The History of Typography

The History of Typography by Ben Barrett

Type is Power.

Type is Timeless. But always changing.

Barrett-Forest describes the evolution of fonts, where they came from, how they've changed, and why they've changed. It all started with Gutenburg and the very first printing press, but changed over time due to need to more legibility, less density, and more contrast. The First Industrial Revolution brought exciting changes because of the ability to print more precisely. The Second Industrial Revolution brought advertising, which made demands for larger, bolder typefaces. With the 20th Century came the simplification of fonts. With the invention of the computer, more experimentation was allowed, and gave anyone the ability to design their own typefaces.

To me, it is extremely fascinating how closely the evolution of typography is tied to the events in history and how those events shaped and dictated the formation of new typefaces for various uses according to the specific needs of the time and the technology that was available!