Typography

Typography is a crucial part of our brand expression. As most of our interactions with customers happen through written communications, having a unique typeface is a powerful way to differentiate ourselves.

Our proprietary typeface, Artifakt, is reflective of our character. Sophisticated, technical, and beautiful without decoration, Artifakt was designed for Autodesk’s exclusive use by the renowned type designer Erik Spiekermann of Edenspiekermann in partnership with a core team of Autodesk brand, web, and UI designers. Copyrighted by Autodesk, Artifakt is free for all employees and suppliers for use solely in creating and using Autodesk assets.

Autodesk artifact legend and element

IMPORTANT: Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel, and email apps (Outlook, Mail, etc.) can’t embed proprietary typefaces like Artifakt. Native files to be distributed outside Autodesk and email must use Arial. PDFs can use Artifakt. See details in Usage. 

Weights and styles

Autodesk Type Headings

Titles, headings, and title sub-headings should appear in Artifakt Legend Extra Bold. These are written in sentence case and without a period at the end of the sentence.

Some exceptions apply, see digital experiences.

Autodesk type sub headings

Subheadings over body copy should appear in Artifakt Element Bold. Body copy should be Artifakt Element Regular. Subheadings are written in sentence case and without a period at the end of the sentence, unless the subheading consists of more than one sentence.

Autodesk type hierarchy

As a rule, when dealing with multiple levels of information, make sure there are clear and strong text hierarchies.

Autodesk type scale

Consistent and effective hierarchies should be implemented by proportionally sizing different levels of titles and subheadings. Please note this is a general guide and elements should be optically adjusted to each application.

Autodesk type body copy

Body copy should always be set in Artifakt Element. Kerning (space between letters) should be set to Optical in Adobe products. As a rule, smaller type sizes need more leading (space between each line of text) to be read comfortably; larger type sizes need less leading.

Text color

Generally, all titles and subheadings should be 100% black over white or light backgrounds, and 100% white over black or dark backgrounds.

Autodesk type text over white example
Autodesk type text over black example

The same rule applies for body copy EXCEPT in ANY screen application: For better readability, body copy in screen applications should be 87% black on white or light backgrounds, or 13% black on black or dark backgrounds.

Text over images

Autodesk example of type text over dark image
Autodesk example of type text over a light image

Typography should either be black on light imagery or white on dark imagery. When aligned with the logo, typography and logo should be the same color.

Artifakt collections

Artifakt is a deep font family providing general office users, designers, and developers a wide variety of design options. There are two collections available for download.

An image with text saying Artifakt Office collection

A core set for use solely in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, this set contains Artifakt Legend Office and Artifakt Element Office in Regular, Italic, Bold, and Bold Italic weights.

Any employee computer managed by and accessible to DES will have Artifakt Office. If not automatically installed on your computer.

Download via the DAM (access required)
White text on dark saying Artifakt Designer collection

For designers, developers, and suppliers, this fuller Artifakt set accommodates more complex design systems, type hierarchies, and printing techniques. It includes both Artifakt Legend and Artifakt Element families, each with nine weights, plus their italic versions.

Download via the DAM (access required)

Usage

Office collection

Applications

Internal uses of Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, or Keynote for Mac. NOT for Outlook/email.

Why

Artifakt Office is specially optimized for Microsoft Office.

Uses

  • If your file will always be used on an Autodesk corporate machine that has Artifakt Office loaded it is safe to use the Artifakt Office collection. Look for “Ofc” in the font name in your PC font menus, or “Off” in your Mac font menus.
  • Only use Artifakt externally if you save and distribute your file as a PDF.
  • Always use Arial for email.

Designer collection

Applications

Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign/Photoshop/Illustrator, etc.), most development and web apps.

Why

Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign/Photoshop/Illustrator, etc.), most development and web applications.

Uses

  • Use for all print collateral, videos, branded merchandise, and most other non-web assets.
  • Web designers—see details in Web Standards Digital Experiences.
  • Artifakt is the basis for our logo systems, including all product identities (note these must be created by our Brand team).
  • The Designer collection should also be used inside our product interfaces. The UI teams are encouraged to explore options and determine appropriate guidelines.

System typeface

Autodesk example of system typeface

Arial

Use Arial if the text will be read or editable on a computer or device where Artifakt is not installed. Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel, and email apps (Outlook, Mail, etc.) can’t embed proprietary typefaces like Artifakt. Native files to be distributed outside Autodesk and email must use Arial. This will prevent a device from substituting Artifakt for an alternate font if Artifakt isn’t installed locally. You may, however, use Artifakt if your document will be distributed as a PDF.

Double-byte character languages

Artifakt is not available for double- and multi-byte characters. We hope to have complementary web safe options to recommend soon. Meanwhile, continue to use the recommended font for your region.

Artifakt FAQ

Artifakt is available to all employees, suppliers, and channel partners with their agreement to the licensing terms below. Everyone creating assets for Autodesk should use Artifakt as their primary typeface whenever possible.

© Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Artifakt font software is Autodesk proprietary and confidential, and may be used only by authorized users and only for Autodesk business purposes. Any use not authorized by Autodesk is not permitted and is an infringement of Autodesk’s intellectual property rights as well as a breach of your agreement with Autodesk

Artifakt is available for free to anyone creating Autodesk assets on behalf of Autodesk, Inc., but it is Autodesk-copyrighted material. Artifakt can only be used by Autodesk suppliers for Autodesk purposes. Suppliers must agree to the licensing terms listed above before downloading and using Artifakt.

Employee deployment:
ESE (Enterprise Systems & Experiences) automatically pushes Artifakt Office files to every employee machine currently electronically managed by and accessible to ESE. If you are able to receive updates from ESE, you should see Artifakt show up in your Microsoft Office font menus–your machine may require a restart for your programs to recognize the font menus. For employee machines that aren’t accessible by ESE, the font is available for download from the DAM.

The Artifakt Designer collection is for use in creative applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud apps, Final Cut Pro, Figma, etc. This collection is only available on the DAM  (access required) and must be manually installed by the user.

Supplier and channel marketer deployment:
Artifakt is available for download on the DAM (access required).

Artifakt is a deep font family providing general office users, designers, and developers a wide variety of design options. There are two collections:

Artifakt Office collection: A core set for the entire employee population to use solely in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, Artifakt Office contains Artifakt LegendOfc and Artifakt ElementOfc in Regular, Italic, Bold, and Bold Italic weights.

Artifakt designer collection: For designers, developers, and suppliers, this full Artifakt set accommodates more complex design systems, type hierarchies, and printing techniques. It includes both Artifakt Legend and Artifakt Element families, each with nine weights, plus their italic versions.

Once you have Artifakt downloaded, follow the instructions below to install it in your device.

  • Find the zipped folder(s) in your Downloads folder and unzip them. You will see multiple folders with a variety of formats: TTF, EOT, SVG, WOFF, and WOFF2.
  • Choose the appropriate formats you’ll need for the following use cases:
    • Microsoft Office programs – TFF
    • Adobe Creative Cloud, static or print design – OTF
    • Mobile, responsive, program UIs – SVG
    • Web design – EOT, TTF, WOFF, WOFF2
    • Arial – TFF

Now choose your platform to finalize installation.

PC computers:
Select, drag, and drop Artifakt font files into the Fonts Control Panel. This is faster with multiple files. Or double-click on each font file and click the “Install” button.

You may need to restart your machine before Artifakt shows up in your font menus.

Mac computers:
Launch Font Book in your Applications folder. Select, drag, and drop Artifakt font files into your Font Book list. Or drag the font folder(s) into your Fonts library folder on the base level of “Macintosh HD”.

You may need to restart your machine before Artifakt shows up in your font menus.

The Artifakt typeface contains all Latin and Cyrillic characters and their italic versions (120+ languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish).

There are multiple formats included to ensure that the designers and developers can easily implement the new system: TTF, OTF, SVG, WOFF, WOFF2, EOT.

Artifakt is not available for double- and multi-byte characters. We hope to have complementary web safe options to recommend soon. Meanwhile, continue to use the recommended font for your region.

Artifakt should be used in all print collateral, signage, videos, branded merchandise, and our online experiences, UNLESS the text will be read or editable on a computer or device where Artifakt is not installed.

You must use Arial for all email content (HTML or plain text) and any native Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel, or Keynote, etc., documents that will be distributed externally. This will prevent a device from substituting Artifakt for an alternate font if Artifakt isn’t installed locally. You may, however, use Artifakt if your document will be distributed as a PDF.

General Artifakt usage guidelines are included above in this section. More detailed guidelines for web are included in Digital Experiences.

For installation issues you can contact ESE in various ways:

Submit a ticket through ServiceNow (employees only)
Use the Lumi app in Slack or Autodesk One
Call +1-415-507-8888
Email the HelpDesk at help@autodesk.com

For questions about usage or implementation please email brand@autodesk.com.