A Humanized Sans-Serif Typeface Created by Erik Spiekermann
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Erik Spiekermann Erik Spiekermann, born in
In 1988, Spiekermann
withdrew from the management
1947, calls himself an info-
started FontShop, a digital
of MetaDesign in 2000 to work
rmation architect. He is equally
typeface foundry and distributor
on a new project: The United
comfortable and prolific as
of fonts. Spiekermann currently
Designers Network, a collab-
a writer, graphic and typeface
holds a professorship at the
oration of many designers he
designer, but type is always
Academy of Arts in Bremen,
has worked with over the years.
at the epicenter of this com-
is vice president of the German
munication dynamo. Even as
Design council, president
of typefaces, Spiekermann sees
a child, Spiekermann was drawn
of the International Institute
himself as more of a problem
to the typographic arts. “I had
of Information Design, pres-
solver than an artist. His process
a little printing press and taught
ident of the International
for beginning a new typeface is
myself to set type when I was
Society of Typographic Designers
simple and straightforward.
twelve,” he recalls. “Years later,
and a board member of ATypI.
when I went to university to
His book, Stop Stealing Sheep,
study art history, I made a living
first published in 1993, has sold
as a letterpress printer and hot
over 150,000 copies and is
metal typesetter.”
currently in its second edition. He
When it comes to the design
mrqejvu
“
Identify a problem – like space saving, bad paper, low resolution, on-screen use – then find typefaces that almost work but could be improved, he explains.
“
Study them. Note the approaches and failings. Sleep on it, then start sketching without looking at anything else.
Origins of the Typeface In 1984, the German State Post
1985, the project was canceled.
confounded by Erik
Office, the Budespost, was
The Bundespost returned to
Spiekermann. FontShop
persuaded by Erik Spiekermann
using one of its many previous
encouraged the parent
of MetaDesign to commission
typefaces, Helvetica, assuming
company to license the face.
a new, exclusive font for use
that digital type would not
Released as FF Meta, it has
on all of the Budespost’s
catch on.
become one of the most
printed material. The aim of
In 1989, after design software
successful typefaces available
the project, which began in
made creating new fonts more
from FonFont, a subsidiary of
1985, was to develop a face
efficient, MetaDesign refined
FontShop.2
that was easy to read in small
the Bundespost typeface for its
sizes, available in several
own exclusive use, renaming it
weights, unmistakable as an
Meta. Initially, Meta was just
identity, and technologically
used for in-house projects, but
up-to-date. Although the font
soon MetaDesign began to use
was digitized, tested, and
it in mail-order catalogs for
approved in the summer of
FontShop, a digital type foundry,
Characteristics of the Typeface It has a wider opening in the C, which also has angled finials.
Meta has capitals with flat apices, similar to those of Helvetica.
The K has one junction, and the junction of the M rests on the baseline, like Helvetica, except that Meta stems are oblique.
The E has an extended base, while the base of the G has no spur and the J, no loop.
The junction and base of the W are both flat.
Angled finials also occur in the top strokes of the E, F, G, and on both ends of the S.
The tail of the Q is wavy and the leg of the R is slightly curved.
The Z has angled finials on both ends, unlike the lowercase z, which has an upright finial at the top and an angled one at the bottom.
The finials of the v, w, and y are slightly angled, unlike the Meta family capital letters.3
Several of Meta lowercase have particular traits that distinguish the face from other sans serifs. The ascenders of the b, k, h, and
l are slightly bent at the top, a feature that is carried through the stems of the m, n, p, q, and the spur of the u. The finials of the v, w, and y are slightly angled, unlike the Meta family capital letters.3
Comparison Other distinguishing features include the double-storied g that has a highly unusual open bowl. This is a feature shared by the transitional typefaces Baskerville and Cheltenham; only a few other sans-serif typefaces, such as Kabel, have this feature. The l has a slight curved tail and the y has an offset junction.
Meta vs. Helvetica
Both Meta and Helvetica have
While the dots of Meta letterforms
Overall, Meta is a more condensed
thin shoulders.
and punctuation are rounded,
face than Helvetica, and it has only
Helvetica has square dots.
a slightly lower x-height.
“
The nuanced construction of the Meta typefaces sets it apart from Helvetica’s regularized structure, creating the face’s appealing personality.
Meta vs. Gill Sans
by Eric Gill, 1927
tangible Meta vs. Futura
by Paul Renner, 1932
tangible
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Bibliography Lawson, Alexander S. Anatomy of a typeface. Boston: D.R. Godine, 1990. (SC: Z250 L34 1990) Jaspert, W. Pincus. The Encyclopaedia of Typefaces. Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press; New York: Distributed in the U.S. by Sterling, c1983. (SC: Z250 J36 1983) Haley, Allan. Typographic Milestones. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, c1992. (SC: Z250 A2 H18 1992 4o) Friedl, Friedrich. Typography: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type design and Techniques Throughout History. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, c1998. (SC: Z250.A2 F76 1998 4o) Monotype Corporation. Garamond: A Specimen of a Classic Letter Reproduced in Eight Sizes for use on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monotype.â&#x20AC;? London: Lanston Monotype Corporation, 1926. (SC: Z250 M66) Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style. Vancouver: Hartley and Marks, 2004. (A&A: Z246 B745 1996 and Vault) Meggs, B. Philip. A History of Graphic Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992. (A&A: Z244.5.M42 1998 and Vault) Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces, essays by Carolyn Annand ... [et al.]; edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy McKelvey, New York: RC Publications, 2000. (A&A: Z250.R45 2000)
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This book was designed by Alix Marson in Typography I in the fall of 2012 at Washington University in St. Louis. It includes various fonts and weights of the typeface Meta.