Rockwell is a slab serif font family which has it’s history dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century when the use of slab serif fonts was on the rise in advertising and signage. Monotype a famous type foundry designed it in 1934. At first it’s name was “Litho Antique” a creation by Frank Hinman Pierpont, a typographer who also created such fonts as Monotype Goudy and Times New Roman.
The font was later on given the name ‘Rockwell’ with respect to Rockwell Manufacturing Company, which was one of the biggest customers of the Monotype Corporation. Rockwell was quickly able to capture the attention of many due to the characteristics of its design. It has a geometric feel, which makes it perfect for headlines, posters, and other display purposes. Due to its simplicity and boldness make it an ideal choice for advertising and promotions, as it gives a message of an up-to-date and powerful image.
Features of Rockwell Font
Some specific characteristics of Rockwell make the typeface unique and play a role in making this typeface popular up to the present time. This is evident in the slab serifs, which are thick and rectangular in shape; the font exhibits a rather bold and geometric look. The letterforms’ width differs only slightly, and the differentiation between the thick and thin parts of the stroke is small. This gives Rockwell a solid and harmonious character, and the font is clear of any size.
One of Rockwell’s other characteristics is its clearly geometric construction. The lettering is based on basic geometric shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. This makes the font look more minimalistic and fresh, but at the same time, it incorporates a reference to the history of typography. Many designers and publishers used geometric fonts in pre-modern printing and advertising. Rockwell’s general appearance is a combination of the traditional and the new, which makes it very suitable for most design interventions.
Usage
With the features above mentioned, Rockwell is a very versatile font that has found its way into many media and applications. In print, it is suitable for headlines, posters, book covers, and any other purpose that demands the use of a bold and geometric font to create a great impact. It is also relatively easy to read and, therefore, suitable for body text, especially in smaller chunks of text.
For Rockwell, the digital media is the place to be, especially on websites, blogs and other online forums. Its simple and bold layout is easily adaptable to any screen and that is why it is widely used by web designers and developers. Furthermore, Rockwell is often seen in logo and other forms of business communication and marketing, which has a conservative and enduring image that helps to create the image of a reliable and competent company.
What’s Included
- Rockwell Standard
- Rockwell Standard Bold
- Rockwell Standard Bold Condensed
- Rockwell Standard Bold Italic
- Rockwell Standard Condensed
- Rockwell Standard Extra Bold
- Rockwell Standard Italic
- Rockwell Standard Light
- Rockwell Standard Light Italic