Tips to make your typeface express accurately.
Why do you think we have SO many fonts in the world? While every now and then
we have new ones being created and discovered – from Serif Type and Sans Serif to
Decorative styles like Grunge, Psychedelic and Graffiti, wouldn’t it be easier to have
just a few that can be used interchangeably for any kind of formal or informal writing,
branding or any collateral for that matter? NO, not at all!
Howsoever overwhelming the fonts and their usage maybe, they have their own
unique faces to tell the story of your design. Like you can’t imagine human beings to
express themselves without their facial expressions (or emoticons, in today’s digital
age), you can’t imagine a collateral without the right kind of font. And choosing a
perfect typeface can truly transform the way you design and perceive designing and
branding.
Are fonts getting on your nerves?
Let’s understand the basics to get started!
Font: A set of type of one particular face and size, placed together harmoniously
known as typefaces.
Font families: A variety of fonts with minor differences in style - bold, italic and
condensed to name a few.
Leading: The amount of space between lines of type.
Tracking: The amount of space between letters
Kerning: The space between individual letters.
Most typefaces can be classified into one of four basic groups: those with serifs,
those without serifs, scripts and decorative styles.
Fonts can be more expressive than you think
If you have a keen eye, you would notice various brands have their set fonts and
typeface. This helps create a brand language for a better brand recall while inducing
an emotion – conveying a feeling of what the brand is about.
But you don’t have to worry so much as a beginner, as long as you are keeping the
basics in mind. The best way is to understand that the font is no different than your
design – it needs to be in hierarchy, it must be aligned and colour coordinated, and
should look part of the visual communication – just like your other design elements.
There are no set formulae
Only good judgements!
Like any form of art, there are no set rules. Typography choices that work for one
form of text won't necessarily work for another. There are however good practices to
follow. Check out!
1.
Never combine two similar fonts – keep them complementary
2.
Harmony lies in using a lesser number of fonts – two should be enough
3.
Beware of kerning & tracking – words change meaning when letters join
4.
Contrast is the key – key to a whole new perspective of designing
5.
Never stretch, or distort your font – would you do that to your face?
Remember, you can only break the rules when you know the rules. There’s nothing
wrong in crafting new ways, revolutionising old practices and introducing your own
styles to the world. Afterall, confining creativity is the last thing we would want in this
world. So, explore your fonts and express through typefaces with confidence. Get
the Helvetica out of your comfort zone!
At the end, we would only ask (request) you to trust your comic sense but never
Comic Sans.
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