• Originally had 21 letters– A B C D E F _ Z H I _ K L M N O P Q R S T _ V _ X _

• 250 BC – 23 letters• replaced “Z” with “G”• “G” was made added a bar “C” • Put to “Y” and “Z” at the end

– A B C D E F G H I _ K L M N O P Q R S T _ V _ X Y Z

AlphabetAlphabet

• 3 new letters in Middle Ages• “W”• “J”• “U”• End of 15th century it is complete

• A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Zhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfyNShX-8vI

AlphabetAlphabet

A A A A A

What do these have in common?

Similarities• Common shapes

– Triangles– Rectangles

• Flat tops• Serif texts (4/5)

– One thinner leg– Asymmetrical

• Crossbars– Garamond is curved– All others are straight– Different heights

• Serifs– Thickness– Different curves– Edges

Differences

A A AA A A A A

GARAMONDGARAMOND• Claude

Garamond• Created in

1540s• Serifs are

without straight lines

• Extenders are curved

BASKERVILLEBASKERVILLE• John Baskerville• Created in 1757• Sharp serifs• Straight lines• Round letters are

symmetrical –ex. “O” • Curved strokes are

circular in shape

BODONIBODONI• Giambattista

Bodoni• Created in 1798• Slab Serif –

“Boxy”• “W” has a

interesting triangle

CENTURYCENTURY• Linn Boyd

Benton• Created in

1894• Large x-height • Curved “R”• Serif in the

middle of “W”

HELVETICAHELVETICA• Max Miedinger and Eduard

Hoffmann

• Created in 1957

• Sans-serif (without serif) font

• Easily read

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XgNrVfFq_E

Secret History of Fonts