Did you know that it’s not only the words you use that matter, but what those words look like? Different fonts and typography have different personalities, and can make you trust a brand, incite certain emotions, or trigger a specific response. Brands pick particular fonts due to their connotations or the way they connect with people, and would never consider trying something new. Months go into designing the right font for a company or organisation. There are thousands of fonts out there, from high cost bespoke designs to font freebies, and all have a place in your content and design. Broadly, fonts can be classified into five generic families: serif, sans serif, cursive, fantasy and monospace, with serif and sans serif the most popular and regularly used.
Here are a few top tips for fonts in your work.
Font families
When designing up a graphic or content it’s important to think about font families. Having a cursive design in the header and a roman one in the body will look disjointed, so think about what goes well together. Take a step back from your design and look at it as a complete piece of work, as well as each segment in isolation.
Rule of three
Good visual typography uses a limited number of font families, and no more fonts within them than necessary. Generally the rule of thumb is three fonts per piece. Try not to get too excited and throw in lots of different fonts, which I know can be difficult as there are so many cool ones out there. Too many different fonts can be disorientating for the reader or user, and distract from your message, which is what you are primarily there to do. Less really is more.
Size matters
Size matters in this case. There’s no point trying to cram lots of text on a page if it makes it too difficult to read. Obviously the specific size will depend on whether you are creating an invitation or a poster, a sign or an Instagram post, and every situation is different. Think about who will be viewing your content, and where they will be reading it. If it’s on a billboard, it needs to be a bit larger than on a flyer!
Follow a visual hierarchy
Think about hierarchies within your content, and use typeface and font to discern this. Having very clear and distinguished font sizes and selections helps to create and show a logical content order within your design. Big bold typeface at the top shows the headline, whereas smaller and more cursive in the body copy shows that this is what comes next. Think about headings, subheadings, body copy and how this helps make things flow and keep people on the trajectory and path you are trying to take people on. Clear typographic hierarchy makes text legible and easy to scan, and makes it easy for people to scan, help them to take the desired action, and bring their attention to the right point or paragraph.
Keep it clear
Function and clarity are key. Never sacrifice this for style or imagery. There is no point having everything pretty and creative if people cannot read it or understand it. You do not want your font to take over and distract from the content and message that it is trying to convey. Simplicity and intelligibility remain the most essential principles, and keeping things clear is essential for any designer. Your main job is to get across a message and make people act – not showcase all the fancy fonts and images you have at your disposal.
Remember your context and audience
Consider context and audience. If your sentences are funny or humorous, go for a fun and vibrant font. If it’s more serious, you will probably want a more traditional font type. Businesses might have their own style, and it’s your job to make sure that the font echoes their values and ethos. Ask questions of your clients and get to know them, and think about what fonts will work for them and their messaging.
Mobile responsive
If you’re working on a website, consider mobile. Mobile typography is unique due to the space available. Legibility is crucial, as there will be a small visual area that people are viewing on. There might be spaces to click on, and there needs to be specific and obvious options for doing this.
Ready to go play with some fonts? Have a look at what brands and organisations are doing. Get out there and try some font freebies. And enjoy it.
