Widths (Compressed, Condensed, Narrow, Normal, etc.).Weights (Bold, Black, Light, Thin, etc.).Those fonts can be different in a number of ways: A typeface is a collection of different related fonts. So, what is the difference between a font and a typeface? The former is just the subset of the latter. Back then you needed a different set of metal blocks for each font: Helvetica Bold 16 pt was indeed vastly different from Helvetica Ultra Light 12 pt.

The word font (‘fount’ originally) is tied to the old process of printing words using metal blocks, from the Old French verb fondre, meaning ‘to pour out, melt, smelt’. And it is different from Helvetica Neue UltraLight 12 point. If Helvetica is actually a typeface, then what is a font? A font is a subset of a typeface, with width, weights, size, and other details specified.įor example, Helvetica Bold 16 point is a font. That’s also in part because mass digitization made the distinction less crucial: Why bother with particularities when typeface, font size, bolding or italicization is done with a few clicks? What is a Font? Why do we call Helvetica or Arial or Times New Roman a font then? The conflation of the terms started with the digital age, with Microsoft Word having just fonts, no typefaces. By this definition, Helvetica is a typeface. The main stylistic choices in typography – for example, the concepts it reflects and the purposes it serves – all concern the typeface, not the font. But what is a typeface? A typeface is the design of the text, sometimes also known as a family of fonts. So, is Helvetica a font or a typeface? According to classic definitions, it’s a typeface. Differences Between Fonts and Typefaces.

Define font for picsart android