Line

Type, Technology & Research

The Dutch Type Library is a pioneer of digital type, entering the computer font market in the industry’s first decade. dtl is proudly independent since 1990.
         The Dutch Type Library produces exquisite typefaces, develops professional font tools, and is doing research into the technical and historical backgrounds of typography. Hence, there are two other dtl-related websites.
        The dtl FontMaster (FoMa) site provides more info on the tools for professional font production jointly developed by urw++ and dtl. The current flagship of these tools is without any doubt dtl OTMaster, a highly sophisticated application for reviewing, editing and altering tables and glyphs of fonts with a sfnt file structure. It is used by many experts in the field and applied by the largest companies in the software industry.

The LetterModel website provides in-depth information on the groundbreaking research (of Darwinian importance for the understanding of type and typography and for the parametrizing of related design processes) into the origins of the harmonics, patterns and dynamics in movable Latin type by dtl’s founder Dr. Frank E. Blokland.
        Blokland’s research was conducted to test the hypothesis that Gutenberg and his peers developed a standardized and unitized system for the production of textura type and that this system was extrapolated for roman type. Humanistic handwriting was simply moulded into a fixed system already developed for the production of gothic type.
        Renaissance typographic patterns were partly determined by requirements for the type production. Hence, today’s typographic conventions are not only the result of optical preferences predating movable type but at least as much the result of standardization that eased the Renaissance type production.

Line

| EN | DE | FR | FI |

Line

About the Dutch Type Library

In 1990, the Dutch Type Library started supplying exclusive digital typefaces after years of preparation. The company has since grown into the largest of its kind in The Netherlands. Attention is focused primarily on contemporary designs in the production of typefaces, but dtl also revives valuable historic types.

The Dutch Type Library feels bound to the rich typographic tradition of The Netherlands, and dtl’s collection can be compared with the very best that the famous type foundries have produced in the past. more information

glyphs with IKARUS marking

As font production at dtl became more professional and complex, the need for exclusive specialist font production software was grew. In the second half of the 1990s, dtl started together with the programmers of urw++ Design & Development GmbH developing the dtl FontMaster modules for Mac os, Windows and Linux.
more information

Die Dutch Type Library begann 1990 nach jahrelanger Vorbereitung mit der Produktion und dem Verlegen digitaler Schriften. Inzwischen ist das Unternehmen zum größten Anbieter dieser Art in den Niederlanden herangewachsen. In erster Linie konzentriert man sich bei der Produktion von Schriften auf zeitgemäße Designs, doch lässt dtl auch manche wertvollen historischen Schriften wieder aufleben.

Die Dutch Type Library fült sich der reichen typografischen Tradition in den Niederlanden verbunden. Das dtl-œuvre kann sich inhaltlich mit dem Besten messen, was die berühmten Schriftgießereien in der Vergangenheit geschaffen haben.

font metrics

Durch die fortschreitende Professionalisierung der Fontproduktion bei dtl wuchs der Bedarf an Spezialsoftware stetig an. In der zweiten Hälfte der neunziger Jahre wagten sich die Programmierer bei urw++ Design & Development GmbH an die Entwicklung von dtl FontMaster, Modulen zur digitalen Fontproduktion unter Mac os, Windows und Linux.
weitere informationen

Dutch Type Library édite des fontes numériques depuis 1990, dans la continuité d’années de préparation. Devenue la plus importante société de ce type aux Pays-Bas, dtl porte principalement son attention sur le dessin et la production de caractères contemporains, mais elle fait aussi revivre des caractères à valeur historique notoire.

Dutch Type Library est très attachée à la riche tradition typographique des Pays-Bas et sa collection est comparable au meilleur de ce qu’ont créé les grandes fonderies du passé.

Bézier splines

À mesure que la production est devenue plus professionnelle et plus complexe s’est accru le besoin d’un logiciel spécialisé. Dans la seconde moitié des années 90 les programmeurs de urw++ Design & Development GmbH ont donc entrepris la création de dtl FontMaster, modules destinés à la production de fontes sous Mac os, Windows et Linux.
plus d'information

Dutch Type Library aloitti vuonna 1990 digitaalisten kirjaintyyppien myynnin vuosien valmistelutyön jälkeen. Yritys on sittemmin kasvanut suurimmaksi omassa luokassaan Alankomaissa. Painopiste on nykyaikaisessa kirjainmuotoilussa, mutta dtl tekee myös uudelleentulkintoja arvokkaista historiallisista kirjaintyypeistä.

The Dutch Type Library nojaa Alankomaiden rikkaaseen typografiseen traditioon, ja dtl:n kokoelma rinnastuukin kuuluisien kirjainmuotoilutalojen menneisyydessä tuottamiin parhaisiin kokoelmiin.

accented glyph

Kun kirjaintyyppien tuotannosta dtl:ssa tuli ammattimaisempaa ja monimutkaisempaa, erityisen fonttiohjelman tarve kasvoi. 1990-luvun loppupuoliskolla dtl:n ohjelmoijat Saksassa alkoivat kehittää dtl Font Master -moduleita Mac os- ja Windows-ympäristöihin.
lisää tietoa
 

Line

Top