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Author Archives: Laura Franz
PT Serif

View the web font specimen sheet.
A serif font designed by Alexandra Korolkova, Olga Umpeleva, and Vladimir Yefimov and released by ParaType in 2010.
PT Serif is primarily a Transitional font; it feels more “idealized” than “written.” It has more contrast between thick and thin strokes than you’ll see in an Old Style font, and it has a vertical stress. Terminals and serifs feel more stylized than pen-formed.
PT Serif has a slightly larger x-height than Georgia, and holds up well at smaller sizes. It also pairs beautifully with its companion font, PT Sans.
PT Serif holds up beautifully across browsers. It has the usual four styles and weights, and is available via Google Webfonts, Typekit, and FontSquirrel.
Filed under 4 Styles, FontSquirrel, Google Fonts, Transitional (Serif), TypeKit
Tisa Web Pro

View the web font specimen sheet.
A serif font designed by Mitja Miklavčič and published by fontfont.
I categorize Tisa Web Pro as an “Other Serif” font, because it does not fall neatly into any of the general historic categories commonly used to describe serif type. According to Miklavčič, the intent was to “develop a softer, more dynamic version of a nineteenth-century slab serif wood type.”
Tisa’s almost-slab serifs are slightly tapered, its aperture is open and humanist, its bowls have an implied stress, its x-height is generous. The font gracefully mixes-and-matches various historic approaches to font design, resulting in a slightly “square” or “structured” feeling font with humanist qualities. The bold is acceptable, but slightly too heavy for my personal preference.
Tisa Web Pro works well cross browser. 4 styles are available via typekit. The full family (10 styles, including a medium weight which is slightly lighter than the bold) is available for licensing via fontshop.
Filed under "Other Serif", 10 Styles, 4 Styles, Other Source, TypeKit
Meta Serif Web Pro

View the web font specimen sheet.
A serif font designed by Erik Spiekermann, Christian Schwartz, and Kris Sowersby. Published by FontShop.
Meta Serif (for print) was originally designed as a companion font to Meta. Meta Serif Web Pro is not merely a print font repackaged for web use—it has been carefully hinted and looks great on screen.
I classify Meta Serif Web Pro has an “Other Serif” font, because it does not fall neatly into any of the general historic categories commonly used to describe serif type. Serifs look more pen-formed, while terminals on the a and f look more drawn. The contrast between thicks and thins is moderate, and feels more old-style, but the stress is decidedly vertical and feels transitional. All of these elements meld gracefully together to create a serif font with a slightly “square” or “structured” feeling. Meta Serif Web Pro’s x-height is only a hair larger than Georgia’s, but retains readability a bit better at smaller sizes.
Meta Web Pro works cross browser. 4 styles are available via typekit. A total of 16 styles are available for license directly from FontShop. It also works beautifully with its companion font: Meta Web Pro.
Filed under "Other Serif", 16 Styles, 4 Styles, Other Source, TypeKit
Meta Web Pro

View the web font specimen sheet.
A humanist sans serif font designed by Erik Spiekermann and published by FontShop.
Meta was originally a print font designed for small text. The same elements that helps Meta stay readable at small sizes in print helps Meta Web Pro stay readable on screen: open apertures, a generous x-height, generous closed counterforms, and slightly loose letterspacing. Meta Web Pro is not merely a print font repackaged for web use—it has been carefully hinted and looks great on screen.
Although Meta Web Pro has a decidedly vertical structure, I categorize it as a humanist sans serif due to its double-decker g, the curved stroke on the lowercase l, and its humanist italic.
Meta Web Pro works cross browser. 4 styles are available via typekit. A total of 16 styles are available for license directly from FontShop. It also works beautifully with its companion font: Meta Serif Web Pro.
Filed under 16 Styles, 4 Styles, Humanist Sans Serif, Other Source, TypeKit
Just My Type
If you’re looking for new ideas for pairing web fonts, check out Just My Type by Dan Eden.
The site recommends font pairs using fonts from TypeKit’s collection. I cannot guarantee that all web fonts shown are perfect (I don’t know if they’ve all been tested cross browser for instance), but the pairings will certainly inspire you. And it’s obvious that Eden has a good eye for pairing fonts.
Filed under Web Font Resources