Serif
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Sans-serif font |
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Serif font |
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Serif font (serifs in red) |
A serif is a term in typography. If a letter is made of a line or lines, a serif is a tiny decorative line on the ends of letter's 'limbs'. Thus, in the illustration on the right, each serif letter has a serif on the end of its lines.
Alphabetic typefaces either have serifs or not. Those without are called sans-serif faces.
The design of our typefaces started in the 15th century, when the early printers used moulds from which letters made of lead were produced.[1]
The design of these letters were originally based on examples of handwriting and carving. Over the centuries a large number of typefaces were designed, and the serif/sans-serif feature is just one of many issues which type designers have to deal with.[2]
However, the original source of the serif may be in monumental inscriptions. Serifs are on the letters at the base of Trajan's column (built 107~113 AD), and are clearly illustrated in standard textbooks on typography.[1] Indeed, older literature often describes typefaces with serifs as "Roman". The word "serif" seems to be an early 19th century innovation.[3]
Serif Media
Part of image series demonstrating serif vs sans-serif. The font in this image is Liberation Sans. Other images in this series:
Part of image series demonstrating serif vs sans-serif. The font in this image is Liberation Serif. Other images in this series:
Part of image series demonstrating serif vs sans-serif. The font in this image is Liberation Serif. Other images in this series:
Adobe Garamond, an example of an old-style serif.[a]
Times New Roman, a modern example of a transitional serif design.
Bodoni, an example of a modern serif
Rockwell, an example of a more geometric slab serif
Clarendon, an example of a less geometric slab serif
Related pages
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gray, Nicolete 1986. A history of lettering: creative experiment and letter identity, p16, p25 and chapters 9 and 10. Oxford: Phaidon.
- ↑ Drucker J. 1995. The alphabetic labyrinth: the letters in history and imagination. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-28068-1
- ↑ OED first mention of serif in 1830.
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