National
Klim Type Foundry · Kris Sowersby · 2007
An Akzidenz-era grotesque drawn as the stylistic opposite of Helvetica, with looser spacing and a true italic for long-form reading.
About
An Akzidenz-rooted grotesque by Kris Sowersby, drawn as a stylistic opposite to Helvetica with looser spacing, unambiguous forms, old-style figures and a genuine italic rather than a sloped roman. Eighteen styles run from Thin to Black with paired italics, aimed at long-form reading at small sizes while still holding up at display. Klim now also offers National 2, the 10-year remaster, but the original National stays in the library for projects that want the earlier drawing and its specific tone of voice.
Classification
Klim classifies it as Modern: Lineal/Grotesque; a deceptively simple sans drawn as a stylistic opposite to Helvetica, with looser spacing, unambiguous forms, old-style figures and a true italic, drawing details from the era of Akzidenz Grotesk.