Helvetica (2007), produced and directed by Gary Hustwit, is a famous documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture, which looks at the proliferation of one typeface as a part of a larger conversations about the way type affects our lives. Following the screening of the film, I was asked to select and analyze two typefaces discussing the designers influences and the fonts' characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. I chose a modern slab serif  typeface called Clarendone that seems to regain its original popularity in a very different post-modern environment as well as an extremely elegant and contemporary sans serif Kozuka Gothic Pro. 


Clarendon is a slab-serif typeface that was created in England by Robert Besley for the Fann Street Foundry in 1845. Clarendon is considered the first registered typeface, with the original matrices and punches remaining at Stephenson Blake and later residing at the Type Museum, London. It was revised by Hermann Eidenbenz in 1953.

The font design was influenced by common wanted posters in American Old West as well as the government proclamations of the German Empire during the World War I.

Until recently, Clarendon Bold was used on a U.S. National Park Service signs. In 2008, the typeface was utilized extensively by the Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain in the re-launch of their corporate identity. The same year the font was used by the Norwich Union building society in rebranding exercise. Clarendon can also be seen in the logotypes of corporations such as Sony, Pitchfork Media, and Wells Fargo.

Clarendon is classified as a slab serif font which hybridize the bold presentation of a sans-serif and the horizontal stress of a serif face, characterized by an overall consistency in stroke weight. The serifs and the stems are of a similar weight. The body of a slab serif is often wider than what is considered normal.

Clarendon is a dynamic typeface full of contrasts. It can be distinguished by a contrast between angular serifs and round terminals (for example: r, g, a, y). There is also a contrast within a single stroke - flaring in thickness from the middle point of the stem outwards to the terminal (modulation). The speed of transition between thicker and thinner strokes (ductus) is rather vigorous making the typeface feel more active and energetic. The angular and rigid serifs contrast also with elliptical eyes and curvy bowls and shoulders.

Claredon’s joints are rather smooth with curves flowing into the stems with slow ductus giving the face slightly more relaxed and casual feel.
The relatively small x-height, shallow descenders and small counters give the face condensed, yet bold and legible feeling.

According to Return of the Serif by Scott Billings (Design Week January 2009) slab serifs are returning as a trend in magazines and newspapers. In 2005 The Guardian’s redesign led to the iconic Helvetica headers being replaced with slab serif font Guardian Egyptian.
Most serif typefaces are being redesigned to be used in display and advertising. Serifs now are much bolder and “in-your-face” even thought they are still traditional in some ways.


Kozuka Gothic Pro is a Japanese humanist typeface, designed as a sans-serif companion to Kozuka Mincho family. The Japanese letters were designed by Masahiko Kozuka and Adobe’s Japanese type design team. The Latin letters in Kozuka Gothic were adapted from award-winning Myriad designed by Robert Slimbach and Carol Twombly for Adobe Systems.

It is easily recognized due to its special ‘y’ descender, slanting ‘e’ cut and rounded curves. The typeface designers developed clear image, visual strength and clarity. Recently, the typeface has been effectively used in the advertising campaign for MacBook Air.

The Kozuka Gothic typeface family, composed of six different weights to cover various uses ranging from body text composition to headlines, have now been completed as OpenType fonts. It has systematically designed glyph shapes with good design consistency, and fine printability. Retaining the clear and modern feeling of Kozuka Mincho, Kozuka Gothic has the visual strength required for a Gothic typeface.

Kozuka Gothic Pro has relatively big x-hight, which makes the letters look open and inviting and increases their legibility. There is very little contrast between thicks and thins. The letters have strokes of the same weight, which produces an even, regular and consistent rhythm.

The visual elegancy of Kozuka Gothic Pro is a result of slick and simple letter design. Bowls, shoulders and eyes of the type are elliptical and fluid. Apertures, the entry into the counters of letters such as the lowercase ‘e’ and ‘a’, are open and inviting.