几乎所有的设计师，从品牌设计师到UI设计师，都很敬业 typography 设计师s，可以从扩展他们的排版和字体分类知识中受益. Possibly with the exception of color, 在设计中使用的不同类型的字体对用户感知设计的方式比任何其他单独的设计元素都有更大的影响.

Great typography can elevate a design from “good” to “amazing,而糟糕的排版设计(或者更糟——难以辨认的字体)甚至会使“最好”的项目无法使用. Taking time to learn about typographical elements 我能帮上忙吗? 设计师 improve their craft and create superior finished projects.

排版 Basics

There are five basic classifications of typefaces: serif, sans serif, script, monospaced, and display.

As a general rule, serif and sans 衬线字体 是否用于正文或标题(包括标题、徽标等).), while script and display typefaces are only used for headlines. Monospaced typefaces are 一般 used for displaying code, though they can also be used for body and headline copy, and were originally used on typewriters.

并不是所有的衬线字体和无衬线字体都同样适用于正文和标题. Different typefaces are more legible than others at small sizes, while others are more suitable for larger type. (这类信息一般可以在各种字体的商业描述中找到.)

History of Typeface Styles

The oldest typefaces were called 黑字母, and date back to the 1400s. These early typefaces were reminiscent of handwritten calligraphy.

After 黑字母 came the first 衬线字体. 衬线包括轻微的突出，以完成其字体的笔画(称为 衬线, where the style gets its name). Emerging in the 1500s, the first 衬线 were Old Style 衬线. This style includes Garamond and Goudy Old Style.

The successors to the Old Style 衬线 were called Transitional 衬线, which made their first appearance in the 1700s. 这些字体有很高的笔画对比，比旧体字体更挺拔.

过渡衬线字体的自然演变趋势在19世纪被称为现代衬线. These Modern 衬线 include font types like Didot and Bodoni. 它们的笔画之间有强烈的对比，衬线上没有括号.

Slab 衬线 are the final evolution of the serif style. With the advent of mechanization (e.g the Steam Press, 1814), and other important innovations in printing technology, 广告业也掀起了一股新浪潮，广告商们开始追求一种真正彰显其存在感的大胆字体, 它们的设计部分是为了承受更多的工业印刷过程. They have little contrast between strokes and most are unbracketed. Slab 衬线字体 include Rockwell and Clarendon, among others. 它们有时被认为是打字机的字体，但在整个20世纪被广泛使用.

虽然衬线字体是在最初的黑体字母之后发展起来的第一个字体， sans 衬线字体 largely came on to the design scene in the early 20th century. 这些早期的无衬线字体被称为怪诞字体或哥特式字体，包括富兰克林哥特式字体. 他们被称为“怪诞”，因为他们拒绝更“优雅”的衬线设计元素.

在20世纪后期，在怪诞来到新怪诞无衬线字体之后. 这些字体被设计得比早期的同类字体更易读，而且通常更简洁 设计. Helvetica and Arial are both examples of Neo-Grotesque sans 衬线.

除了无衬线字体外，还有几何风格和人文风格. 几何无衬线，就像现代衬线一样，把这种风格带到了边缘. 它们的字母形式基于简单的几何形状——最著名的是圆形的“O”形——非常现代. 然而，它们超现代的外形确实牺牲了小尺寸的易读性. Futura is the most notable Geometric sans serif.

人性化的无衬线字体试图保留一些自然笔迹对早期字体的影响. 通过可变笔画宽度等功能，字体变得更加平易近人. Gill Sans is one of the more popular sans 衬线字体.

其他字体样式——脚本字体和显示字体——很难按照时间轴进行分类. 黑体字在技术上是一种脚本字体，而新的脚本一直在开发中. 显示字体也是如此:它们几乎和活字本身一样长.

而它们被设计的时间段里有很长的路要走，以帮助识别不同的字体. 因为不同的风格可以在一个项目中唤起不同的感觉(正式的或随意的), traditional or modern, 等.), 了解将这些风格彼此区分开来的具体特征对于开发人员来说是有价值的知识 设计师. 下面的排版信息图包含了如何区分每种风格的信息.