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FF Legato

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description FF Legato Overview

FF Legato is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Evert Bloemsma and released in 2004. It is distinguished by its unique application of inverted stroke contrast, a technique where horizontal strokes are designed to be thicker than vertical strokes. This horizontal emphasis is engineered to guide the eye along lines of text smoothly, making it highly effective for continuous reading. The typeface is primarily utilized for body text in both print and digital publishing formats.

help FF Legato FAQ

What makes FF Legato's stroke contrast different from other sans-serifs?

FF Legato uses inverted stroke contrast, meaning the horizontal strokes are thicker than the vertical ones—a reversal of the typical sans-serif convention. Designer Evert Bloemsma engineered this in 2004 specifically to ease the eye's horizontal movement across continuous text.

Who designed FF Legato and when was it released?

FF Legato was designed by Dutch type designer Evert Bloemsma and released through FontFont in 2004. Bloemsma was also known for other FontFont families such as FF Avance and FF Balance.

Is FF Legato better suited for body text or headlines?

FF Legato was specifically designed for continuous-text reading, making it well suited to long-form body text in books and magazines. Its inverted contrast is less conventional for large display headlines, though designers do use it that way for distinctive branding.

Where can I license FF Legato today?

FF Legato is available through FontFont (now part of Monotype's marketplace) as both web and desktop licenses. Individual weights and the full family can be purchased depending on the scope of your project.

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