Posted by Mir Finkelman on

On a black background, reproduced three times, is the fictitious place name ‘Bergaults.’ In the first line, the word is rendered in the typeface ‘FHWA Series E Modified.’ The areas that make this typeface less legible are circled and described in red. They include gaps between sections of the letters, called ‘counter spaces,’ ‘terminating stroke ends,’ or ‘mechanical forms’ and unclear delineation of letter strokes, called ‘stroke massing’ or ‘ambiguous shapes.’ The second line of text is produced in the typeface Clearview 5-W, which minimizes each of these less legible elements and increases readability. The third line shows ‘Bergaults’ in both typefaces, with Clearview overlaid on FHWA Series E to demonstrate the differences. Below, in small white text, an explanation of the above.

On a black ground, at upper left, three rows of type with the fictitious place “Bergaults.” The top one in yellow in FHWA Series E-modified, the middle one in white in ClearviewHwy, and the lower one in white on green showing ClearviewHwy superimposed on the former font. At bottom left, two blocks of text, at lower right exmples of the lowercase “e” with ClearviewHwy superimposed on FHWA Series E-Modified.

Featured Image: • Poster, Comparative Anatomy of FHWA Series E-modified to Clearview 5-W, April 20, 2011; Designed by Donald Meeker (American, b. 1947) and Christopher O’Hara (American, b. 1968) for Meeker & Associates (Larchmont, NY), with graphic design by James Montalbano (American, b. 1953); Color inkjet print with Epson UltraChromeK3 ink on Epson Proofing Paper Commercial; Gift of Donald Meeker, Meeker & Associates, Inc., and James Montalbano, Terminal Design, Inc., 2011-24-1