from albertus to zapf dingbats: the 52 fonts that you could use instead of helvetica

This was a series of posts that I started to celebrate the first birthday of this blog in November 2007. It was inspired by Gary Hustwit's Helvetica movie and the intention was to post two fonts every two weeks for the second year of the blog and working through the alphabet from A to Z.

Well I did complete the task within the year, although I didn't always make the fortnightly schedule. And then it had been my intention to go back and present these 52 fonts in a more accessible fashion (than having to work backwards through the category listings). It's taken me another year to get round to doing that (sorry) - but at least I'm well in time for the blog's third birthday next month.

Now, to explain why the 52 fonts, here's what I wrote at the time by way of an introduction:

"...before I start, let's get something straight. Don't expect in-depth critiques on this blog. If you really want to get serious about typography, then there are better places to go: like I love typography or Dalton Maag. And if you're simply looking for a particular font, then try Indentifont.

No, this is about variety: a sort 'Joy of Text'. The design equivalent of 'there's more to life than the missionary position'. Because, speaking as a designer, it's very easy to get caught in a rut of using a few favourite fonts. Even more so if you work for clients who have a brand identity: because then you'll very often be told to adhere to guidelines which will specify the fonts that you're allowed to use. Usually one serif and one sans serif. Which is fine up to a point. But it probably wasn't why we became designers in the first place.

So this is an encouragement to let ourselves go. Loosen up those brand requirements. And have a bit of font fun (and, no, that doesn't mean you're allowed to use the one that dare not pass a designer's lips)."

And so here are the more easily accessible 52:

A for Albertus and Avenir

B for Bodoni and Bell Gothic

C for Century Schoolbook and Cooper Black

D for DIN and Didot

E for Edwardian Script and European Pi

F for Foundry Sans and Futura

G for Gill Sans and Goudy Old Style

H for Haarlemmer and Holloander

I for Ionic and Industrial Gothic

J for... well, J turned out to be the Joker in the pack - so you'll find J for Joanna here and J for Johnston here

K for Kabel and Kepler

L for Litera and Lubalin Graph

M for Meta and Modern

N for News Gothic and Nimrod

O for Optima and Octavian

P for Perpetua and Palatino

Q for Quadra 57 and Quay Sans

R for Rockwell and Rotis

S for Sabon and Snell Roundhand

T for Trajan and Trade Gothic

U for Univers and Utopia

V for Van Dijk and Verdana

W for Walbaum and Warnock

X for Xenara and Xheighter

Y for Yanus and Ying

And finally Z for Zemestro and Zapf Dingbats

Comments

[sarah]

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[davidthedesigner]

Hey there Papia,

I'm not in the least bit interested. Nor, I suspect, is anybody else who happens to read this blog.

Thanks for the flattery though.

Kind regards,
davidthedesigner