Type, Technology & Research
Iconic Dutch Type Library is a pioneering company in the field of digital type, entering the computer font market in the industry’s very first decade. dtl is –in every aspect– proudly independent since 1990!
Dutch Type Library produces exquisite high-quality typefaces, develops professional font-development tools, and conducts research into the technical and historical backgrounds and foundations of type and typography. That is why there are two other dtl-related websites in addition to this one.
The dtl Font Tools site provides more info on the proprietary applications for professional font production developed by the Dutch Type Library. 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 (photo below).
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.
About Dutch Type Library
The iconic Dutch Type Library (dtl) started, after years of preparation, to develop and publish high-quality fonts in 1990. The company has since grown into the largest of its kind in the Low Countries. Attention is focused primarily on contemporary designs, but dtl also revives valuable historical type designs.
The Dutch Type Library feels bound to the rich typographic tradition of the Netherlands: dtl’s exquisite collection of digital fonts can be compared with the very best that the famous type foundries have produced in the past.
dtl has been developing applications for professional font production since the second half of the 1990s. In 2002 the dtl FontMaster (fm) modules came on the market. The batch functionality and the ability to automate the generation of OpenType Layout features quickly made fm popular with type designers and professional font developers alike. The highly advanced successor to dtl FontMaster for macOS, Windows, and Linux is dtl FoundryMaster (fm2).
The current flagship is certainly dtl OTMaster, which immediately after the release of the first edition in 2009 was widely recognized internationally as a unique and extremely powerful program for editing OpenType and TrueType fonts.
De iconische Dutch Type Library (dtl) begon in 1990 –na jarenlange voorbereiding– met het produceren en uitgeven van exclusieve digitale lettertypen en is uitgegroeid tot de grootste fontproducent in Nederland. In eerste instantie gaat de aandacht uit naar de productie van eigentijdse letterontwerpen. Daarnaast maakt dtl ook revivals van waardevolle historische lettertypen.
De Dutch Type Library voelt zich verbonden met de rijke typografische traditie van de lage landen: dtl’s collectie digitale lettertypen kan zich meten met het allerbeste dat de befaamde historische lettergieterijen uit de Nederlanden hebben voortgebracht (meer informatie).
Sinds de tweede helft van de jaren negentig worden door dtl applicaties voor de professionale fontproductie ontwikkeld. In 2002 kwamen de dtl FontMaster (fm) modules op de markt. De batch-functionaliteit en de mogelijkheid om het genereren van OpenType Layout features te automatiseren, maakte fm al snel populair bij zowel letterontwerpers als professionele font ontwikkelaars. De uiterst geavanceerde opvolger van dtl FontMaster voor macOS, Windows en Linux is FoundryMaster (fm2).
Het huidige vlaggeschip is ongetwijfeld dtl OTMaster, dat onmiddelijk na publicatie van de eerste editie in 2009 internationaal alom erkend werd als een uniek en buitengewoon krachtig programma om OpenType en TrueType fonts mee te bewerken.
meer informatie
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.
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 Type Foundry an die Entwicklung von dtl FontMaster, Modulen zur digitalen Fontproduktion unter macOS, 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.
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 Type Foundry ont donc entrepris la création de dtl FontMaster, modules destinés à la production de fontes sous macOS, 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.
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 macOS- ja Windows-ympäristöihin.
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