Frutigers grid plays a large part in typography in the modern design world. Essentially it is a way of labeling type weights without the words bold, heavy and light. However is also tells the amount they are condensed or extended. In this article we explain how this system works and best practices within it.
Frutigers grid was first introduced in 1957 with the Univers type family. It became even more well known with the massively popular helvetica Neue. Essentially it was created to reduce the confusion to other labels such as bold, thin, light, heavy, and black. It looked to introduce a more elegant modernist system through numbers (something popular within the Bauhaus art movement at the time). It provides a system of structure order and elegance around its typefaces.
Though it can look a little complex at first, it is actually a really easy and logical system. Basically, the first number in the system refers to the character weight. 2 is the thinnest and it goes all the way up to 9, the thickest. The second number refers to the character width. 3 is the widest or most extended and 9 is the most condensed. Getting it now? pretty simple right. The final thing to remember is that odd numbers mean it is roma, and even mean it is italic.
As an example then, without looking at anything, we would know that Helvetica Neue 23 would be a thin extended roman font. the 2 means it is thin in weight and the 3 means it is the most extended. Likewise Univers 78 would refer to quite a heavy condensed italic font. The 7 means it is heavy and the 8 condensed. The odd number means it is italic.
Using Frutigers grid
The great thing about frutiger’s grid system is that it provides a good grounding for simple effective typography. For instance when using an italic font, Helvetica Neue 56, sits seamlessly alongside its Roman counterpart Helvetica Neue 55.
Another good practice is combining weights. It is considered good practice to combine weights which are two steps apart. For instance, if you were using Helvetica Neue 35 it would combine well with a bold highlight in Helvetica Neue 55. Likewise if you were using Univers 55, the correct weight for a bold would be Univers 75.
2 weights apart provide enough of a contrast. One weight apart is not enough, and more than two lacks the visual elegance and is too much of a contrast. Of course these are only guidelines and there are always exceptions.
So that is frutigers grid, hope you have enjoyed reading this post. So what do you think? Do you have other ways of using this grid system, or would you agree with these principles?
“Basically, the first number in the system refers to the character width. 2 is the thinnest and it goes all the way up to 9, the thickest. The second number refers to the character width.”
So both numbers refer to the character width?
Apologies – first number is character weight. Thanks for the correction, have amended
“The final thing to remember is that odd numbers mean it is italic, and even mean it is roman.”
Which number does this line refer to?
Interesting. By the way, you stated even numbers are roman and odd are italic, though your examples state otherwise (odds are roman and even is italic).
Thanks for the correction guys – have amended the post.
Unfortunately Linotype (later acquired by Adobe) messed this up by renaming the fonts, so that the even numbers were eliminated from the product name and the italic was more closely associated with it’s corresponding roman, e.g., the italic for 45 Light is called now 45 Light Oblique.
I guess originally these would have been called simply Univers 45 and Univers 46. Dumbing down for designers?
Hi Ric, thanks for the comment. Yes I noticed that as well. I wonder if it is just dumming it down – your probably right. I have no problem with them making it easier – but why not still keep 46 at leas and just make the name 46 oblique. Just a shame to get overlook such an elegant logical solution.