Linguistic and typographic uses of italic

Evolution and design impact

Italics have been used for over 500 years to highlight that the text is somehow different or special. It can have a linguistic purpose, such as to mark a change in meaning or emphasis. It can also be used typographically to indicate hierarchy or navigation. This article will describe the wide range of uses of italic and provide a comprehensive list of how it has been used over the last five centuries.

Italic type design

Research and resources

The process of designing italic typefaces has been a mystery. The following upcoming articles will reveal the influences, strategies, and techniques used by designers both past and present. Read more...

The essential italic

ATypI Montréal 2017

The first public product of my research into italics was a presentation given at ATypI Montréal in 2017. This is the story of how italic established itself as part of our typographic language, was transformed as it was relegated to secondary roles, and yet remains a strong and essential part of typeface design. Read more...

Italic identities and influences

Factors in design decisions

Coming soon The design of italics is influenced by its multiple identities as a language feature, a typographic element, a historical marker, a design object, and a business product. This article will explore these identities and their influences. Read more...

Describing italics

Characteristics Properties Structures Features

Coming soon Italic letterforms are not just slanted letters. They can be described according to their style characteristics or design properties or letterform structures or features/motifs—or a combination of them. This article will look at the different ways of describing an italic design. Read more...