The design of typography has developed alongside the development of typesetting systems.[31] Although typography has evolved significantly from its origins, it is a largely conservative art that tends to cleave closely to tradition.[32] This is because legibility is paramount, and so the types that are the most readable are often retained. In addition, the evolution of typography is inextricably intertwined with lettering by hand and related art forms, especially formal styles, which thrived for centuries preceding typography,[32] and so the evolution of typography must be discussed with reference to this relationship.
In the nascent stages of European printing, the type (blackletter, or Gothic) was designed in imitation of the popular hand-lettering styles of scribes.[33] Initially, this type was difficult to read, because each letter was set in place individually and made to fit tightly into the allocated space.[34] The art of manuscript writing, whose origin was in Hellenistic and Roman bookmaking, reached its zenith in the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. Metal types notably altered the style, making it "crisp and uncompromising", and also brought about "new standards of composition".[32] Claude Garamond, during the Renaissance period, was partially responsible for the adoption of Roman typeface in France, which supplanted Gothic (blackletter) fonts, which were more common.[35] Roman type was also based on hand-lettering styles.[36]
The Roman typeface’s development can be traced back to Greek lapidary letters. Although Greek lapidary letters are not examples of typography, since they were carved into stone, they were nonetheless "one of the first formal uses of Western letterforms"; after that, Roman lapidary letterforms transitioned into the monumental capitals, which laid the foundation for Western typographical design, especially serif typefaces.[35] There are two styles of Roman typography: the old style, and the modern. The former is characterized by its similarly-weighted lines, while the latter is distinguished by its contrast of light and heavy lines.[33] These styles are often combined.
By the twentieth century, computers turned type design into a rather simplified process. This has allowed the number of type styles to proliferate exponentially, as there are now thousands of fonts available.[33]