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Optima novaŽ Light SC

- by Hermann Zapf, Akira Kobayashi
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Optima novaŽ Light SC
  Format: Windows TrueType

Price: US$ 79.00
  
... is part of the Optima novaŽ Font Family, comprising altogether 40 fonts in Windows TrueType format.
Character set features:
euro smallcaps
246 characters
Character maps: Encoding map   
Linked font group:
Optima novaŽ Light SC
Optima novaŽ Light Italic SC
Optima novaŽ Demi SC
Optima novaŽ Demi Italic SC
Put the core family into shopping cart Add font group
Product is contained in: In this format only available as single font.
Technical information  

Optima novaŽ Light SC
  Format: Windows PostScript

Price: US$ 79.00
  
... is part of the Optima novaŽ Font Family, comprising altogether 40 fonts in Windows PostScript format.
Character set features:
euro smallcaps
247 characters
Character maps: Encoding map   
Linked font group:
Optima novaŽ Light SC
Optima novaŽ Light Italic SC
Optima novaŽ Demi SC
Optima novaŽ Demi Italic SC
Put the core family into shopping cart Add font group
Product is contained in: In this format only available as single font.
Technical information  

Optima novaŽ Light SC
  Format: Mac PostScript

Price: US$ 79.00
  
... is part of the Optima novaŽ Font Family, comprising altogether 40 fonts in Mac PostScript format.
Character set features:
euro smallcaps
247 characters
Character maps: Encoding map   
Linked font group:
Optima novaŽ Light SC
Optima novaŽ Light Italic SC
Optima novaŽ Demi SC
Optima novaŽ Demi Italic SC
Put the core family into shopping cart Add font group
Product is contained in: In this format only available as single font.
Technical information  

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Documents referring to this product ...

Linotype’s Platinum Collection typefaces – Value Packs for the fonts now available The Platinum Collection is an exclusive series of optimized classic typefaces in the Linotype Library. In close collaboration with world-famous type designers, Linotype has produced reworked, expanded typeface families that are both technologically and aesthetically up to date. These new typeface families have fine, harmonious weights; some have new italic weights and often come complete with Small Caps [...]
Biography of Akira Kobayashi: Studied at the Musashino Art University in Tokyo, and later followed this up with a calligraphy course at the London College of Printing. Freelance type designer since 1997. Professional experience April 1983–March 1989 Sha-ken Co. Ltd, Japan Typeface design department December 1990–June 1993 Jiyu-kobo Ltd, Japan September 1993–March 1997 TypeBank Co. Ltd, Japan March 1997–April 2001 Freelance type designer April 1998–April [...]
German designer Hermann Zapf created the following fonts: Aldus® (1954), Aldus Nova (2005), Aurelia™ (1983), Comenius® Antiqua BQ (1976), Edison™ (1978), Kompakt™ (1954), Marconi® (1976), Medici® Script (1971), Melior® (1952), Noris Script® (1976), Optima® (1958), Optima nova (2002), Orion™ (1974), Palatino™® (1950), Palatino nova (2005), Palatino™ Sans (2006), Saphir™ (1953), Sistina® (1950), Vario™ (1982), Venture™ (1969), Virtuosa® Classic (2009), [...]
Japanese designer Akira Kobayashi is Type Director at Linotype. Since joining Linotype, he has been responsible for the futher development of classic typefaces like Avenir, Optima, and Zapfino. He has created numerous typefaces of his own, many of which have received prizes from all across the typographic spectrum. ITC Luna Akira Kobayashi turned to the designs of the 1930s for his inspiration for both ITC Luna and ITC Silvermoon. "Luna is designed to fill the gap between a pure Art Deco [...]
Orion™ Hermann Zapf made his first scetches for Orion in 1963. Zapf's aim was to create a neutral textface which can be ideally used as a newspaper face. Its strokethickness and open letterforms also fits well for book and magazine production. The final two weights of Orion were released in 1974 for the Linofilm photocomposing machine. Optima™ Optima was designed by Hermann Zapf and is his most successful typeface. In 1950, Zapf made his first sketches while visiting the Santa Croce [...]
Find further Font Features in our Font Feature Archive. Typographic Tip of the Month from Linotype’s Type Director Akira Kobayashi! December 2006: Use your font’s correct small caps, or do not use small caps at all! Used in typography for centuries, small caps are shorter capital letters that may either be mixed with upper and lowercase text, or used alone. A great tool for emphasizing bits of text, they can help create a sophisticated hierarchy of information. [...]
Optima®, designed by Hermann Zapf, combines the clarity of Modern Face with the objectivity of sans-serif typefaces. He was influenced by the stone inlay alphabets of Roman Antiquity as well as typefaces of the early Renaissance. The clear, elegant characters of Optima can often be seen in advertisements, especially for cosmetics.

About Optima novaŽ Light SC ...

Linotype usage sample for Optima novaŽ Light SC
Designer: Hermann Zapf / Akira Kobayashi, 2002
Optima novaŽ Light SC belongs to the Optima novaŽ Font Family which is part of the Platinum Collection.
Optima™ was designed by Hermann Zapf and is his most successful typeface. In 1950, Zapf made his first scetches while visiting the Santa Croce church in Florence. He sketched letters from grave plates that had been cut about 1530, and as he had no other paper with him at the time, the sketches were done on two 1000 lire bank notes. These letters from the floor of the church inspired Optima, a typeface that is classically roman in proportion and character, but without serifs. The letterforms were designed in the proportions of the Golden Ratio. In 1952, after careful legibility testing, the first drawings were finished.
The type was cut by the famous punchcutter August Rosenberger at the D. Stempel AG typefoundry in Frankfurt. Optima was produced in matrices for the Linotype typesetting machines and released in 1958. With the clear, simple elegance of its sans serif forms and the warmly human touches of its tapering stems, this family has proved popular around the world. In 2002, when it was finally possible to produce digital alphabets without technical limitations and compromises, and more than 50 years after the first sketches, an expansion and redesign of the Optima family was completed and released as Optima nova.
Hermann Zapf and Japanese type designer Akira Kobayashi collaborated on the project, which included re-working of the existing weights and the addition of several new weights for a total of 40 fonts. Small caps, Old style Figures, light, heavy, and condensed fonts have been added.
The original Optima was never manufactured with a real italic, only an oblique version of the roman. Optima™ nova has a complete range of beautifully designed real italics; the new italic forms , of the e, f and g are especially notable.
The titling face includes capital letters with special and unusual letter combinations and ligatures, making it an excellent choice for headlines, logos and advertising purposes. Optima continues to be an all-purpose typeface; and Optima nova works for just about anything from book text to signage.
Search this or similar products by the following keywords: 1960s, 60s, anno 1960, Platinum, Platinum Collection, Sans Serif, SC, Small Caps.

Optima nova is a trademark of Linotype GmbH registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain other jurisdictions.

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Page last edited: 2009-06-11