![]() ![]() I’ve been following the rise of popular free and open-source typefaces for the last two years and I have found that very few of the free text typefaces that are suitable for scholarly books support a full range of typographic features. The completeness of this list of additional features is what makes or breaks a good text typeface and not all free fonts come with these features. Most scholarly manuscripts will need OpenType font features such as small capitals, oldstyle figures, ligatures, fractions and support for foreign characters. Unlike popular literature, scholarly texts have very specific text requirements. Is it time to take a second look at free text typefaces for your next book design project? My first answer is “yes,” but let me qualify that answer with a cautious, “It depends.” As a result, the number of professional-quality fonts that have been vetted by designers has grown exponentially. Open-source initiatives by companies like Google (e.g., Google Fonts), the emergence of open-source type foundries like The League of Moveable Type, and an abundance of online platforms for creative people to share and evaluate their work publicly (e.g., Behance), has spurred a new creative wave of free and open-source font designs. Traditionally regarded by most professional designers as junk, free and open-source fonts have recently gained more acceptance on the design scene. Open-source fonts: Time to take another look More often than not your search will end when you find the perfect commercial font that neither you nor your client can afford. But sometimes a manuscript will require something new, something fresh and so you begin the search for the perfect typeface. Classics like Sabon, Caslon, Baskerville, Garamond, Jenson, Bembo, Minion, and a few more are in every book designer’s toolbox. For scholarly books, this list is often comprised of a few traditional humanist and modern typefaces that have been tested by time. Most professional book designers find themselves returning to a favourite set of reliable typefaces over and over again. A Book Designer’s Toolbox: Free FontsĪ text typeface, or type used for the body of a book, is the backbone of book design. Writing about using open source typefaces on behalf of Athabasca University Press is our in-house designer and web technician, Sergiy Kozakov. Whether it be a beautifully balanced page, a clever cover design, or a stirring image we, like so many of you, dote over our books, agonize over the smallest detail, all in the hopes of finding the right package for the words and for the reader. Yes, we’re open access and yes, we love the printed book. Today, members of the university press community are sharing information, stories, and tips about book design.Īthabasca University Press books have been recognized on many occasions by both regional and national associations for their high production values and beautiful design. Happy University Press Week to everyone who is celebrating alongside the members of Association of American University Presses (AAUP). 11 November 2015 A Book Designer’s Toolbox: Free Fonts ![]()
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