Tips For Better Typography Design

Art - Graphic Art

By: cuteordeath     18-Mar-2011

Introduction:

Good type design can be difficult to learn, and even more difficult to master. These are some tips that anyone can use, whether you're making a professional business card, or just want your party invitations to look their best.

Consider Your Audience

Are you making a flyer for your child's school bake sale, or a wedding invitation for your sibling? A cute, childish typeface will work well for the fore, but you're more likely to want a fancy script for the latter.

Don't Use Too Many Different Typefaces

For any body of work, you should generally use no more than two different typefaces. Think of it this way: when you get dressed, how many different colors and patterns do you mix? (Err, at least I would HOPE that it's no more than two, unless you're going for a Harajuku decora look, in which case, rock on.)

Create Variation With Color, Size, and Weight

So, you're banned from using 16 different typefaces. How are you supposed to make some words stand out? Make it bigger, make it bolder, or change the color. This will keep your design unified, but still make the important points more noticeable.

Use Kitschy Typefaces Minimally

I know the typeface with the little hearts and curly-cues is adorable, but if you try to set a few paragraphs it in, it's going to look like a train wreck. Keep fancy typefaces to headlines, titles, and decorations (yes, this goes for Papyrus!)

Also consider that all typefaces have origins and meanings beyond "hey, that looks neat." A font that is in art-deco style is hardly appropriate for a flyer for a modern club (unless it's supposed to be a 20s style theme club!)

Avoid Colored Text Over Photos

Legibility is key, especially with body copy (paragraphs of text, as opposed to headlines or titles). Too often I see designs with a script or handwriting-style font, colored red, over a photo of trees or a group of people or other complex image. I have 20/20 vision, and yet I must squint and strain my eyes to figure out what it says.

If you must put text over an image, try to find a "clear" spot in the picture (like sky or water), make the font simple, bold, and in a contrasting (but not eye-bleeding) color (...white is always good.) Better yet, put a solid block of color behind your text (you can lower the opacity a bit if you still want the image to show through.)




Final Thoughts

The word "typeface" means what most people would call "font". "Font" actually refers to the specific size and weight of the typeface you are using.

Example:
Helvetica is a typeface.
Helvetica bold 12pt is a font.


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