Don’t Fear the Fonts

February 19, 2008

Hi. My name is Tamar, and I’m a font addict. Seriously, I am. The funny thing, though, is that once upon a time, I thought ALL graphic designers, by definition, were as well. Over time, however, I’ve come to realize that this is not the case.

I know of numerous graphic designers who’s font arsenal consists mainly of Arial and Helvetica, Times New Roman and Garamond, and maybe a script and display font or two for fun. Anything else tends to be scary.

Well, I am here to tell you that there is nothing to be afraid of. For the most part.

I will admit that with all of the typefaces out there (over 50,000 fonts at MyFonts alone), trying to find just the right one can be a little – okay, a lot – overwhelming. But, when you do…that’s when magic happens.

One of the things I love about typefaces is that they can affect the entire tone of a piece. Try using a modern sans serif or semi-serif font for that corporate brochure to make it a little less stuffy. Or maybe use a clean, crisp serif font in that newsletter to give it a classic, professional touch.

While fonts can really pull a piece together, turning something good into great, I must warn you to proceed with caution. As much as the right font can help a design or layout, the wrong font can just as easily ruin it. So here are some general tips on choosing – and using – the right typeface for your project.

- Regardless of the type of project, when it comes to using fonts, remember the adage “less is more.” A good rule of thumb is to limit the number of fonts used in any one project to a maximum of three.

- Italic, bold, condensed and extended versions of a typeface count as individual fonts, so use sparingly.

- Contrast is good! For a little diversity, try using a Serif font mixed with a Sans Serif font. The more contrasting they are, the better.

- When emphasizing phrases or words, use natural italic or bold versions, or bump the text up two sizes. Small caps can work, too, when used sparingly.

- Use underlines sparingly for emphasis, as they have become more associated with internet hyperlinks. Or better yet, create your own underlines with your program’s pen or line tool – that way you can customize the line width, and create line breaks so it doesn’t run into the descenders.

- DO NOT use your layout program’s bold or italic feature – according to the typography experts, this is a sure sign of an amateur. If your font of choice does not come with a bold or italic version, the safest bet is to find another font that does.

- Script fonts can be beautiful, but not when used in all caps. It’s hard to read, and I guarantee you that there is a better font choice out there.

- Match the font to the theme of the piece, but don’t over do it. Too much of a good thing can be bad.

- Finally, consider the overall purpose of the piece: if there will be lots of information that will need to be read, keep the font simple and clean, with good kerning and leading. But if you’re going for maximum impact, legibility isn’t as important as making a statement, so you’ll have more freedom to experiment and get creative.

When it comes to fonts, I could really go on and on (I’m a font addict, remember?), but I think this is a good starting point.

Until next time…be confident, be curious and be creative!

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