Gill Sans

Designer: Eric Gill // Foundry: Monotype // Country of origin: United Kingdom Release years: 1928–1932 // Classification: Humanist/Geometric Sans

Long a standard part of the Mac’s pre-installed font bundle, Gill Sans has become known to modern-day users as an elegant sans option when compared to the others they find on their computer. But in many ways, Eric Gill’s typeface, a follower of Edward Johnston’s type for the London Underground, is an awkward mix of Geometric and Humanist ideas — from its circular “o” to its dynamic, calligraphic “a.” Uppercase widths vary wildly. The long-legged “R” causes spacing issues, especially in the lighter weights. And the “g” is an odd concoction that even Gill himself fittingly called a “pair of spectacles.” Still, there is lasting charm in this face, and it has become synonymous with British culture ever since it debuted.