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| Category | Sans-serif |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) | Albert-Jan Pool |
| Foundry | FSI FontShop International |
FF DIN is a realist sans-serif typeface designed in 1995 by Albert-Jan Pool, based on DIN-Mittelschrift and DIN-Engschrift, as defined in the German standard DIN 1451[1] DIN is an acronym for Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardisation).
Pool encountered Erik Spiekermann at a 1994 meeting of the ATypI (Association Typographique Internationale) in San Francisco, who encouraged him to design a revival of DIN 1451 for release by FSI FontShop International, the type foundry Spiekermann had just established.
Sharing structural similarities with DIN 1451, FF DIN differs in its weight distribution, naming conventions, and has a far wider character set, including ranging (old style) figures, and several refinements allowing it to perform better as a print and screen text face.
The family includes 5 font weights in 2 widths (Normal and Condensed), each with italics. The entire family includes extended characters such as arrows, fractions, Euro sign, lozenge, mathematic symbols, extra accented Latin letters, superscript numeral figures. Alternate glyphs are also included, such as rounded dots, old style figures, and alternate cedilla for instance. With time Eastern European, Greek and Cyrillic character sets have been added as well.
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FF DIN Round [link]
In summer 2010 FSI FontShop International introduced a completely new drawn round version called FF DIN Round, including 5 weights (Light, Regular, Medium, Bold, Black). Assisted by Ivo Gabrovitch of FontShop International, Albert-Jan Pool wrote the brochure ‘FF DIN Round – digital block letters’ [1]. It provides additional information on both the design and the history of round sans serif typefaces. FF DIN Round Pro also includes a Cyrillic character set for all weights.
Usages [link]
FF DIN’s usage is currently growing. FF DIN is the central typeface of JetBlue Airways’ and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s corporate identity. FF DIN is also Adidas’s main typeface, adopted after switching from "Adihaus". This font is used in many areas, especially in prints, ads and webpages. American Eagle Outfitters uses FF DIN as its main sans-serif typeface, for both marketing and branding. ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson uses the font for its lower third graphics. The University of Canberra uses it for all official publications. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation also makes heavy usage for its corporate identity needs.
This typeface was the official video credit font from 2005 to September 2007 on MTV Latin America.
It is also used in the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification for their rating system.
The ACLU identity includes the use of FF DIN Regular and, secondarily, FF DIN Bold.
Valve Corporation use FF DIN as the standard typeface on their websites, as well as on the video game Portal 2.
References [link]
- Blackwell, Lewis. 20th Century Type. Yale University Press: 2004. ISBN 0-300-10073-6.
- Fiedl, Frederich, Nicholas Ott and Bernard Stein. Typography: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Through History. Black Dog & Leventhal: 1998. ISBN 1-57912-023-7.
- Macmillan, Neil. An A–Z of Type Designers. Yale University Press: 2006. ISBN 0-300-11151-7.
- Spiekermann, Erik; Middendorp, Jan: Made with FontFont, Book Industry Services (BIS): 2006, ISBN 978-90-6369-129-5
- DIN 1451-2: Schriften–Serifenlose Linear-Antiqua–Verkehrsschrift. Deutsches Institut für Normung, 1986-2002.
- ACLU Identity Guidelines [2]
