The New Arabic Type Classification System

Contemporary Arabic designers are concerned about the absence of a comprehensive classification system for Arabic typefaces. Despite the proliferation of printing presses in the Arab world during the first half of the 20th century, typographers and design scholars have continued to work and communicate without any classification system. This deficiency has resulted in misinformation within graphic design practices and education. With over a thousand newly designed Arabic fonts and the challenges presented by courses such as Arabic font design, typography, and editorial design, there is now a pressing need for a clear and user-friendly classification system.

Most existing classifications are limited to 18th or 19th-century Arabic scripts and do not encompass modern typefaces. Efforts to classify Arabic typefaces based on historical periods have caused confusion and do not address newly designed typefaces. This paper aims to establish an agreeable classification system based primarily on form language to enhance communication among all parties involved in type and letterforms, including designers, typographers, type designers, calligraphers, printers, compositors, students, manufacturers, scholars, and engineers.

Chapter 2 will briefly discuss previous categories and terms used in other classifications, questioning the misuse of terms such as "Hybrid," "Neo," "Post-modern," "Black headlines," and "Grotesk." Chapter 3 will outline the resources, methods, and tools used to develop the new classification system, drawing on arguments made by Elin K. Jacob (2004), prototype theory, John Downer's interpretations of the concept of "originality" in typefaces (2003), Kühnel's classification (1972), and the "VOX-ATYPI" classification for Latin typefaces. The latter will aid in comparing characteristics, creating new categories, and evaluating the originality grades of Arabic typefaces.

In Chapter 4, the final list of classes and their subclasses will be established, along with brief descriptions for each category. The research paper will conclude with an infographic outlining the main classes and their subclasses.