Typography Classification Task.

For this task set in the typography workshop as a group we each had to select a serif typeface. I chose 'Century Schoolbook.'

Background Information:
Century Schoolbook is a Transitional classification serif typeface designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1919 for the American Type Founders (ATF) at the request of Ginn & Co, a textbook publisher, who were looking for an especially easy-to-read face for textbooks. It is classified as old style, but the Schoolbook variation has elements similar to the Didone classification. Century Schoolbook is based on the earlier Century Roman.
Century Schoolbook is familiar to many in North America as being the typeface many first learned to read with. Morris Fuller Benton utilized research done by Clark University that showed young readers more quickly identified letterforms with contrasting weight, but with the lighter strokes maintaining presence. Tests also showed the importance of maintaining counter-form (the white space around the black letterform) in recognizing the face at smaller sizes. In designing Century Schoolbook, M. F. Benton increased the x-height, the stroke width, and overall letters pacing. The faces were issued over a period of five years, all of which were designed by Benton and issued by A.T.F.

Category: Serif

Classification: Transitional

Designer: Morris Fuller Benton

Commissioned by : Grinn and Company

Foundry: American Type Founders

Date created: 1918

Date released: 1918 - 1923

Design based on: Century Expanded

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Final Design:

Good points from the group for the task:

• including bio
• including baseline, x-height etc
• grey for comparison type
• put the typeface in a quote to see it in usage

Key identification characters:

• Q - the tail
• a - the terminal
• counters
• stroke weight