Type Style Guide

Typography Audit

Purpose: Document current font implementation with Māori macron support testing and technical analysis.

Macron Test Pattern: āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ

Sample Māori Words: Māori, Pākehā, Whānau, Kōrero, Tūhoe, Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa

Current Font Loading Status

Weight 100 (Thin) ✓ Real Font Loaded
Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin
Weight 200 (Light) ✓ Real Font Loaded
Helvetica Neue LT Light
Weight 300 (Light) ⚠️ Browser Synthesized
No font file loaded
Weight 400 (Regular) ⚠️ Browser Synthesized
No font file loaded
Weight 700 (Bold) ✓ Real Font Loaded
Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold
Italic (All Weights) ⚠️ Browser Synthesized
No italic fonts loaded

Note: Synthesized = Browser artificially creates the weight/style. Real = Actual font file loaded with proper letterforms.

Heading Hierarchy (Base Styles)

H1 – font-weight: 100 (Thin), font-family: var(–font-head)

Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ

Tāmaki Makaurau Art Gallery

Context: Main page titles, exhibition titles, artist names on headers
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
H2 – font-weight: 100 (Thin), font-family: var(–font-head)

Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ

Ngā Toi Māori Contemporary Art

Context: Section headings, exhibition subtitles
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
H3 – font-weight: 100 (Thin), font-family: var(–font-head)

Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ

Kōrero: Artist Statement

Context: Widget titles, subsection headings
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
H4 – font-weight: 100 (Thin), font-family: var(–font-head)

Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ

Whānau Collection Preview

Context: Card titles, list headings
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
H5 – font-weight: 700 (Bold), font-family: var(–font-head)
Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ
Pākehā & Māori Perspectives
Context: Caption titles, fancybox titles
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold (700)
H6 – font-weight: 700 (Bold), font-family: var(–font-head)
Handgloves āēīōū ĀĒĪŌŪ
Aotearoa Artists Series
Context: Minor headings
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold (700)

Body Text Variations

Body – font-weight: 200 (Light), font-family: var(–font-body)

This is standard body text using Helvetica Neue Light (200). The gallery represents contemporary Māori and Pākehā artists from across Aotearoa. Our whānau of artists includes painters, sculptors, and mixed media practitioners who explore themes of identity, place, and cultural kōrero.

Context: Main body text, article content, descriptions
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Light (200)
Body with Bold – font-weight: 700 within 200

Exhibition opens with Tūhoe artist Aroha Māori presenting new work exploring traditional Māori weaving techniques. The collection features pieces inspired by the whenua (land) of Tāmaki Makaurau and broader Aotearoa.

Context: Emphasized text, artist names in body copy
✓ Real font on bold – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold (700)
Caption Text – font-weight: 400, font-size: 13px
Kōrero Series #3, 2024

Mixed media on canvas, 1200 × 900mm. Created during artist residency in Tāmaki Makaurau. Private collection, Auckland.

Context: Image captions, artwork details
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 400 not loaded (browser creates from 200/700)
Could consolidate to weight 200 or purchase real 400
Caption with Italic – font-style: italic on title
Whānau Portraits: Tūhoe Series

Oil on linen, 2024. Artist: Hēmi Pākehā

Context: Artwork titles in captions (italic styling)
⚠️ Font synthesis – italic not loaded (browser slants upright font)
Only 2 contexts use italic – could skip italic font purchase

Navigation & Interface Elements

Navigation – font-weight: 100, font-size: 30px (mobile) / 29px (desktop)
Context: Main site navigation menu
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
Buttons – font-weight: 700, font-size: 14px Context: Call-to-action buttons
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold (700)
Button Variant – font-weight: 400, text-only style Read more about Tāmaki Makaurau artists → Context: Text-only link buttons
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700

Artist & Exhibition Contexts

Page Header Time – font-weight: 100, font-size: 24px
15 Hānuere — 28 Pēpuere 2025

Whenua: Land & Identity

Aroha Māori & Hēmi Pākehā
Context: Exhibition dates and artist names on exhibition pages
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
Author List – font-weight: 100, font-size: 24px (base) / 50px (desktop) Context: Artist listing on main artists page, large display
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
Event List – font-weight: 100 (titles), 400 (body) Context: Press listings, selected events in artist sidebars
✓ Real font on titles – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
⚠️ Font synthesis on body text – weight 400 not loaded
Body text could consolidate to weight 200
Photo Link Author – font-weight: 100, font-size: 22px
Artist photo Aroha Māori
Context: Artist photo with overlay name
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
Social Links – font-weight: 300 / 400 Context: Artist social media links in sidebar
⚠️ Font synthesis – weights 300/400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700

Homepage Slider / Banner Text

Banner Slide Content – font-weight: 300 Context: Exhibition announcements (non-homepage)
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 300 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
Home Variant – font-weight: 700 on .name
Context: Homepage only – heavier artist names for emphasis
✓ Real font – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Bold (700)

Widget & Sidebar Elements

Widget Titles – font-weight: 100 on H3

Upcoming at Tāmaki Makaurau

15 Hānuere 2025
Opening Soon

Join us for the opening of Aroha Māori’s new exhibition exploring traditional Māori motifs in contemporary contexts.

Context: Sidebar widgets, info blocks
✓ Real font on title – Helvetica Neue LT Cn Thin (100)
⚠️ Font synthesis on status/body – weight 400 not loaded
Status/body text could consolidate to weight 200
Widget Status – font-weight: 400, font-size: 14px
Now Showing – Kei te whakaatu
Opening Soon – Ka tuwhera ā tērā wiki
Past Exhibition – Kua hipa
Context: Exhibition status labels in widgets
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
Widget Address – font-weight: normal, font-style: normal
Tues—Sat 10am—5pm
123 Karangahape Road
Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
09 999 9999
Context: Contact information in sidebar widgets
✓ Real font – inherits from widget context

Form Elements & Inputs

Select Dropdown – font-weight: 300/400
Filter by Artist – Kaihoahoa
  • All Artists – Ngā Kaihoahoa Katoa
  • Aroha Māori
  • Hēmi Pākehā
  • Tūhoe Collective
Context: Exhibition list filters, year/artist selection
⚠️ Font synthesis – weights 300/400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
Email Share Link – font-weight: 400, font-size: 14px
Share Exhibition via Email – Tukuna mā īmēra
Context: Social sharing links on exhibition pages
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
Form Input – font-weight: 300/400, font-size: 14px Context: Newsletter signup, contact forms
⚠️ Font synthesis – weights 300/400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700

Special Contexts & Notes

Following Posts Title – font-weight: 300, font-size: 26px / 50px
Whenua: Land & Identity Exhibition Featuring Aroha Māori & Hēmi Pākehā
Context: Related exhibitions, previous/next navigation
⚠️ Font synthesis on title – weight 300 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
⚠️ Font synthesis on note – weight 400 not loaded
Note Text – font-weight: 400, font-size: 11px Exhibition notes: This collection explores traditional Māori and contemporary Pākehā perspectives on whenua (land), whānau (family), and identity in Aotearoa. Context: Secondary information, explanatory notes
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 400 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700
Preloader – font-weight: 300, large display

Loading Gallery
Kei te uta…

Context: Page loading screen
⚠️ Font synthesis – weight 300 not loaded
Could consolidate to weight 200 or 700

Comprehensive Macron Sentence Tests

Body Text (200 weight)

Tim Melville Gallery is proud to present contemporary Māori and Pākehā artists from across Aotearoa. Our whānau of artists includes painters, sculptors, and mixed media practitioners from Tāmaki Makaurau to Ōtepoti, exploring themes of whenua, identity, and cultural kōrero through innovative contemporary practice.

Heading Text (100 weight)

Ngā Toi Māori: Contemporary Art from Aotearoa

Whenua & Identity: Aroha Māori Solo Exhibition

Kōrero with Hēmi Pākehā: Artist Talk

Bold Emphasis (700 weight within 200)

Opening reception with Aroha Māori and Hēmi Pākehā discussing their collaborative work exploring Tūhoe heritage and contemporary artistic practice in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Mixed Case & Punctuation

UPPERCASE: MĀORI PĀKEHĀ WHĀNAU KŌRERO TŪHOE ĀĒĪŌŪ

Lowercase: māori pākehā whānau kōrero tūhoe āēīōū

Mixed: Māori Pākehā Whānau Kōrero Tūhoe ĀēĪōŪ

Summary & Recommendations

Font Weights Currently in Use

  • Weight 100 (Thin): ✓ Real font loaded – Heavy use throughout site for brand identity
  • Weight 200 (Light): ✓ Real font loaded – Body text only
  • Weight 300 (Light): ⚠️ SYNTHESIZED – Used in ~8 contexts, consolidation opportunity
  • Weight 400 (Regular): ⚠️ SYNTHESIZED – Used in ~25+ contexts, strong purchase candidate
  • Weight 700 (Bold): ✓ Real font loaded – Headings and emphasis
  • Italic: ⚠️ SYNTHESIZED – Only 2 contexts, low priority for purchase

Testing Checklist

  1. Verify macrons render correctly across all examples
  2. Compare synthesized weights (300/400) to real fonts (100/200/700) for quality differences
  3. Test across Safari, Chrome, Firefox for browser synthesis inconsistencies
  4. Test at mobile, tablet, and desktop sizes
  5. Note which contexts have poor rendering or missing macrons
  6. Decide on consolidation strategy for weights 300/400

Key Questions for Discussion

  • Do current Helvetica Neue fonts support macrons? (Check for missing diacritics or boxes)
  • Is weight 400 synthesis acceptable, or should real font be purchased?
  • Can weight 300 contexts consolidate to 200 or 400?
  • Is body text (200) legible enough, or should heavier weight be considered?
  • Is italic synthesis acceptable for 2 caption contexts, or purchase italic fonts?