Typefaces could be the most important decision you make when designing. Not only do fonts add style to your design but they communicate the whole idea or message behind your design. It's important to choose the right typeface – one that's readable, stylish and appropriate. Here's some tips to help you choose the right one.
What types of fonts can you choose from?
Serif typefaces – Serif typefaces are those with small lines attached to the ends of the characters. For example, perhaps the most well-known serif typeface, Times New Roman. Serif typefaces usually have a more traditional feel that others. Traditionally serif typefaces were used in body text because they are considered more easily readable that sans-serif fonts in print applications. However, it has more recently been suggested that there are positives and negatives to the readability of both serif and sans-serif typefaces, and there are now commonly considered to be equal in readability.
Sans serif typefaces – Sans-serif typefaces are the opposite to serif typefaces. The name comes from the French word 'sans' meaning 'without' – without serifs. Sans-serif typefaces have a more modern feel than their traditional serif counterparts. They're commonly used for web and digital applications as they're considered easier to read on screen than serif fonts.
Script/handwritten typefaces – Script and handwritten typefaces are less readable than serif and sans-serif fonts and therefore should be avoided for use as body text. Script and handwritten fonts can add specific style to a document when used as a feature typeface. Using a handwritten typeface for a heading can give your design a more relaxed or youthful feel, while using a script typeface for a pull-out quote can give your design a sense of sophistication and elegance.
Display/novelty typefaces – Display or novelty typefaces are sometimes quite difficult to read, though can add great impact the style of your design. They can turn a simple design into a head turner with ease. They should never be used as body text and should be reserved for headings and short pull-out quotes or phrases. Display or novelty typefaces should be used in moderation. Using a simple sans-serif typeface interchangeably with a display or novelty typeface can achieve your desired look without overdoing it.
How do you choose complimentary fonts?
A great rule of thumb to ensure your fonts don't clash is to mix a serif and a sans serif. Contrary to what you might think, sans-serif and serif fonts work great together. Try using a serif typeface for the body text and a sans-serif typeface for the headings.
You can also mix sans-serif fonts with other sans-serif typefaces. Try choosing a traditional, simple sans-serif font such as Arial or Helvetica as the body text and opt for something with a bit more style such as Bebas Neue or Montserrat for headings and pull-out quotes.
Another great tip for mixing typefaces is to choose a simple one and a more detailed or styled one. Stick with this rule and you can't go wrong.
Are your font choices versatile?
It's a great idea to ensure you choose versatile typefaces, particular for your headings and feature typefaces. A typeface like Raleway that has a number of weight options is amazingly versatile. You could create your whole design with Raleway, and yet have headings, pull-out quotes and body text that all look unique. Try creating your headings in bold, your pull-out quotes in light and your body text in a regular font weight. This develops great contrast but retains uniformity in terms of the feel of your document.
Last but definitely not least, always ensure your typeface choices are readable. A great tip for ensuring your type is readable in print is to never go smaller than 8pt in size and always increase the leading slightly (stick with 4 - 6 pts larger than the font size). Try a leading of 12pt with 8pt font size. The added space between the lines of text will make the font much easier to read. Headings and pull-out quotes can have smaller leading as they're usually much shorter than body text paragraphs.
Keep this in mind next time you're designing a document and you'll have a much more styling design in no time.
Emily Papettas
Lead Designer
