The Periodic Table of Typefaces
Ivan | Thu, 2009-03-12 20:16
The Periodic Table of Typefaces is obviously in the style of all the thousands of over-sized Periodic Table of Elements posters hanging in schools and homes around the world. This particular table lists 100 of the most popular, influential and notorious typefaces today.
As with traditional periodic tables, this table presents the subject matter grouped categorically. The Table of Typefaces groups by families and classes of typefaces: sans-serif, serif, script, blackletter, glyphic, display, grotesque, realist, didone, garalde, geometric, humanist, slab-serif and mixed.
Each cell of the table lists the typeface and a one or two character "symbol" (made up by me simply based on logic), the designer, year designed and a ranking of 1 through 100.
Ranking was determined by statistically sorting and combining lists and opinions from the the sites listed below. The final overall ranking was achieved depending on how many lists the particular typeface was presented on and it's ranking on the lists (if the particular source list used a ranking system; some did not, in which case just the typeface's presence on the list boosted it's overall score.) After averaging the typefaces appearances and rankings a composite score was given and the list was sorted on a spreadsheet then finally given an overall score of 1 through 100 based on its final resting position.
Unfortunately, the typefaces could not be sorted exactly numerically on the table while at the same time keeping them in groups of families and classes. It had to be one or the other. Of course it COULD have been done but I would have had to seriously sacrifice aesthetics of the overall design (i.e. it wouldn't have come out looking AT ALL like a traditional periodic table.) However, upon close inspection, you find that at least the typefaces are ordered within their family/class groupings.
Source: beheance
| Attachment | Size |
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| Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces_large.jpg | 1.64 MB |
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wow!!!! it is amazing the way you mixed together two complex topics and had a great result out of it..
I think its a great way to get people to visualized type and its influence to graphics....
Thanks for the pic. : )
My people tell me that Macs can only use half of these fonts an linux less than half as many as the Mac!
SHAMEFUL!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
I am not Steve Ballmer pretending not to be me!
Does anyone care?
Jack
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BRANDING | PRINT | WEB
www.jhousedesign.com
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Forgive me if you have an established "giving one another shit relationship" with the person whom you made your comment to. However, you seem angry. You always seem to have rude comments to post. Why is that? I don't think it's necessary for you to post anything under someone making a simple statement. Not that I have any more a right bitching at you but....you just seem to be, in my opinion, a very rude person. Does that work well in business for you?
Dude - sort it out.
This punk always posts crap about MS Paint and Windows.
You dont know what you're on about. Haha
Jack
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BRANDING | PRINT | WEB
www.jhousedesign.com
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"Does that work well in business for you?"
BTW - Do you think I'm like 4 or something??
Jack
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BRANDING | PRINT | WEB
www.jhousedesign.com
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You apparently have "issues" which stem from your Apple-fixation!
I care!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
I am not Steve Ballmer pretending not to be me!
No I just dont have time for people who waste other people's time.
Jack
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BRANDING | PRINT | WEB
www.jhousedesign.com
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I know hes intelligent but maybe h dont have emotional intelligence. Maybe that's the reason why hs insensitive.
????
Jack
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BRANDING | PRINT | WEB
www.jhousedesign.com
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Thank you for this and all the wonderful little resources you have provided. I feel very fortunate to have stumbled upon this site. Having access to so many well established designers is fabulous, for me as a newbie student and all. I am very grateful for how many of the members are so willing to give advice and guidance to other members. Anyway...Thanks! Tina :)
Thank you for your kind words. I will try live up this expectation.
Where can I buy a print of this? :)
Where can we buy?
What? No Comic Sans?! LOL!
LOL, I wanted to comment the same. It's an outrage!
http://www.noneofyour.bz
my little blog:
http://www.notv.hu
Thanks for all your kind words. It looks like some clarification is in order though.
First, have a look at the explanation text I provided on the original posting of the design at the Behance Network:
http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Periodic-Table-of-Typefaces/193759
You'll see that I didn't choose what typefaces made it on the table, I simply averaged and statistically sorted the credited existing lists to come up with the "ultimate" list of 1-100. No Comic Sans? That's because it wasn't on the source lists (and for good reason!)
To steveballmer: I'm not going to get into a Mac/PC war (I use both) but as far as saying that half these typefaces don't work on a Mac is simply untrue. I made this design on a Mac and they all worked and still work fine.
As far as requests for prints: I'm working on it. I could have had something ready by now, but I'm holding out for my favorite traditional letterpress shop to print it. I'm in talks with the owner now. I think the design would be greatly enhanced by their work: traditional, old style letterpress on some heavy, textured stock. I've got tons of e-mails asking for a print and I'll be letting everyone know when I've got something set in stone.
Also, at that time (once I get prints in hand), I'll be releasing the source files (vectored and very large scale pdf) to whoever is interested for whatever price they want to pay (or not pay). The source files will be limited to personal use only, up to 5 projects and not to be distributed.
Oh and Ivan, the large image you have linked to above is an older version that has a couple of minor discrepancies (read: typos, haha) the latest large version is here:
http://www.squidspot.com/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces_large.jpg
Again, thanks so much for the kind words (and thanks Ivan for posting the design) and I'm glad I found this site. It's really great!
Thanks for the correction. And, do let us know when prints are available! :)
VERY cool!
Is it possible to get this table in poster form?
Best,
A.B
http://insidethatad.blogspot.com/
See two comments above.
Prints, source files, and other stuff is now finally available!
here:
http://www.squidspot.com/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces.html
Thanks for all the kind comments and support!
- Cam
Great news! thanks!
That is sweet. Thank you... I'm using this as my wallpaper now. :-)