Page 69 - Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals
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Graphic Design 57
Egyptian
Figure 3.15 Example of Egyptian type
Egyptian is also known as slab serif, square serif, or mechanical (see Figure 3.15). This category of font
was created in England in the 1880s — a design expression of the industrial revolution. The category
was named Egyptian because of the popularity of all things Egyptian after Napoleon’s return from a
three-year Egyptian expedition. The name of the style has nothing to do with any element of Egyptian
culture. The style was created initially for display copy, but over the centuries, fonts like Clarendon have
become popular for setting text blocks because they contain the quality of objectivity and yet still feel
traditional.
Examples of Egyptian fonts include Officina Sans and Officina Serif, Clarendon, and every typewriter
font.
