A Life in Typefaces

No, not my life—that will be an exercise for another day—Mathew Carter’s life.

Since the beginning of written history, the written word has been a product of its times from classic Roman inscriptions carved into marble to the elegant brushstrokes of medieval monks. From the innovation of moveable type that made the printing of Gutenberg’s Bible possible to the blinking pixilated fonts of early computer screens, typeface design has always been dictated by available technology.

So, how does current technology influence modern type? In this TED Talk, Mathew Carter, the creator of many of today’s most familiar digital typefaces (Verdana and Georgia to name two), shares his insight into the technology, the pixels, and the design of many of today’s most iconic fonts.