BODONI
BODONI GIAMBATTISTA BODONI Typeface designer Designer History Date of Birth 1740 Place of Birth SALUZZO Date of Death 1813 Country of Origin ITALY Print education SACRA CONGREGATIONE DE PROPAGANDA FILE Role model JOHN BASKERVILLE Establishment of Printing Plant 1762 Recognition by Duke 1766 Directorial position STAMPERIA REALE
First Book MANUALE TIPOGRAFICO Number of physcial copies 250 Date of publication 1818 Content 142 ALPHABETS AND ORNAMENTS Design Inspiration BASKERVILLE New Design MODERN ROMAN Classification DIDONE Cause of death GOUT Spouse MARGHERITA DALLOALGIO
Bodoni family: Regular, Book Italic, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, Ultra Bold, Ultra Bold Italic
Typeface
Comparisons
Period 20th CENTURY Age NEW CLASSICAL Key Characteristics of typeface SERIFS Font Family VARIETY Popular Format PRINT Popular use of typeface DISPLAY
Typeface BASKERVILLE Classification TRANSITIONAL SERIF Typeface GARAMOND Classificaiton OLD-STYLE Typeface DIDOT Classification Didone
The many faces of Bodoni: MORRIS FULLER BENTON (1907), BAUER BODONI BY HENRICH JOST (1926), BODONI ANTIQUA (1930), GUNTER GERHARD LANGE’S VERSION FOR PHOTO COMPOSITION (1970), KARL GERSTNER’S BODONI (1980), BODONI OLD FACE BY G.G. LANGE (1983), BODONI MODERN BY R.H. MIDDLETON (1930), WTF OUR BODONI, VIGNELLI’S BODONI, FF BODONI CLASSIC BY GERT WEISCHER (1994), ITC BODONI (1994)
Most authentic faces: FF BODONI CLASSIC ITC BODONI Bodoni Ornaments
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ura
Il Manuale Tipografico, che oggi presento al Pubblico, fa testimonianza amplissima delle grande cure che il miondilette consorte pose all’incremento e perfezione dell’ Arte Tipografica.
ura
Giambattista Bodoni designed the typeface in the late eighteenth century while serving as director of the royal press belonging to the Duke of Parma. Bodoni drew inspiration from John Baskerville while designing the work and in 1978, traveled to England to meet the celebrated designer in person.
After wide use of the typeface for nearly a century, including the publication of Homer’ Iliad in 1910, Morris Fuller Benton created the first modern revival of the original work for the American Type Founders Company. Benton reinterpreted the typeface by synthesizing the unique qualities of the original work. Benton’s design set the foundation for numerous reinventions of Bodoni. However, many of the reinventions before the late 1900s suffered as they did not capture the original spirit of the work. The Bodoni Classic, drawn by Gert Wiescher is one of the most authentic interpretations of the typeface due to his representation of original Bodoni letter shapes. Bodoni is a popular display type used to grab attention. The sharp, yet elegant typeface is frequently used for titling of popular works, and is heavily used for fashion and fine art publications. Giambattista Bodoni is an Italian type designer from Parma. After a short apprenticeship as a typesetter in the Vatican’s Propaganda Fide printing works, Bodoni established his first printing press under the Duke of Parma. He then worked under the French Imperial Patronage after Napoleon’s conquer of Italy. Bodoni created over 140 roman fonts and 115 titling and script fonts over the course of his career and was named the “king of typographers.” In 1788 Bodoni published Manuale tipografico, a collection of his type inventions. Whereas many of Bodoni’s contemporaries such as Dodd and Gutenberg designed for commercial use, Bodoni had greater freedom in his process and exploration. Bodoni drew influence from the flat, unbracketed serifs of Romains du Roi, a French typeface designed in the late seventeenth century, and the high contrast of John Baskerville’s work. Moreover, Francois Didot served a later role model and influencer of Bodoni’s creation. Bodoni’s abstract and dehumanized approach to his forms collides with typographic tradition.
Bodoni Bold
American Type Founders Company Specimen Book and Catalogue (1923)
The American Type Founders Company published their last specimen book in 1923. The collection of typefounders’ and printers’ arts contains a section on the Bodoni typeface. Other featured typefaces include Calson, Garamond, and Cloister. Selections of the Bodoni chapter appear on the opposite page.
Bodoni’s abstract and dehumanized approach to his forms collides with typographic tradition.
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Pairing of Bodoni Bold and Italic
Bodoni Italic Typeface Description
Bodoni Series
3
The transition from thick to thin strokes creates contrast. The abrupt weight changes are an identifying feature of Bodoni.
&
VERTICAL STRESS
Bodoni has a vertical thick to thin transition in the stroke of the letter. They symmetry signifies a modern typeface.
THICK
THIN
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4
Hairline Serif
At the end of the main vertical and horizontal stroke, Bodoni has a thin and sharp projection.
5
THIN
Small Aperture Letters such as e and c have small apertures. An aperture is the opening at the end of an open counter.
SMALL
Contrast
UND
As opposed to a square or serif end, the stroke has a rounded shape as visible on the lower case f.
Symmetry
Bodoni belongs to a modern roman style of type. The typeface impresses the eye with its beauty, elegance, and artistry. However, the hairline serifs, strong thick and thin stroke contrast, and abrupt weight changes complicate the reading process. The weight contrast and vertical stress cause a typographic effect called “dazzling:� visually uninviting and exceptionally disruptive.
RO
Ball Terminal
Characteristics of the typeface
2
T D
O f B O e
INSIDE LOOK 1
7
Point Size
At 8pt, the typeface looks too fragile and loses impact. The typeface is most successful at a larger type size such as 48pt.
T 48 pt
6
Unique Serif One of the many unique features of the typeface is connection of the first two serifs of the capital W.
8
Slight Bracket T 8 pt
Lower case letters such as an h and an i have a slightly curved connection between the stem and the serif.
W JOINED
CUPPED
comparisons
Q Q 33
gance 3 egance I I c c I Bodoni
bodoni in context
Bodoni has ball terminals at the top and bottom of the number 3 whereas Baskerville has a hariline curve. The terminal adds a decorative look.
Baskerville
The capital letter of Bodoni as visible on the left has a hairline serif whereas the capital letterform of Baskerville on the right has a bracketed serif with a curved edge.
The small aperture of Bodoni on the left contrasts with the larger counter and aperture of Baskerville on the right. Baskerville has more open letterfroms due to the larger counter.
Q Q
The capital “Q” of Bodoni has a sharply curved, centered tail. The letterform has a smooth transition from thick to thin.
The tail of the “Q” in Didot stems from the left. The tail mimics the curved lines of the captital “R”.
Bodoni
Didot
Both typefaces have an elegant style.
jj
Both typefaces have an elegant style.
Whereas Bodoni on the left has a slighty cupped top serif on the lower case letter, the lower case letter of Didot on the right has unbracketed serifs.
The tail of the “R” in Bodoni on the left has a thicker weight than the descending tail in Didot on the right. The tail is shorter and fatter as well.
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RR
Bodoni
Didot
The same sentence has a longer length in Didot. The line has an open form in comparison to Bodoni.
The hanging descender in Bodoni on the left has a rounder ball terminal than Didot on the right. The sharp curve of both letterforms generate internal contrast.
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TT Bodoni
Garamond
Bodoni has a flat, hairline bottom serif. Garamond has a slightly scooped bottom serif. Garamond belongs to old-serif typography deisgn. The scooped bottom gives an organic, handwritten feel to the letterforms.
kk
Bodoni on the left has a cupped top serif while Garamond has a flag shaped top serif. The flag shaped serif renders a more vertical letterform.
VV Garamond on the right relies on a medium contrast between up and downstrokes compared to Bodono on the left. Garamond has slightly bracketed serifs with a smoother read.
Bodoni is a fully modern form. Bodoni is a fully modern form. The contrast in weight creates high drama in Bodoni. The thinner strokes and less pronounced serifs of Garamond generate less tension.
“printer to the kings and king of printers” Bibliography Burtt, H. E., and C. Basch. “Legibility Of Bodoni, Baskerville Roman And
Bodoni
Garamond
Cheltenham Type Faces.” Journal Of Applied Psychology 7.3 (1923): 237-245. PsycARTICLES. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. Campbell, Alastair, and Alisair Dabbs. Pocket Essentials: Typography: The History and Principles of the Art. N.p.: Octopus, 2014. Print. Farey, Dave. “You Say Bodoni, I Say Bodoni.” Fonthaus. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004. Print. “100 Best Typefaces of All times.” 100 Best Typefaces of All times. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016. “Giambattista Bodoni | Italian Printer.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
t Dana Berger Typography 1, Spring 2016 Typeface Book Design Typefaces: Futura and Bodoni