Adobe Garamond by Kevin O'Toole

ADOBE GARAMOND

A TYPOGRAPHIC SPECIMEN BOOK

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ORIGIN

A N A LY S I S

USAGE

INTRODUCTION

A D O B E G A R A M O N D is an Old Style Serif typeface designed in 1989. While it was designed in the 20th Century it is a revival of 16th Century typography, Adobe created such this typeface by examining the work of 16th Century Parisian letter puncher Claude Garamont. The original works of Garamont were examined and redrawn by Robert Slimbach of Adobe to create what is the most authentic of all Garamond-based faces. Garamond is an aesthetically beautiful typeface and is playfully known as the "Michaelangelo's David of the typographic world". In addition to its rich history, Adobe Garamond is also a versatile typeface as it can be used as a headline or display just as affectively as when it is used as body copy. It is a timeless masterpiece created by a classical craftsman and to this day is a cherished piece of history. Enjoy this book on all things Garamond.

ORIGIN

Engraving of a French letter punch-cutter.

Claude Garamont the 16th Century creator of the typeface that would eventually become known as Garamond.

GARAMOND

C L A U D E G A R A M O N T was a French letter punch

cutter of the mid-15th Century. His letterform drawings and punches are what have inspired type designers for centuries. During this time period, new innovations were being made to the printing press and trailblazing the typography industry. Garamond has been drawn and redrawn over the centuries and that is because it is one of the most beautiful typefaces ever created. Claude Garamont is only one of many type designers of 16th Century France. There were many other contemporaries of his time that Garamont drew inspiration from and collaborated with. The original designs were influenced by that of Aldus Manutius and Frencesco Griffo. Aldus Manutuis changed the name of the game in French type design. The original punches of 1536, long slender metal rectangles with individual letterforms carved into the ends, were finely-tuned and perfected during the early to mid 1500â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up until Claudeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death in 1561. After his death, sets of his punches found their way into the hands of foundries and served as inspirations for many different typefaces in addition to the many variations of Garamond.

Here is an example of how Robert Slimbach used the original letter punches of Claude Garamont to create his interpretation.

Robert Slimbach has become an icon in the type world creating many of the typefaces for Adobe.

ADOBE GARAMOND

1 9 8 9 was the dawn of a new age of computer technology. The days of letter-punching and typesetting on a printing press were quickly fading, pushed aside for the new innovative computer type technologies. Adobe was one of those companies leading the charge in computer type technologies. Behind that charge was a type designer named Robert Slimbach. As a student of history, Slimbach admired greatly the work of French type designers like Garamont and decided to revive his work. This revival by Adobe was in response to create good useful typpefaces for computer use. Adobe Garamond was ahead of its time, before great quality printers and monitors it still holds up today as an outstanding typeface. To create his version of Garamond, Robert Slimbach examined closely the original punches and drawings of Claude Garamont that still exist at the Plantin-Moretus Museum in France. Slimbach has since been praised for the accuracy and authenticity of Adobe Garamond to the original works. In fact he has been so obsessed with the perfection of this typeface that he has releases two additional versions, Adobe Garamond Pro and Garamond Premier Pro.

Here is an example of Robert Granjon's italics from the 16th century. The same italic alphabet that was used to base the Italics for Adobe Garamond.

G R A N J O N I TA L I C S

RO B E RT G R A N J O N designed some of the most

beautiful italics. Claude Garamond created exceptional roman types. Until the middle of the ď&#x153;ąď&#x153;śth century, entire books were printed in a style of italic known as Aldine (named after their first user, Aldus Manutius). By the time Granjon was cutting types in Paris, italics were being used together with romans, with the italics serving for display and emphasis. Although the new French italic styles retained some of the character of the Aldine italics, they were also influenced by the handwriting styles of the day. Granjon italics have a more sloped and energetic look that is both dynamic and practical.

Here is an example of a type specimen of a font designed by Claude Garamont.

A typical printing press workshop of the 16th century.

HISTORICAL USAGE

Here is an example of a letter punch cut by Claude Garamont.

The Napoleonic Code used a Garamond typeface for its body copy and Didot for its headlines.

TIMELINE

Invention of movable type by Johannes Gutenburg

Aldus Manutius begins to develop Roman typefaces

1454

1495

1470 The first Parisian printing press is made.

Claude Garamont begins cutting punches for three Roman fonts

1536

1520

Innovations in layout design of the printed book lead to the same graphic identity that it has today

Claude Garamont dies at the age of 51

1561

1548 Garamont develops another set of Roman fonts.

The Typewriter is invented

Digital typesetting

1867

1971

1798

Lithography becomes popular

1921

Monotype Garamond is cut

Personal desktop publishing

1985

1989 Adobe Garamond is designed

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A N A LY S I S

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INTENTIONS

A D OBE G ARAM O N D was intended to revive an old style typeface like Garamond that had been cut by many foundries and to finally get it right by staying true to the originals and making it authentic. Robert Slimbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention was to be as accurate as possible to the originals for a new typeface that was going to primarily be used on a screen and not a printing press. Adobe Garamond has been used in countless amounts of ways. It is probably most commonly used and effective as text and body copy but there is no particular preference of usage when it comes to Adobe Garamond. It is used equally as beautifully as a display on a movie poster or as the body copy of a mass produced young adult novel like Harry Potter. There really arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any limitations to this typeface. There are not any limitations in terms of typographic limitations on the page. An example being that this entire book is done in Adobe Garamond. However with that being said one limitation could be the voice of the type. Garamond is an Old Style typeface so it is important to point out that it has a certain voice or connotation that comes with it. It looks a certain way and emits a certain feel.

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WEIGHTS

Regular

Bold

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I TA L I C S

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Regular Italics

Bold Italics

Swash Caps

Ornaments

L I G AT U R E S

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�� Regular Italics

�� Bold

�� Bold Italics

NUMERALS

�� Regular Numerals

0123456789 Titling Numerals

�� Bold Numerals

�� Italic Numerals

�� Bold Italic Numerals

�� Old Style Numerals

0123456789 Old Style Italic Numerals

0123456789 Bold Old Style Numerals

0123456789 Bold Italic Old Style Numerals

C A P I TA L S