Type Categories, part 06: Modern

It’s Monday, and you know what that means… the continuation of the Type Categories series. Woo hoo! Today we’ll look at the Modern typefaces.

Here are some general characteristics of a Modern:
1. Abrupt (unbracketed) hairline (thin) serifs
2. Small aperture
3. Horizontal stress
4. Vertical axis
5. High and abrupt contrast between thick and thin strokes

Now you can spot a Modern typeface. Let me tell you where else you’ll see them for sure: Fashion magazine mastheads. Here are the first three I could think of:

Just because these typefaces are en vogue today, they’re by no means nouveau. Modern type came on the scene around 1775, and represents a further rationalization of Oldstyle letterforms. Serifs were unbracketed, and the contrast between thick and thin strokes was extreme. Here at Reddoor, we consider using a tasteful modern typeface when we want to communicate high-end, sophisticated, expensive, fashionable, or premium. Examples shown below are: Bodoni, Didot, and Walbaum.

Modern, circa 1775

In the spirit of Modern typeface’s, come back on Wednesday and we’ll feature a client where we’ve used a modern type in his logo.

Information cited from: A Type Primer by John Kane,  The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst, and I love Typography.com