4.1 Choosing the Right Fonts

Hi there, welcome back to the ultimate guide to typography. In this lesson, we will show you how to choose the right fonts. Each font has a different use, function and personality and depending on the medium and content you'll choose a specific font. So we will outline their personality traits. Typography is one of the most important parts of graphic design, and every element we've outlined in the previous lessons will affect how the audience reads a text. But before that, there is the the font selection process. If you're working with an established brand, ask for a brand guideline. Brands usually have already figured out what fonts to use as body copy and display type. If it's an entirely new design project, choose fonts based on personality traits. Just like there's color psychology, there's also psychology for typography. In a previous lesson, we outlined the different categories of typefaces. Here is a more concise type classification and their personality. So first off we have Serifs, these are the oldest font styles, so we perceive them as traditional, formal, practical, and serious. And depending on the type of Serif, they can come across as corporate. There are other Serifs that can transmit an elegant flair or a quirky personality. Serif fonts are greatest body copy because they are extremely legible. You can use them on newspapers, magazines, or anywhere with long form copy. Next we have Sans Serif and these don't have the little feet that Serifs have, so therefore they look clean, minimalistic, contemporary and sleek. Sans Serif fonts usually are straightforward and tend to have a more empowered personality. San Serif fonts can be used as body copy or display in headlines. Next we have Slab Serifs. Slab Serif fonts have a thick square shaped serif, it can be seen as bold, quirky, and sometimes even modern. Slab Serif fonts are part of the serifs but can only be used as display fonts or short form copy. The blocky serif makes them hard to read. Scripts include handwritten and calligraphic fonts, they are are organic, warm and have a personal touch. And these two can be in a wide spectrum, anything from casual to formal depending on their form. Use Script fonts sparingly as display or short form copy. These can be illegible for anything longer than just a small paragraph. That's why they're used in wedding invitations, elegant menus or personal notes. Display fonts are the most diverse classification. Anything that doesn't fit in one of the groups above will fit here. Their forms can be very specific to a genre, time period or style. Display fonts should only be used as display, since these fonts feature a dormant, it's best to leave them to enhance a design piece. It is true that choosing a font for your design or a brand can be a long intimidating process. So use a font that will communicate the message that you're trying to convey and one that suits the audience and the content that you're designing. In this lesson, we outline the personality for each type category. We hope that this helps you decide for a good font for your next project. In the next lesson, we will talk about font combinations and good font pairings that will show off your design knowledge. We'll see you there.