The Monotype Grotesque typefaces were among the first sans serifs cut for hot-metal machine typesetting. Designer Rod McDonald describes them as “hidden gems that deserved to be updated.” In 2008, Monotype gave McDonald the go-ahead to draw what was to become the Classic Grotesque typeface family. In retrospect, McDonald comments, “I had no idea how demanding – and rewarding – the project would be.” 

The Classic Grotesque family includes seven weights, from light to extra bold, each with a cursive italic complement – for a total of 14 styles. The family is available as OpenType Pro fonts, allowing for the automatic insertion of ligatures, fractions and the alternate two-story ‘g’ and single-story ‘a’ McDonald designed. Pro fonts also include an extended character set, which enables the setting of most Central European and many Eastern European languages.

The Akko family conspires to be both technical and warmly humanist. The typeface’s compactness makes it perfectly suited for situations where space is at a premium, and its crisp legibility is great for wayfinding and headlines; readable at speed, the Akko family is strong enough to stand out in busy environments.

Wrought with both utility and a friendly buoyancy, the Akko family is available in 24 styles – from thin to black – for desktop downloads and through the Fonts.com Web Fonts Service.

A collection of slab serif typefaces, the Amasis family is rendered with a humanist influence. Designed by noted British type designer Ron Carpenter, the Amasis family retains a delicate elegance despite a slight underpinning of an industrial aesthetic. A combination of such traits is quite difficult to accomplish, yet Carpenter deftly succeeds with this family.

Available in 10 weights ranging from light to black, the Amasis designs are available for desktop licensing as well as through the Fonts.com Web Fonts Service.

The Slate family, designed by Rod McDonald, is available in six weights – from a svelte light to a commanding black – each with a complementary italic produced in collaboration with Carl Crossgrove. The family is also available as OpenType Pro fonts which offer an extended character set that supports most Central European and many Eastern European languages.

Exceptionally versatile, the Slate family is available in 12 weights for desktop licensing as well as through the Fonts.com Web Fonts Service.

While created for use with modern printing methods, the Sackers Gothic family very much retains a spirit of historical engraving typefaces. The family's letterforms are sturdy without being stern, and project a decidedly refined character.

The Sackers Gothic typeface family – in both light, medium, and heavy weights – is available for desktop licensing as well as through the Fonts.com Web Fonts Service.

A sans serif developed by Malaysia-born designer Ong Chong Wah, the Abadi type family is modern and affable. Although sometimes classified as humanist, the family is generally considered a blend of both humanist and neo-grotesque sans serifs.

The generous x-height of the Abadi family, as well as a wide range of weights and widths, provides designers a handsome – yet robust – typographic workhorse.

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, TypeSETit is the foundry of type designer Rob Leuschke. Describing himself as a lettering artist, Lueschke’s foundry has produced a rich and accomplished range of calligraphic scripts.

From bright and casual handwriting designs, to traditionally elegant formal scripts, more than 75 styles of TypeSETit offerings are available for desktop licensing through Fonts.com.

Above, top row: the Cherish and Jackie-O typefaces. Middle row: the Water Brush and Inspiration typefaces. Bottom row: the Corinthia Professional typeface.

Fonts.com is proud to now offer typefaces from Hoftype. The foundry of Dieter Hofrichter, Hoftype was founded in Munich, Germany in 2010. Hofrichter designs faces for professional applications, as well as modern revivals of classic designs – more than a dozen of his families are available on Fonts.com, each with an impressive collection of weights and widths.

Above, top row: the Impara and Erato typefaces. Middle row: the Sonus and Cassia typefaces. Bottom row: the Epoca and Sixta typefaces.

The Harmonia Sans typeface family combines designer Jim Wasco’s favorite aspects of classic geometric sans faces with an elegant un-geometric twist. The result is an extensive family that works seamlessly on the printed page and on screen. We're currently giving away the black weight of this fantastic typeface with each purchase. No hassle to you, we’ll automatically add it to your cart when you check out. If you like it, why not try and buy the full family?

Some type designers are seemingly born into the craft. Others find their career in typeface design as the result of a momentous event. A postcard – just your garden-variety postcard – was the impetus that brought George Ryan into a life of type.

Born in Rockville Centre, New York, in 1950, Ryan was in his late 20s and working in a print shop when a co-worker flipped a postcard across the print room. The projectile narrowly missed Ryan as he was working on a particularly delicate job. Rather than retaliate this juvenile stunt, he decided to grab a newspaper and head for a quiet place to “cool off.”  There was a help wanted ad in the classifieds of the newspaper for “letter drawers” at Mergenthaler Linotype. “The rest,” according to Ryan, “is history – my history.” 

After four years of honing his craft, Ryan moved to Boston and joined the then nascent Bitstream Inc., advancing from designer to manager, and then from manager to Director of Typographic Production.

Working at the startup for over a decade, Ryan and some fellow colleagues from Bitsteam struck out on their own, forming a new type foundry – Galapagos Design Group. 

In 2003 Ryan joined Monotype Imaging, where he works as a senior designer – some of his typefaces families include ITC Kristen, ITC Adderville, Wedding Singer, Oz Handicraft, Givens Antiqua, as well as the newly released Koorkin family.