SR1: Brendan Pestana

Didot

Designed by Firmin Didot in 1783, the Didot typeface is characterized by consistently horizontal stress, flat and unbracketed serifs, and a high constrast between thin and thick strokes.

During the late eighteenth century the style dominated modern culture. Didot was a member of the Parisian dynasty that dominated French typefounding for two centuries. He is known today for drawing inspiration from the cultures of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome and appropriating it into a modern style.

Firmin Didot was a French printer, engraver and type founder. He invented the word “Stereotype”, which in printing refers to the metal plate created for the actual printing of pages, as opposed to printing pages directly with moveable type. The original method of application of the Didot print was composed using these metal machines. 

Along with Giambattista Bodoni of Italy, Firmin Didot is credited with establishing the use of “modern” classifications typefaces. This typeface remained the standard in France for a century and still is used widely today. It remains France’s greatest contribution to type design.

Baskerville’s types, compared with their Old Style (or Garalde) predecessors, are marked by high contrast between thick and thin strokes. The classifications Moderns and Didones take this contrast to further extremes (just about as far as one can take them). Didot is both these classifications.

Characteristics

1. High and abrupt contrast between thick and thin strokes

2. Abrupt (unbracketed) hairline (thin) serifs

3. Vertical axis

4. Horizontal stress

5. Small aperture

Both the Didones and the Modern types share a common vertical (rationalist) axis, yet the moderns have greater contrast between strokes. The Didones are also said to have drawn inspiration from Romantic themes. 

The vertical axis and horizontal stress of the Moderns creates an elegant, calm and controlled look. The styles are best suited for short text, as the verticality of the letter forms interferes with the text’s horizontal rhythm, leading our eyes up and down.

Modern-day Moderns

Moderns are usually the mark of an expensive  or premium brand. Common in high-end fashion magazines.

Johnathan Hoefler is responsible for reworking the old archetecture of the Didot typeface into something more contemporary.

References

http://typedia.com/explore/typeface/didot/

http://www.typography.com/fonts/font_overview.php?productLineID=100004

http://www.identifont.com/show?2T3

http://ilovetypography.com/2008/05/30/a-brief-history-of-type-part-4/