Again I find myself assigned to pick out various types of ... well, type.
SO following are ten "strong" serifs and sans serif typefaces that I have found. Enjoy.
SERIF
Gryphius, Roman (MVB): With subtle distortment, nearly chunky strokes, and a classic character style, this typeface stands out. High legibility and noticible character traits would land this guy a place on an ablum insert, movie poster, or themed billboard. I feel like the most typefaces I post on here the more wrong I get... I hope you're not looking at this thinking 'jeez this girl should give up...'
Vitesse, Bold (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): I find the round, yet square shape of the bowls in the characters really modern. It's an overall low-set typeface, making it a compact set just perfect for appealing displays. A nice magazine ad, or a tightly-designed product label.
Goudy, Oldstyle (Lanston Type Company): With the sleek, Baskerville-like style, the descender 'J', swashed 'Q', and wonderfully rounded 'O', this typeface makes for a very clean-cut, Transitional, almost calligraphic, serif. Made for clarity and elegance, this would be really well-suited for a display font, or something with frequent observation.
Diotoma, Roman (Linotype): Beautiful. It's so clean and feels really even, or uniform. It just makes me feel awesome (totally being subjective right now). I feel really strongly about the subtleties within this typeface - such as the tips of the'M' and the almost-serif on the bar of the 't'.. among others. Evident by the example of text I have here, it might be obvious that I feel as though this typeface would be great on book covers or literary publications.
Belucian, Book (Font Bureau): Sadly, I only posted one style of this typeface, but there are tons of variations that make it highly versatile and great for magazine usage (as suggested by the Bureau). With its variation in density, tracking, and style, an entire layout could be designed using this ONE typeface. cool, eh?
Detroit Bodoni (Font Bureau): This typeface is very newspaper-headline-like... like, a kid is selling newspapers in Detroit, "Extra! Extra!... " sorry, random. Seriously, though. The characters are super stereotypical serif, roman, good level of contrast... c'mon! It's beautiful AND highly legible. Great for newspapers, books, anything that requires reading.
Koch Antiqua (Liontype): This typeface has a really calligraphic-feel to it with the diagonal counter within the 'e', the curled serif on the 'l' and the heavy stress on any curved characters. Not to mention that I'm really attracted to odd mean lines. This serif would most likely not be good to use in blocks of text, but could be manipulated to look stupendous as an identity or a one-liner title, kind of deal. (PS, Belle & Sebastian is an actual band... )
Whitney, Book (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): It's slender, tall and curvy... what else could you be looking for? ha. I feel like this typeface is very sensual (not that way, just appealing to the visual sense) because while its legibility isn't compromised, it's very smooth-feeling and would fit well on a packaging design - like shampoo, or something not too flashy.
Whitney, Light (They are both so beautiful I had to post them both... but there are 23851365 varieties of this typeface. SO you should look at them all...these two count as one I think) ... but notice that this Light version has the double-story 'g', while the Book version does not... a foxy, two-timing typeface is what we have on our hands with this 'Whitney' character...
Bumper (Myfonts - from Bitstream): A slab sans serif (I don't think that's an actual term) that is quite cartoony in its appearance and very block-like in its form. It's bold and eye-catching - great for TV show titles, catchy commercials or billboards.
Banjoman, Text Light (Linotype): Thinly cut with very rounded form, this feels quite trendy... almost like it would be on an old diner sign that EVERYONE knows about. It's a recognizable typeface that, I feel, would be appropriate for an identity of somekind...
Neutralizer, Caps (t26 foundry): Unfortunately, this image-size and what not SUCKS and I don't have photoshop, so I apologize... BUT this is a sans typeface that I really think would make an appearace in like, Elle or GQ or whatever those magazines are called. It's thin, modern and wide-set (almost like the women who read those magazines... but I didn't say that) and is all majiscules, which also makes is a great display font or header.
Jefferson, Gothic (Lanston Type Library): So clearly this isn't an entire typeface preview, BUT it is enough for me to say that I love this typeface. The strokes are very uniform and there is variety to many of the characters, making it more versatile than it seem upon first glance. It only has majiscules characters, but seeing as it was created with purpose, one could assume it was developed for headings, display text, or really classy-cool comicstrip advertisements.
Mahlau OT (Font Shop): Another semi-condensed, all majiscule sans. It's very Jazz-clubby... I feel like this would be used on posters for a hip club, on a street sign for a diner, or in an advertiesment for mens' cologne. It's tight and angled and sleek (I like the word 'sleek' if you haven't noticed.
Topaz, Background (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): just a simple SLEEK sans that just covers all the bases, I think. It has a rather metered set width, and it's very clean cut which makes it an excellent choice for any occasion that calls for a quick, uppercase header.
Aerle, Thin (Linotype): Ok, this may not be one of the best choices I could have made, however, I really feel like a typeface that stands out from the norm while still respecting the legibility it needs to possess is worth a shot. It's non-uniform stroke width and unusually low mean line make it interesting and therefore command a certain level of curios attention (in my opinion, anyways)... So I think this would be useful on a poster, a magazine headline or something that perhaps doesn't need to grab your attention like display letters, but can hold your notice for a while.
Enzia, Regular (Linotype): Apparently I'm really drawn to typefaces that would be found on the sides of buildings proclaiming the location of a really awesome place to chill. The subtle, almost serif-qualities, of the 'y', 'r' and others really lead the eye along despite the clean, snazzy edges of the sans. It feels very serif-y, but it's the relaxed, cross-dressing typeface that WOULD be used if I ever opened a club or coffee house.
SERIF
Mercury, Display Small Caps (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): This feeells stable and extremely roman, leaving a very classic-esque impression. It's a very even typeface, the characters seem to have very close spacing and sizing (a uniform set-width, perhaps?)... I feel like this would be great on old book covers, possibly a country club publishing... anything that needs that extra sense of superiority for its complex. ha
PL Torino Outline (Font Shop): A fresh look to the everyday serif characters. It this typeface wasn't just outlines, it would blend in (except the impressive double story 'g' and the swoosh within in) and draw little attention.. but in a world of filled-in strokes, a typeface like this can be useful to grab the eye on a printed page.
PL Torino Outline (Font Shop): A fresh look to the everyday serif characters. It this typeface wasn't just outlines, it would blend in (except the impressive double story 'g' and the swoosh within in) and draw little attention.. but in a world of filled-in strokes, a typeface like this can be useful to grab the eye on a printed page.
Gryphius, Roman (MVB): With subtle distortment, nearly chunky strokes, and a classic character style, this typeface stands out. High legibility and noticible character traits would land this guy a place on an ablum insert, movie poster, or themed billboard. I feel like the most typefaces I post on here the more wrong I get... I hope you're not looking at this thinking 'jeez this girl should give up...'
Vitesse, Bold (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): I find the round, yet square shape of the bowls in the characters really modern. It's an overall low-set typeface, making it a compact set just perfect for appealing displays. A nice magazine ad, or a tightly-designed product label.
Zigurat, Black (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): purely a bold serif typeface. It's certainly an Egyptian typeface (which, in my opinion, almost asserts its awesomeness) and it is, as intended, attention grabbing. So, this would work well on advertisements, billboards... the things that our eyes sweep across quickly - looking for shapes, not letters - so that the message is easily absorbed.
Goudy, Oldstyle (Lanston Type Company): With the sleek, Baskerville-like style, the descender 'J', swashed 'Q', and wonderfully rounded 'O', this typeface makes for a very clean-cut, Transitional, almost calligraphic, serif. Made for clarity and elegance, this would be really well-suited for a display font, or something with frequent observation.
Diotoma, Roman (Linotype): Beautiful. It's so clean and feels really even, or uniform. It just makes me feel awesome (totally being subjective right now). I feel really strongly about the subtleties within this typeface - such as the tips of the'M' and the almost-serif on the bar of the 't'.. among others. Evident by the example of text I have here, it might be obvious that I feel as though this typeface would be great on book covers or literary publications.
Belucian, Book (Font Bureau): Sadly, I only posted one style of this typeface, but there are tons of variations that make it highly versatile and great for magazine usage (as suggested by the Bureau). With its variation in density, tracking, and style, an entire layout could be designed using this ONE typeface. cool, eh?
Detroit Bodoni (Font Bureau): This typeface is very newspaper-headline-like... like, a kid is selling newspapers in Detroit, "Extra! Extra!... " sorry, random. Seriously, though. The characters are super stereotypical serif, roman, good level of contrast... c'mon! It's beautiful AND highly legible. Great for newspapers, books, anything that requires reading.
Koch Antiqua (Liontype): This typeface has a really calligraphic-feel to it with the diagonal counter within the 'e', the curled serif on the 'l' and the heavy stress on any curved characters. Not to mention that I'm really attracted to odd mean lines. This serif would most likely not be good to use in blocks of text, but could be manipulated to look stupendous as an identity or a one-liner title, kind of deal. (PS, Belle & Sebastian is an actual band... )
SANS SERIF
Whitney, Book (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): It's slender, tall and curvy... what else could you be looking for? ha. I feel like this typeface is very sensual (not that way, just appealing to the visual sense) because while its legibility isn't compromised, it's very smooth-feeling and would fit well on a packaging design - like shampoo, or something not too flashy.
Whitney, Light (They are both so beautiful I had to post them both... but there are 23851365 varieties of this typeface. SO you should look at them all...these two count as one I think) ... but notice that this Light version has the double-story 'g', while the Book version does not... a foxy, two-timing typeface is what we have on our hands with this 'Whitney' character...Bumper (Myfonts - from Bitstream): A slab sans serif (I don't think that's an actual term) that is quite cartoony in its appearance and very block-like in its form. It's bold and eye-catching - great for TV show titles, catchy commercials or billboards.
Banjoman, Text Light (Linotype): Thinly cut with very rounded form, this feels quite trendy... almost like it would be on an old diner sign that EVERYONE knows about. It's a recognizable typeface that, I feel, would be appropriate for an identity of somekind...
Neutralizer, Caps (t26 foundry): Unfortunately, this image-size and what not SUCKS and I don't have photoshop, so I apologize... BUT this is a sans typeface that I really think would make an appearace in like, Elle or GQ or whatever those magazines are called. It's thin, modern and wide-set (almost like the women who read those magazines... but I didn't say that) and is all majiscules, which also makes is a great display font or header.
Verlag, Condensed Book (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): While I find this a little similar (generally speaking from an amateur) to the Whitney typeface from before, the characters have thicker strokes and aren't host to the same sensual features... making this typeface much more stable, but with the same legibility and ease on the eye. Again, packaging - or magazine layouts - would suite this guy pretty well.
Jefferson, Gothic (Lanston Type Library): So clearly this isn't an entire typeface preview, BUT it is enough for me to say that I love this typeface. The strokes are very uniform and there is variety to many of the characters, making it more versatile than it seem upon first glance. It only has majiscules characters, but seeing as it was created with purpose, one could assume it was developed for headings, display text, or really classy-cool comicstrip advertisements.
Topaz, Background (Hoefler & Frere-Jones): just a simple SLEEK sans that just covers all the bases, I think. It has a rather metered set width, and it's very clean cut which makes it an excellent choice for any occasion that calls for a quick, uppercase header.
Aerle, Thin (Linotype): Ok, this may not be one of the best choices I could have made, however, I really feel like a typeface that stands out from the norm while still respecting the legibility it needs to possess is worth a shot. It's non-uniform stroke width and unusually low mean line make it interesting and therefore command a certain level of curios attention (in my opinion, anyways)... So I think this would be useful on a poster, a magazine headline or something that perhaps doesn't need to grab your attention like display letters, but can hold your notice for a while.
Enzia, Regular (Linotype): Apparently I'm really drawn to typefaces that would be found on the sides of buildings proclaiming the location of a really awesome place to chill. The subtle, almost serif-qualities, of the 'y', 'r' and others really lead the eye along despite the clean, snazzy edges of the sans. It feels very serif-y, but it's the relaxed, cross-dressing typeface that WOULD be used if I ever opened a club or coffee house.
