Meta Typeface by Remy Zagorski

meta

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a bcj d e f g l k hi mun o p qry s t v wx z ! ?

in this book you will learn everything you need to know about meta

the designer Erik Spiekermann, born in 1947, calls himself an information architect. He is equally comfortable and prolific as a writer, graphic and typeface designer, but type is always at the epicenter of this communication dynamo. Even as a child, Spiekermann was drawn to the typographic arts; teaching himself to set type at age twelve. In 1988, Spiekermann started FontShop, a digital typeface foundry and distributor of fonts. When it comes to the design of typefaces,

Spiekermann sees himself as more of a problem solver than an artist. His process for beginning a new typeface is simple and straightforward. “Identify a problem—like space saving, bad paper, low resolution, onscreen 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.”1

the origins In 1984, the German State Post Office, the Bundespost, was persuaded by Erik Spiekermann of MetaDesign to commission a new, exclusive font for use on all of the Budespostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s printed material. The aim of the project, which began in 1985, was to develop a face that was easy to read in small sizes, available in several weights, unmistakable as an identity, and technologically up-to-date. Although the font was digitized, tested, and approved in the summer of 1985, the project was canceled. The Bundespost returned to using one of its many previous typefaces, Helvetica, assuming

that digital type would not catch on. In 1989, after design software made creating new fonts more efficient, MetaDesign refined the Bundespost typeface for its own exclusive use, renaming it Meta. Initially, Meta was just used for in-house projects, but soon MetaDesign began to use it in mail-order catalogs for FontShop. FontShop encouraged the parent company to license the face. Released as FF Meta, it has become one of the most successful typefaces available from FonFont, a subsidiary of FontShop.2

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the many faces of meta meta book roman

meta book capitals

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk LlMm Nn Oo PpQq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

meta bold roman

meta bold capitals

meta bold italic

meta bold italic pitals

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt UuVv Ww Xx Yy Zz

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

meta book italic

meta book italic capital

the characteristics Meta is a humanist or calligraphic san serif typeface that was essenrtially created to maximize legibility through its varied line width. Because the typeface was intended to be used in small point sizes, for identification rather than copy, it required two different weights, and the ability to print quickly on potentially poor paper stock. Meta was designed to be space-saving and distinguishable with unique characteristics. When we read,

this is a unique trait of meta

we often quickly glance over groups of letters and words, as our eyes take in what we expect to see on a page. In order to do this we need to be able to successfully distinguish one letter from another when looking for information. Because we read many along the top of the x- height; the traits of letters should be most recognizable in this area, as they are in Meta. Spiekerman

designed Meta on the basis of legibility and recognition.

this too is a unique trait

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more characteristics Spiekermann’s goal in using slightly varying widths in the strokes of Meta was that in small sizes, thinner strokes should not “drop out” but, on the contrary, become undistinguishable from the thicker ones. On the other hand, in compensation for the missing serifs, Meta has vigorously bent-off tips of vertical strokes in lower case letters angled finial

like l, d, r and h. Meta’s strokes are thick enough to withstand uneven printing but also light so that individual characters do not run together. Meta has unique, clearly distinguishable forms for similar shaped characters which include versatile capitals and figures that are clear but not obtrusive, as well as curves, indentations, flares, one junction

EQ JRK extended base

wavy tail

no loop

slightly curved leg

and open joints to combat poor definition, optical illusions, and over-inking. For example, the tail of the Q is wavy, and the leg of the R is curved. Angled finials often occur in the top strokes of certain letters such as E and G, and on both ends of the S. Generally, Meta capitals have flat apices, similar to those of Helvetica. Several of Meta upright finial

lowercase have particular traits that distinguish the face from other sans serifs, such as the bent ascenders of vertical strokes in letters like b and k. This feature is carried through the stems of many other lowercase letters like m, p, and q. Unlike in the Meta capitals, the finials of the certain lowercase, like v and y are slightly angled.3

slightly angled terminals

slightly bent terminal

slightly bent ascender

slightly angled finials

z yuml v angled finial

offset junction

slightly bent spur

curved tail 6 7

ga ae e g

double-story g

double-story a

more open counter

x-height Meta is a more condensed face than Helvetica and Gill Sans. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s x-height is only slightly lower than that of Helvetica, but both are significantly larger than Gill Sans, which is most discernable in the lower case letters.

AMG C open bowl

oblique stems

dropped cross bar

The M from Gill Sans is based on the proportions of a square: its middle strokes meet at the squareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center.

junction on baseline

more open

no spur

the comparisons Like Meta, the g and a in Gill Sans are distinguishing features for their double-storied construction. However, the g in Meta 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. In addition to the varied stroke weights in Meta, its open counters enhance readability. The counter opening of the “e” and “C” in Meta is about twice as wide as those of Helvetica or Gill Sans.

meta:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

more comparisons

helvetica:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ gill sans:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Meta was created to be a narrow typeface (but not completely condensed) in order to save space. Overall, it is more condensed than most other sans serif typefaces, like Helvetica and Gill Sans.

Both Meta and Helvetica have thin shoulders. The nuanced construction of the Meta typefaces sets it apart from Helvetica’s regularized structure, creating the face’s appealing personality. Some of the letters in Gill Sans on the other hand like the p and q are not consistent with one another, something that Meta achieves successfully. While the dots of Meta and Gill’s letterforms and punctuation are rounded, Helvetica has square dots. Meta’s dot is visibly much larger than Gill Sans, as illustrated in the lower case ‘i’s’ on the far right. 4

! dot

! ! helvetica neue

meta book roman

gill sans

helvetica neue

angled terminal

gill sans

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the references

the bibliography

1 Fonts.com, Available at http://www.fonts. com/AboutFonts/DesignerProfiles/ErikSpiekermann.htm Accessed November 1, 2005

Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word up. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications, 1999. (A&A: VNC999.6.G4 M48 1999 and Vault)

2 Leland M. Hill. Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces (New York: RC Publications), 142-143.

Spiekermann, Erik and Ginger, E.M. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find out how Type Works. USA: Hayden, 1993.

3 Ibid., 143, 144.

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, c2000.(A&A: Z250 .R45 2000)

4 Ibid., 145.

http://www.linotype.com http://www.fonts.com http://www.fontfont.com http://www.typography.com

a bcj d e f g l k hi mun o p qry s t v wx z ! ?

Colophon: Designed by Remy Zagorski in the fall of 2011 for Typography I Communication Design Washington University in St. Louis