Ever have the problem of not knowing what typeface to use for your project? New typefaces are being created every day and it becomes harder and harder to find the right one. New designers always get lost but eventually they use the ones they are more comfortable with, but how did they did they get comfortable and more importantly, how did they know What Font to Use? We break down what you should ask yourself when choosing the right font.
Serif or Sans-Serif?
To decide which one to use, a designer needs to what they are. Serif is a slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter such as Baskerville, Caslon, Garamond and Times. In contrast, San-Serif does not have the small projecting features (serifs) at the end of strokes. The term Sans-Serif comes from the French word sans, meaning “without” and “serif” from the Dutch word schreef meaning “line.” Examples of Sans-Serif are Arial, Futura, Century Gothic and Helvetica. To better understand the typefaces, below is an image that shows the difference between a Serif and Sans-Serif.
Choosing which font to use depends on what type of design you are creating. For example, if you’re designing a print piece, the best choice is to use a serif font in the body of the work for they make the individual letters distinctive and easier for our brains to recognize faster. Than pick a sans-serif font for headings and captions for a profession look. Keep in mind not tow overdue your font choices, the best practice is to use only one font family and keep it simple.
For website projects its always best to use a sans-serif font all the time. The reason is because printed works generally have a resolution of 300 dpi; whereas a computer screen has 72 dpi. This resolution can make very small serif fonts harder to read than the equivalent sans-serif font because of their more complex shapes. And the more harder to read, the more likely audiences will turn away from the website.
What is Your Main Objective?
Every design project is different that means choosing the right font matters. For instance, are you designing a banner, a website, or a magazine ad? What is the mood you want to express? An intense look, a pretty look, or an elegant look? Type is emotional on a hidden level because of the connotations it sends.
Choosing a font is not like choosing a wardrobe for the day. Like clothing, there is a contrast between typefaces that are powerful and stylish versus those that are useful and relevant to many situations. Typefaces can reinforce your portrayal as a brand or an individual. Below is an example and comparison of how typefaces can convey two different emotions.
Research!
Fonts alone are projects of its own, so do your research and look at other designs that catches your interest. Social medias are great source for searching the right font. Ask questions while you are there, you will be sure to get a reply and advice in what to do. Search the web and see what you can find, we recommend this diagram by Julian Hansen to help you pick the perfect font for your project. All of these tips a good starter points, but ultimately the decision is up to you to select what font to use.
We gave tips in what font to use, now we want to hear from you, do you have a font you like to use most often? What do you usually do when selecting the right font? Comment below and let us know, we can’t wait what you have to say.
and remember… Elegant Graphics, Exquisite Designs. Welcome to Elegant Graphic Designs!
