Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Wed, January 14, 2009 Monotype Imaging Announces the Egyptian Slate Typeface Family
WOBURN, Mass.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--The 12-font Egyptian Slate™ typeface family is the latest addition to the Monotype® library from Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: TYPE), a leading global provider of text imaging solutions. Created by type designer, Rod McDonald, and based on his Slate™ design, Egyptian Slate fonts are available for viewing, licensing and downloading from the company's e-commerce sites, Fonts.com, Linotype.com, ITCFonts.com and Faces.co.uk.
"A slab serif design, Egyptian Slate has a straightforward, honest quality that will shine in everything from advertising headlines to corporate identity," said Allan Haley, director of words and letters at Monotype Imaging. "Egyptian Slate is yet another design from Rod that will prove its worth in a variety of text and display applications."
"A serif complement to the Slate family was a natural addition," said McDonald, an award-winning Canadian type designer with more than 50 fonts in the Monotype library. "I began developing the first sketches well before the release of the original Slate design. After a number of trials incorporating different serif designs, it became apparent that a slab serif version would be the best route to take."
Slab serif typefaces, characterized by thick, blocky serifs, are also known as Egyptian typefaces. The introduction of slab serif metal types in the early 1800s coincided with a fascination with Egyptian artifacts. "People in Europe and North America were attracted to all things Egyptian, whether they were authentic or not. This trend has been credited to Napoleon's Egyptian expedition and publications of the time that depicted images from Egypt. Perhaps slab serif typefaces got caught up in the craze, but it's a fitting description – and a great name for Rod's typeface," said Haley.
McDonald also serves as a "Design Fellow" at Monotype Imaging, collaborating one-on-one with staff designers to create new fonts exclusive to the company. In the case of Egyptian Slate, McDonald drew the six roman weights but worked with Monotype Imaging's Carl Crossgrove to design the italic counterparts. Crossgrove had also collaborated with McDonald to create the condensed range of Slate fonts.
McDonald's 12-font Slate family, released exclusively to the Monotype library in 2006, was inspired by his interest and research on legibility. Crossgrove's six condensed fonts were added in 2007. Slate fonts may also be licensed by consumer electronics device manufacturers and developers requiring fonts that display with high legibility.
Availability
Individual fonts, selection packs and typeface families can be viewed, purchased and downloaded from [ www.fonts.com ], [ www.linotype.com ], [ www.itcfonts.com ] and [ www.faces.co.uk ]. Customers may also contact Monotype Imaging in the U.S. toll-free at 800-424-8973, or in Europe at (+44 0)1737 765959, or 001781 970-6020, option 2. Linotype in Germany can be reached at +49 (0) 6172 484-418. Customers from other parts of the world may dial 001 781 970-6020 (U.S.).
Slate fonts are available as OpenType® Pro fonts, which offer an extended character set supporting most Central European and many Eastern European languages. OpenType fonts operate in both Windows® and Macintosh® platforms.
About Monotype Imaging
Monotype Imaging is a global provider of text imaging solutions for manufacturers and developers of consumer electronics devices including laser printers, copiers, mobile phones, digital televisions, set-top boxes, digital cameras and software applications and operating systems. The company also provides printer drivers and color imaging technologies to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). Monotype Imaging technologies are combined with access to more than 10,000 typefaces from the Monotype, Linotype and ITC typeface libraries – home to some of the world's most widely used designs, including the Times New Roman®, Helvetica® and ITC Franklin Gothic™ typefaces. Fonts are licensed to creative and business professionals through custom font design services, direct sales or e-commerce portals. Monotype Imaging offers fonts and industry-standard solutions that support all of the world's major languages. The company is based in Woburn, Mass., with regional offices in the U.K., Germany (Linotype), Mt. Prospect, Ill., Redwood City, Calif., Boulder, Colo., Japan and China. Information about Monotype Imaging and its products can be found at[ www.monotypeimaging.com ], [ www.fonts.com ], [ www.linotype.com ], [ www.monotypefonts.com ], [ www.itcfonts.com ], [ www.customfonts.com ], [ www.fontwise.com ], [ www.fonts.hk ] and [ www.faces.co.uk ].
Monotype is a trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Slate and Egyptian Slate are trademarks of Monotype Imaging Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Times New Roman is a trademark of The Monotype Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Linotype is a trademark of Linotype GmbH registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Helvetica is a trademark of Linotype Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions in the name of Linotype Corp. or its licensee Linotype GmbH. ITC is a trademark of International Typeface Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. ITC Franklin Gothic is a trademark of International Typeface Corp. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Windows and OpenType are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent Office and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2009 Monotype Imaging Inc. All rights reserved.
