Bitstream Charter
| 300px | |
| Category | Serif |
|---|---|
| Classification | Transitional serif Slab-Serif |
| Designer(s) | Matthew Carter |
| Foundry | Bitstream Inc. |
| Date created | 1987 |
| License | [1] |
Bitstream Charter is a serif typeface designed by Matthew Carter in 1987 for Bitstream Inc.[1] Charter is based on Pierre-Simon Fournier’s characters, originating from the 18th century.[2] Classified by Bitstream as a transitional-serif typeface (Bitstream Transitional 801), it also has features of a slab-serif typeface and is often classified as such.[3][4]
Charter was originally optimized for printing on the low-resolution 300 dpi laser printers of the 1980s, and remains suitable for printing on both modern high-resolution laser printers and inexpensive lower resolution inkjet printers due to its strong, legible design. Its structure was optimised for low-memory computers and printers. In a 2013 interview, Carter explained that it used "a very simplified structure and a minimum number of curves, more straight-line segments... very economical compared to, say, Times New Roman."[5] In its simplification of serif forms, it anticipates Carter's later landmark design, Georgia.
In 1992 Bitstream donated a version of Charter, along with its version of Courier, to the X Consortium under terms that allowed the font to be modified and redistributed. This has resulted in open source derivatives of Bitstream Charter, including Charis SIL.[6] Some consider Bitstream Charter to be one of the best free fonts available.[7]
Due to its popularity, a new Charter Pro release of the typeface was released in 2004, with an expanded character set including additional symbols, ranging figures (old-style) and small capitals.[8] This version was later added as a system font on OS X.[citation needed]
Carter was later asked by Monotype to consider releasing a sans-serif companion to Charter. Finding his attempts unsatisfying, he scrapped the idea for a more radical, less directly complementary design, Carter Sans.
History
Charter is based on the characters[9] of Pierre-Simon Fournier, a French 18th century punch-cutter, typefounder and typographic theoretician who invented the “point system”, standardized measurement system for font sizes.
References
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External links
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
- Free Bitstream Charter as OTF, TTF and webfonts
- Updated Bitstream Charter for sale on MyFonts
- Graphic Content: Carter Sans, by Steven Heller, New York Times, February 2, 2011
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OS X typefaces
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| Latin, Greek, Cyrillic |
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| Non-alphabetic | |
