FF Scala
Encyclopedia
FF Scala is an old style, humanist, serif typeface designed by Dutch typeface designer Martin Majoor
in 1990 for the Vredenburg Music Center in Utrecht
, the Netherlands
. The FF Scala font family was named for the Teatro alla Scala (1776–78) in Milan. Like many contemporary Dutch serif faces, FF Scala is not an academic revival of a single historic typeface but shows influences of several historic models. Similarities can be seen with William Addison Dwiggins
' 1935 design Electra in its clarity of form, and rhythmic, highly calligraphic italics. Eric Gill's 1931 typeface Joanna
(released by Monotype in 1937), with its old style armature but nearly square serifs is also similar in its nearly mono-weighted stroke width.
FF Scala is a complete typeface family. True small capitals, a wide range of ligatures, lining, and non-lining (old style figures) are available. A companion sans-serif version, FF Scala Sans
was released in 1992. In 1997 a decorative variety of capitals titled FF Scala Jewels was released. These show influence of Dutch Baroque decorative capitals. The FF Scala face and its related faces are widely used in publishing. FF Scala used to be the house typeface for the prominent Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad
and for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Martin Majoor
Martin Majoor is a Dutch typedesigner and graphic designer.-Biography:Martin Majoor has been designing type since the mid-1980s. During his study at the School of Fine Art in Arnhem , he shortly worked in a student placement at URW in Hamburg. It was there that he was able to work with the first...
in 1990 for the Vredenburg Music Center in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The FF Scala font family was named for the Teatro alla Scala (1776–78) in Milan. Like many contemporary Dutch serif faces, FF Scala is not an academic revival of a single historic typeface but shows influences of several historic models. Similarities can be seen with William Addison Dwiggins
William Addison Dwiggins
William Addison Dwiggins was a U.S. type designer, calligrapher, and book designer...
' 1935 design Electra in its clarity of form, and rhythmic, highly calligraphic italics. Eric Gill's 1931 typeface Joanna
Joanna (typeface)
Joanna is a transitional serif typeface designed by Eric Gill in the period 1930–31, and named for one of his daughters. The typeface was originally designed for proprietary use by Gill's printing shop Hague & Gill. The type was first produced in a small quantity by the Caslon Foundry for hand...
(released by Monotype in 1937), with its old style armature but nearly square serifs is also similar in its nearly mono-weighted stroke width.
FF Scala is a complete typeface family. True small capitals, a wide range of ligatures, lining, and non-lining (old style figures) are available. A companion sans-serif version, FF Scala Sans
FF Scala Sans
FF Scala Sans is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed in by Dutch designer Martin Majoor in 1993 for the Vredenburg Music Center in Utrecht, the Netherlands...
was released in 1992. In 1997 a decorative variety of capitals titled FF Scala Jewels was released. These show influence of Dutch Baroque decorative capitals. The FF Scala face and its related faces are widely used in publishing. FF Scala used to be the house typeface for the prominent Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad
Algemeen Dagblad
The Algemeen Dagblad is a Dutch newspaper. Founded in Rotterdam in 1946, it currently has a daily circulation of 315,000. The newspaper is owned by AD NieuwsMedia, a joint venture between Wegener and PCM Uitgevers....
and for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
External links
- FF Scala microsite A website fully dedicated to FF Scala
- Writing With Scala Typespecimen by Ellen Lupton (2005)
- www.martinmajoor.com Martin Majoor’s official website
- My Type Design Philosophy by Martin Majoor (2002)
- Types and Characters: Martin Majoor Brochure by Nina Völlink (2007)
- Martin Majoor on fontshop.com
- Uses of FF Scala