Category Archives: TypeKit

Tisa Web Pro

Posted on Jun 19, 2012 by Laura Franz.

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

Posted on Jun 15, 2012 by Laura Franz.

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

Posted on Jun 12, 2012 by Laura Franz.

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.

Filed under 16 Styles, 4 Styles, Humanist Sans Serif, Other Source, TypeKit |

Ratio

Posted on Jun 6, 2012 by Laura Franz.

View the web font specimen sheet.

A humanist sans serif font by psType.

Ratio has some quirky elements, such as the relationship between the dots and the strokes on the letters i and j. But the quirks don’t undermine the overall texture, rhythm, or readability of the font. This makes it stand out from others that try and fail to incorporate unique elements into a text font.

PsType says that Ratio shows “the best of both humanist and geometric sans serifs.” I categorize it as a humanist sans because it has generous apertures, a double-decker g, bowls with implied stress (on the b, d, q, p), and a lovely, humanist italic.

Ratio’s x-height is smaller than Verdana, and needs to be set a bit larger to retain readability. At the same time, the bowl is almost circular, making the font feel wider. Thus, I wouldn’t recommend Ratio for use in a narrow column. The bold weight is a bit heavy for my taste (the closed counterforms on the a and e start to “fill in” at text sizes). But the semi-bold is heavy enough to create a good contrast to the regular weight. I’ve used regular and semi-bold in the specimen sheet.

Ratio comes in 12 styles. I’ve tested the usual 4 plus the semi-bold, and they hold up beautifully cross browser. The whole family is available on Typekit.

Filed under 12 Styles, Humanist Sans Serif, TypeKit |

Minion Pro

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Laura Franz.

View the web font specimen sheet.

An old style font by Robert Slimbach, Minion Pro was originally designed for print. It is part of the Adobe Originals series.

Minion Pro feels “old” and pen-formed. It has a smaller x-height than Georgia, small closed counters on the letters a and e, and relatively small apertures. Thus it needs to be set larger to retain readability. Minion Pro is my favorite print font, and I didn’t expect it to work so well on screen (I usually prefer web fonts with a larger x-height and aperture). I was pleasantly surprised.

Minion Pro comes in 8 styles, including a beautiful semi-bold, which creates hierarchy without getting too heavy on screen. Even though it was originally designed for print, Minion Pro is well hinted and tests well across browsers. It gets a little light on Firefox, Chrome, and Opera on Windows XP, but is still legible if set at a generous size. The whole family is available on Typekit.

Filed under 8 Styles, Old Style (Serif), TypeKit |