Verdana | Type Set

Released by Microsoft with Internet Explorer 3.0, Verdana was created to fill the same void Georgia did but for the san-serif font style. Designed by Matthew Carter and hand-hinting done by Tom Rickner. Verdana is part of the “Core fonts for the Web” initiative from Microsoft. As we have done previously with Georgia in the Type Set series, we will go over what makes Verdana unique and how it was designed to work from pixel to print.

Origins of Verdana

Microsoft’s typography division saw a need to have a san-serif font that worked well on computer screens during the early to mid 90s. San-serif fonts such as Helvetica had created waves in the design world dating back to Bauhaus in the 20s. With the dawn of the internet, the race was on to create the next super-font for the digital age.

Modern humanist san-serif fonts are quite the mouthful of a descriptor but let’s break it down. In the 1970s the humanist movement was revived in type design in reaction to the rise of neo-grotesque fonts. Helvetica had taken over and was now falling fast. Looking to calligraphy and traditional serifs for the answer, humanism flourished over its neo-grotesque counterparts.

Angled and organic flared contrasting strokes, almost as if written by man, help define the humanist san-serif. Verdana showcases these influences in the lowercase a, e, g, and r, to name a few. Verdana also contains the Roman influence around humanism in its lowercase double-storied a, however interestingly doesn’t in its g. Generous proportions and looser spacing separate the typeface from the likes of Helvetica. Just like in Georgia, similar shaped letters have clear design differences.

However these details don’t tell the whole story, because this is the dawn of Tahoma, the thinner (in kerning) twin sister to Verdana. As Daniel Will-Harris puts it in a column written for Typophile “To make the fonts work in extended text settings, it was necessary to open up the counters more, widen the advance widths and loosen the spacing. Thus Verdana was born…”. Thus Verdana (which came second) is a legibility-focused typeface whereas Tahoma focused more on the aesthetics.

Analysis of Verdana

What makes Verdana optimized for screen use? Verdana’s readability comes from a number of factors that are listed below.

X-Height and Cap Height

In order to be legible at small sizes on screens the x-height must be large. Verdana also features an average cap height for san-serif typefaces.

Counters

The counters in Verdana are large as well, allowing for the ability to easily distinguish characters at low resolution. Looking at the letter c or s for example we see a large partially-closed counter that makes up a majority of the form as compared to its medium aperture to offer readability in the complexity of the form.

Ascenders

The ascenders rise above the cap height to further differentiate the capital letters from the lowercase letterforms. Looking at the T and the h in “the” we can see exactly that. However it is of note that these ascenders are not as pronounced as they are in Georgia.

Asymmetric Terminals & Strokes

Verdana’s humanist elements can be seen in the terminals and strokes. Looking at the way the k in “quick” is formed or the m in “jumps”. One can see that the strokes grow in thickness as they flow. Sometimes this asymmetry is only seen in the terminals such as the ends of the e’s.

Tracking & Kerning

Verdana’s tracking, or space between each letter is generous to allow for the characters to breathe and not be confused with one another. Its kerning is also spacious allowing for low resolution computer screens to show high levels of readability.

Italic

The italic style of Verdana features characters which are not just slanted but rather created with optical corrections to create a true italic.

Bold

Verdana Bold is darker than most other bold typefaces. The reason for this is because at the time, computer fonts were bitmaps, and either a pixel was black or white. On old computers, one pixel is a quite sizable difference and there was no option to use half a pixel.

Verdana Pro

Verdana has since received an update in 2013 as did Georgia. The updated typeface, Verdana Pro includes:

• Additional weights, including condensed versions.
• Specialized small caps designs that integrate with lowercase type.
• Extensions to the character sets.
• Extensions to the kerning.
• OpenType typographic features such as ligatures.
• Lining figures.
• Corrected German closing quotation marks

Uses of Verdana

Designed primarily for use on low-resolution screens, however it is not just limited to the computer of yesteryear. The typeface has also seen extensive use in print and advertising campaigns. Some have argued that it has a niche, however it fills this niche well.

Compatible Font Pairings

Verdana pairs well with almost any serif font of a similar width and x-height, but isn’t limited to these restrictions.

Georgia

Naturally pairing well with Verdana, Georgia was designed by the same person and with the focus of use in conjunction with one another. Serif typeface Georgia is covered in greater detail here.

Times New Roman

Working on many of the same principles as Georgia, Times New Roman pairs comfortably with Verdana. The contrasting serifs to the san-serif Verdana offers a complimentary appearance.

Playfair Display

Playfair was influenced by Scotch Romans, much like Georgia, however this font is meant primarily for display (large size). Playfair operates off a transitional approach with high contrast in strokes.

Futura

Designed in 1927, this geometric sans-serif typeface pairs nicely with Verdana. Characters are primarily based around perfect shapes. The duality of Verdana and Futura offers a sense of cohesion when paired together.

Open Sans Condensed

Open Sans was created in 2010 and is also a humanist san-serif. While this font can serve as an alternative, the condensed form offers a nice differentiation in kerning, tracking, and character width.

Alternative Font Options to Verdana

Tahoma

As covered earlier in the article, Tahoma was also created by Matthew Carter during the same time period. Verdana came about due to the need for extended characters and was bundled with Georgia and Tahoma in Windows 95. Tahoma’s characters are shorter in width. Verdana also has higher kerning and tracking than its counterpart which has led many to believe that it is to the detriment of the aesthetics for the sake of readability.

Helvetica

Helvetica, the Neo-Grotesque font that may be the most popular font of all time in design. Designed and developed during the late 50s the Swiss typeface is a staple. With less variation in line weight Helvetica is a valid alternative to Verdana. The x-height is similarly large compared to Verdana.

Brandon Grotesque

While not identical in terms of methodology, Brandon Grotesque offers a more modern look while keeping the generous kerning and tracking. Rounded corners and geometric influences enable this font to serve as an acceptable replacement given the need.

Conclusion

Created as a solution to the problem of legibility on the computer screens of yesterday, Verdana comes pre-installed on Microsoft computers and most Apple computers. Seeing use in brands such as IKEA amongst many others Verdana has stood the test of time and will continue to see use well into the future.

Originally published at https://taylorhieber.co on October 5, 2020.