Garamond X Futura Booklet

This booklet compares similarities and differences between a serif typeface and a sans serif typeface: Garamond and Futura. Throughout the booklet, large letterforms of both Garamond and Futura allow for viewers to get a closer look at the finer details and features of the typefaces.

YEAR 2018

ROLE Visual Design, Photo Editing & Retouching, Typesetting

Garamond

Garamond is a typeface designed by Claude Garamond in the 16th century, known for its balance of elegance and practicality. It evolved from Manutius’s Bembo and featured broad forms and light proportions, contributing to the decline of blackletter in French publishing and the rise of roman faces. Garamond is also credited with establishing one of the first type foundries and for being the first to pair italic with roman type. Although Garamond’s popularity waned after his death, it was revived in the 19th century by the French National Printing Office and gained traction after World War I. The Lanston Monotype Corporation later adapted Garamond for mass printing, reflecting a trend among typesetting companies to create typefaces based on historical designs.

Futura

Futura, designed by Paul Renner in 1927, reflects the geometric and engineering focus of its era, embodying the Art Deco aesthetic with its even stroke widths and circular shapes. Renner, a German typographer and graphic designer, began his career as a painter and later became the director of the Munich School for Master Book Printers before being dismissed by the Nazi regime in 1933. Futura, considered the first modern geometric sans serif, drew inspiration from Herbert Bayer's Universal typeface and Bauhaus ideals, although Renner was not directly associated with the movement. The typeface quickly set a standard for modern sans serif designs, influencing numerous type foundries. Renner viewed Futura as a "serifless roman," modeled after classical forms, and aimed to adapt it for contemporary use while emphasizing functionality in design.

Type Comparison

Garamond and Futura are both effective for title texts due to their simple letterforms, but they serve different purposes in typography. Garamond is suitable for body text, noted for its legibility and absence of exaggerated features, while Futura is less effective for running text because its large counters can create gaps and require more leading. Studies show that simpler designs like Garamond enhance legibility, whereas Futura's uniform stroke weights contribute to a modern aesthetic. Although both typefaces have good balance and proportions, Garamond is recognized as one of the most readable serif fonts for print. In contrast, Futura, designed by Renner, aims to be a completely original modern typeface, reflecting contemporary design rather than historical models.