Ask a designer about typefaces, and they are likely to get excited while at the same time acknowledging that the choice can be overwhelming because there are so many options available today for how words can look on a website. The right typeface is essential for creating a good communication experience. The typeface you select should match the tone and messaging of the project. Some guidelines for thinking about fonts can make the selection easier. Here are some tips to guide your conversation about selecting the right look for your project.
1. Font vs. Typeface. First of all, the words “font” and “typeface” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Typefaces are a set of characteristics for how words are designed, and a font is a specific form of a typeface. For instance, Helvetica is a typeface family, Helvetica italic is a typeface and Helvetica italic 10-point is a font. In practice though, designers will know that you mean “the look of the letters” when you say you need help with font selection.
2. Serif vs. sans serif. You will choose one of these options almost every time. Serifs are the small lines trailing from the edges of letters, such as the bottom of the lines in an A and the base of a T, I or F. Serifs are chosen primarily for printed words, because the serif makes each word more distinctive. Sans serif typefaces are the dominant choice for the web, because of the lower resolution of computer monitors. A third option is script typefaces, which are cursive fonts that tend to look more elegant. They have low legibility in paragraph form.
3. Spacing. The amount of space surrounding text can be just as important as the typeface. Kerning is the space between letter pairs; choose a generous amount of space so the eye flows well from letter to letter.
4. What is the purpose of the font? Display typefaces were designed for headlines. Body copy typefaces were designed for larger amounts of text. Switching their usages causes problems…when body copy fonts are blown up as headlines they don’t have the visual impact, and vice versa, headline fonts lose readability when used for large blocks of text.
5. Does your project use a lot of numbers? If so, don’t just look at the alphabet selection. Some typefaces use old style, or lowercase numbers. Other typefaces use lining, or uppercase numbers. Similar to serifs, some fonts have features called ascenders and descenders on numbers that lie above or below the baseline. Lining numbers are of uniform height and alignment, while old style numbers can vary.
6. What is your design intent? Consider the mood of your project. A children’s store will have a very different need than a bank, for instance. Fonts have personality. Old style is derived from the ancient art of calligraphy, so they look, well, old. Geometric fonts can be simple but they also can look plain or boring. Pinpoint the mood you want your text to convey.
7. How many styles does your project need? You may need five fonts (not typefaces in this case) to cover headlines, subheads, and call outs that may be bold or italic. Does the font you are considering have enough variation to cover all of these different looks?
8. Ask your designer about the history of the font you are considering. Or research it yourself. Some fonts, such as comic sans, are widely criticized because they are overused and considered trite. Some fonts, such as Trajan, have histories that would make them a poor choice for certain projects. For instance, Trajan was named after a Roman emperor. It would not be an appropriate choice for projects about anything predating the Roman empire, or for a Greek restaurant, for instance.
9. How does the font look with the colors you want to use? Your choice of background color and accents that your text will be placed over influences its readability.
10. Finally, remember that it is subjective. Your designer may have strong opinions about a typeface. You may have strong opinions about a typeface. You may not agree. Ultimately, typography is an artform and art is subjective. Choose what you like, as long as you know that your choice does carry a lot of weight regarding how people will consciously or unconsciously interpret your text as they read it.
