—
Have you ever had the problem of not knowing what typeface to use? Well of course you have, everyone has. This is a guide on how to choose a font.
These pointers have been gathered from Robin Williams great book “The Non-Designers Type Book” that I recommended in the top 5 typography resources of all time.
Have a think about each of these before choosing your next font.
Choose a category of type
- Choose a type face that you think will match your work. ie. Oldstyle, Modern, Slab Serif, Sans Serif, Script, Decorative. Unsure of your type categories?
Quality of printer & paper
- Where are you getting your piece printed? If you are printing from a low resolution printer, your subtle font characteristics such as delicate serifs or fine lines will not get printed. (eg. fax machines, photo copier). Is the paper going to without the ink and quality? eg. Newspapers will absorb ink and lose finer details.
How much text is there to read? What is its purpose?
- Are you designing for a poster, a book, a report? What is more important – readability or aesthetics? What is the purpose of the text? A serious look, a casual look, a decorative look?
How much space do you need to fill? Or leave unfilled?
- Different typefaces take up different amounts of space, even at the same point size. Try comparing two fonts next to each other and see how much difference they take up in room.
Is the project to be skimmed or be really read?
- Choose a typeface and layout that suits its purpose.
An exercise method for next time you choose a font…
- Know your output method and final reproduction process to narrow down your font choices.
- Decide on the look you want to convey.
- If you use more than one font, make sure the fonts are very different from each other. If they are not very different it looks like a mistake. eg. Use an oldstyle font for the body text and and a bold sans serif for the headline.
- Don’t be afraid to use wild fonts where they are appropriate and use it sparingly. Don’t be a wimp.
For further reading on how to choose a font check out about.com or for a more advanced ‘how to’ check out Typies, 15 tips to choose a good typeface.
How to choose a font infographic
Thanks to Fundera for the infographic.
How do you go about choosing a font or typeface?
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] estás interesado en el tema puedes darle un vistazo a How To Choose A Font (Cómo elegir un tipo de letra) o en el Top 5 Typography Resources of all time (Top 5 Recursos […]
[…] may also be interested in How To Choose A Font or the Top 5 Typography Resources of all time. Also don’t forget to […]
[…] You may also be interested in How To Choose A Font […]
[…] ???How To Choose A Font ???Jacob Cass ???Luc […]
[…] Choose a font or color palette and go from there. Sometimes all it takes is seeing a fantastic color palette that would work well for the project, which sets the tone for the end result. […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] etc). Contrast creates variation and visual interest. And although design is ultimately subjective, well chosen fonts and appropriate images and colors can either make or break the finished […]
[…] Choosing a font for a project isn’t always an easy task but hopefully this list of professional classic and elegant serif fonts will make the task a little easier… or maybe not. […]
[…] https://justcreative.com/2007/12/04/how-to-choose-a-font/ << interesting article on how to choose a font http://typies.blogspot.com/2006/11/15-tips-to-choose-good-text-type.html << another good resource […]
[…] https://justcreative.com/2007/12/04/how-to-choose-a-font/ << interesting article on how to choose a font http://typies.blogspot.com/2006/11/15-tips-to-choose-good-text-type.html << another good resource […]
[…] How to Choose a Font […]
[…] How to Choose a Font […]
Its often the first and most important decision… Now font choices are opening up it will be a double edged sword… good designers will use well and the many, many novices out there will turn the web into an unreadable nightmare!
Good article thank you
[…] Choosing the right typeface for your particular project is not always going to be an easy task so why not make it a bit easier on yourself and bump up the sizing of your font previews. To do this, go to Edit > Preferences > Font Preview > Large. While you’re here you may want to explore the other options available in the preferences panel, something many designers overlook. It may just improve your workflow. […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] logos rather easily. I don’t know all the technical terms but I would recommend reading:How to Choose a Font – Just Creative DesignOn Choosing Type – I Love TypographyTypography – Graphic […]
[…] is good to figure out which fonts you are going to use. I would suggest not using more than two fonts. If you do not find any fonts […]
[…] 11. How to Choose A Font […]
[…] – And again from Mr Cass, a nice little article about how to choose a font […]
[…] 11. How to Choose A Font […]
[…] Esse post, do Just Creative Design pode tirar todas as suas dúvidas de como escolher uma boa tipografia para o seu projeto. […]
[…] How to choose a font What to keep in mind when you pick your fonts (usage, paper, web) […]
[…] How To Choose A Font Have you ever had the problem of not knowing what typeface to use? Well of course you have, everyone has. This is a guide on how to choose a font. These pointers have been gathered from Robin Williams great book “The Non-Designers Type Book” that I recommended in the top 5 typography resources of all time. Have a think about each of these before choosing your next font. […]
[…] may also be interested in How To Choose A Font or the Top 5 Typography Resources of all time. Also don’t forget […]
[…] may also be interested in How To Choose A Font or the Top 5 Typography Resources of all time. Also don’t forget […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] “How to Choose a Font” […]
[…] How To Choose A Font Have you ever had the problem of not knowing what typeface to use? Well of course you have, everyone has. This is a guide on how to choose a font. These pointers have been gathered from Robin Williams great book “The Non-Designers Type Book” that I recommended in the top 5 typography resources of all time. Have a think about each of these before choosing your next font. […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
[…] discussing how to combine different typefaces and understanding when to use what typeface or how to choose a font. The biggest thing I struggle with when it comes to typography is understand how to mix and match […]
[…] found a couple articles that go hand in hand. The first one gives advice on how to choose a font. I know that sometimes it’s a struggle for me to find the perfect font to match my design or […]
[…] How To Choose A Font […]
This is a great article – with there being so many fonts freely available to anyone and everyone on the web, I think a lot of brands/web designers lose site of this simple yet important information. A great article that I’ll be bookmarking! Thanks!
[…] are a vital part of your designs since they carry all sorts of information. Choosing the correct one can be a tough task, but hopefully, this small selection will make things a little easier for […]
[…] are a vital part of your designs since they carry all sorts of information. Choosing the correct one can be a tough task, but hopefully, this small selection will make things a little easier for […]
First-class article – exactly what I was looking for
[…] is important to emphasize that typography is no longer just the style of text you add to the design to spell out something. It is, and will always be, a great contributor to […]