U2’s artwork: what’s that font?

Alright, alright, alright! You ask (and ask, and ask again), we answer. The font used on the artwork of How to dismantle an atomic bomb is called Clarendon. And no, we cannot provide you with it, but you can buy it from your local Type shop.

This modern serif was designed in 1953 by Hermann Eidenbenz and is currently owned by the Bitstream foundry. It’s become rather popular on- and offline recently. Starbucks are using it. In fact it’s so popular that web guru Jeffrey Zeldman exclaimed: ‘Clarendon is the new Helvetica‘.

Here’s a helpful link for all your future font questions: ‘What the Font?‘ will help you determine what typeface is used by uploading a scanned image.

12 thoughts on “U2’s artwork: what’s that font?”

  1. …as a dtp specialist (ahum), I thought the ‘century-bold’ came prety close too. Especialy when you set the ‘height’ on 80% and the ‘width’ on 95%…happy designing!

  2. …as a dtp specialist (ahum), I thought the ‘century-bold’ came prety close too. Especialy when you set the ‘height’ on 80% and the ‘width’ on 95%…happy designing!

  3. I’m not that knowledgeable on typography, but I read the following:

    Quote: “Clarendon is also the name of a particular font of this style.” (i.e. slab serifs)

    So that would make Century ‘a Clarendon font’.

  4. I’m not that knowledgeable on typography, but I read the following:

    Quote: “Clarendon is also the name of a particular font of this style.” (i.e. slab serifs)

    So that would make Century ‘a Clarendon font’.

  5. That’s cool. Just deform the free fonts to make them look like the pay ones! If only I could deform the idiots yelling / singing / rapping outside in the street at 3 in the morning.

  6. That’s cool. Just deform the free fonts to make them look like the pay ones! If only I could deform the idiots yelling / singing / rapping outside in the street at 3 in the morning.

  7. “…About ITC Century® Font Family:

    Designer Tony Stan, 1975

    In 1894, Linn Boyd Benton finished a commission for a new text typeface with the American periodical Century Magazine. Century font is typical of the neorenaissance movement in typography at the end of the 19th century. Morris Fuller Benton drew a number of versions of the font for the font foundry American Typefounders and Century was later taken up by the firms Linotype, Intertype and Monotype. Century font is an extremely legible font suitable for almost any text…”

    …I really can not tell if ‘Clarendon’ is a ‘Century’ font or just, like you said Caroline, the other way round! But thanks for clearing it out. I hadn’t found Clarendon myself…

  8. “…About ITC Century® Font Family:

    Designer Tony Stan, 1975

    In 1894, Linn Boyd Benton finished a commission for a new text typeface with the American periodical Century Magazine. Century font is typical of the neorenaissance movement in typography at the end of the 19th century. Morris Fuller Benton drew a number of versions of the font for the font foundry American Typefounders and Century was later taken up by the firms Linotype, Intertype and Monotype. Century font is an extremely legible font suitable for almost any text…”

    …I really can not tell if ‘Clarendon’ is a ‘Century’ font or just, like you said Caroline, the other way round! But thanks for clearing it out. I hadn’t found Clarendon myself…

Comments are closed.