298: Verdana: An Incomplete History of Type
- Diana Varma
- Apr 15
- 2 min read
From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type.
Name: Verdana
Release Date: 1996
Designer: Matthew Carter and Thomas Rickner
Classification: Humanist Sans Serif
Owned By: Microsoft
Claim to Fame: A typeface that was designed not for print, but for the screen, changing the way digital text looked and felt.
In this episode of An Incomplete History of Type, Sol Riquero takes a closer look at the history of Verdana, a typeface that was designed not for print, but for the screen. Created in the mid-1990s at a time when reading on computers was still uncomfortable, Verdana changed how digital text could look and feel. This episode explores how Verdana became one of the first truly web-safe fonts and why it continues to matter in conversations about readability, accessibility, and human-centered design today.
References:
Chen, R. (2013, June 25). Where did the names of the fonts Marlett and Verdana come from?. The Old New Thing. Microsoft. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20130625-00/?p=3993
John D. Berry (2023, August 23). Matthew Carter Collection · type network. TypeNetwork. https://typenetwork.com/articles/matthew-carter-collection
Microsoft Learn. (n.d.). Verdana font family - typography. Microsoft. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/font-list/verdana
About Our Guest:
Sol Riquero is a Toronto-based creative specializing in project management and design. Currently studying Graphic Communications Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, she is passionate about overseeing projects from conception to completion, integrating both creative strategy and technical execution. She seeks to leverage her expertise in creative strategy and production to develop meaningful, impactful projects.
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Music (public domain): TRG Banks - Above the Earth
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle
