How to Choose Appropriate Fonts for Your Next Project

Typography is a pretty deep topic and an interesting one at that, and it’s something that flies under the radar for a lot of us because we perhaps don’t give it too much thought.

Below is a quick guide on how to narrow down fonts for your brand or your next project:

Fonts: Do They Really Matter?

Yes, fonts matter but they’re unsung heroes of printed or digital media. When you get fonts just right, they feel fitting for the overall design and theme. Not too many people will light up their eyes and exclaim “wow, that font really stands out!” But when you don’t give much thought to fonts and they don’t feel appropriate, people do tend to notice that something is a little off.

The Main Font Categories to Know About

Fonts are generally grouped into categories, and while you needn’t be an expert on each font in existence (there are many!), knowing which type of font to use can help you narrow down your search.

• Serif: distinguished by little strokes called serifs, these fonts look traditional and are generally best for books and long-form content. E.g. Times New Roman, Garamond.
• Sans serif: what you’re reading right now. Essentially sans serif fonts lack the little strokes on each letter, so words don’t “connect” as gracefully or comfortably. Best for short-form content. E.g. Arial, Helvectica.
• Script: fancy fonts that look like calligraphy or old-fashioned cursive handwriting, these fonts look best on things like wedding invitations or fancy logos.
• Display: powerful, impactful fonts that are predominantly decorative. They’re mostly used for logos, posters and big adverts, but use them sparingly.
• Monospace: a specific type of font where each letter is spaced apart equally, so they look like typewriter or computer code. These are usually used in technical drawings, or at times for a retro aesthetic.

The two most important font families to consider for the majority of media will likely be serif and sans serif fonts. It doesn’t mean you should ignore all others, but try to use them very selectively.

How to Pair Fonts Together Beautifully

It’s usually a good idea to mix and match a couple of fonts, such as having one font for title and header content, and another for body text. Try to stick to just two, and try to make them contrast one another a little.

As a general rule of thumb, consider using a serif and a sans serif font as this already creates a nice and obvious contrast.

Do Fonts Look the Same Printed & Digitally?

No, fonts don’t always look the same digitally as they do when printed out. The way that a font looks on your monitor or screen might appear crisp and detailed, but it may lose some of that detail when printed. The same applies for colours.

It’s best to run a couple of print samples before doing a big batch, until you’re satisfied with how it turns out.

Font Mistakes You Should Avoid Making

Try to avoid going overboard with fonts. Don’t choose more than two main fonts; a one-off script or display font as a third might be okay for a logo or title, but avoid using more than two.

Also, try not to print anything at smaller than an 8-pt font as it becomes quite straining on the eye.

Lastly, make sure that the font is pretty reasonably legible. A fancy font might be fun as a stylistic choice, but don’t forget that readers are supposed to be able to comfortably read the content!

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