Rga

Symmetrical serif with abrupt bracket

Moderate contrast, stress angle varies

Transitional Serif

Bulbous terminals

Horazontal terminals

Very wide “R” is a product of normalised letter widiths

Typeface shown: Baskerville URW

As we move further away from type’s calligraphic roots, contrast increases and the stress axis turns more upright and variable within each typeface rather than staying consistent as it does in the Humanist serifs. Letters in these typefaces are more regular in shape and proportion and apertures are slightly smaller. Transitional serifs still have a gradual, bracketed transition from the stem, and terminals are often bulbous

Neo-Grotesque Sans

Typeface shown: Acumin

Neo-Grotesques (Neo-Grotesk in German-speaking parts of Europe) are even more rationalised extensions of the Grotesque style. These typefaces, pioneered by Helvetica and Univers, have very little stroke contrast, horizontal terminals and quite closed apertures. Their homogenized forms are graphically appealing at large sizes, so they often fare better in Display settings.

Rational Serif

Typeface shown: Bodoni MT

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Humanists. Rational serifs have a strong, vertical contrast between thick vertical stems and fine horizontal hairlines. Because these typefaces are not so much written as constructed, their letterforms are very even in proportion and structure. Serifs are generally symmetrical, and can be bracketed, like Melior and Miller, or thin and abrupt, like the Didones (Bodoni and Didot).

Minimal contrast. verical stress

Gothic Sans

Simple double-story “a” with diagonally orientated bowl and not tail

“g” is commonly a binocular form

Typeface shown: Franklin Gothic Demi

Some English and American variants of the Grotesque style are known as Gothics. While the differences are sometimes in name alone, there are a few distinctions that can be drawn. These include a large x-height, forms that are simpler and more static, very low contrast, and often a condensed width with an upright stance derived from flat-sided rounds. Typefaces like DIN—designed by engineers for industrial use— could be considered Geometric sans serifs but also share many traits with these Gothics.

Heavy wedge serifs