As far as graphic design is concerned, the font may be one of the most important factors which can be a success or failure of your work. Fonts are not only letters on a piece of paper but rather a reflection of your brand and message and feel. No matter what you design, logo, social media, or a web page, the appropriate typeface will assist you with setting the mood, tone, and character of what you write. In this article we are going to take you through a detailed procedure of how to select the best font face of your graphic design work, hints and software that will make your selection process a lot easier.
The Fonts as a Force in Graphics Design
Your fonts are important in the impression that your audience will get from your design. Your wrong font would result in your project looking unprofessional, hard to read or just plain non-descriptive to go with your message. Conversely, proper font has the potential to add emotion, impression and improve the level of your work.
One criterion in choosing font is the realization that typography is not all about choosing what will only look good but rather it is about using what will convey the right message. A study done by CXL Institute observed that 95 percent of consumers believe that a design of a page is the most important consideration in its credibility. This is largely influenced by fonts which are one of the main visual elements.
Nowadays the number of sources and tools that can be used by graphic designers is immeasurable in this digital era. When browsing to find a printable free poster maker, a font has to represent not only a pleasing appearance but also confirm to the vision of the design as a whole.
Types of Fonts to Consider
And since I am about to get down to discussing the process of selecting the right font to use to cater to your project, it is best that we briefly look at the key categories of fonts that you will come across in the field of graphic design:
1. Serif Fonts
Serif fonts refer to fonts, which have small lines or tails on the ends of the lines. They are also applied commonly in the traditional and formal designs and thus they are popular in print performances such as books, newspapers and magazines. Examples of vintage serif fonts are Times New Roman, Georgia, and Baskerville.
Best Suited: Print media, work or scholarly tasks, and firms in need of a formal or classic tone.
2. Sans Serif Fonts
As the name indicates, Sans serif fonts are fonts which lack the small lines or flourishes at the end of characters. These fonts are modern-looking and clean and hence the best choice on websites, mobile applications, and digital content. Arial, Helvetica and Futura are some of the most popular sans-serif fonts.
Best suited to: digital content, websites and new-age brands seeking minimal but clean aesthetics.
3. Script Fonts
Script fonts are styled as though handwritten and are more decorative, more creative or more artistic. They may be as sophisticated as cursive fonts to more humorous and relaxed. These are Brush Script and Pacifico.
Best Suited: Party invitations, imaging to creative companies and any design needing an individual touch or lighthearted feel.
4. Display Fonts
Choosing the display fonts are large and eye catching fonts which appear amidst the headline or headings. Such fonts are normally powerful, eccentric and innovative and are supposed to be unfamiliar and grab attention.
Most Suitable in: Headlines, posters and bill boards and any type of designs, where quick grip is essential.
Choosing Fonts Based on Project Type
Choosing a font in doing a graphic designing project, you must take into consideration the kind of job that you are taking. This is the way to pair fonts and objectives of your project:
1. Logo Design
The font of your logo must be exclusive and can be identified at a glance. It must show the character of your brand, playful, serious, luxurious or simple. Most of the companies use their own types whereas others use popular types such as the sans-serif fonts to be used in modern logos and serif fonts to be used in ancient styles.
Hint: Do not use totally complex fonts in logos, being simple is good.
2. Website Design
In web design you need to be legible. You will use a font that can be read on different font sizes to make your site easy to navigate by the users. Common ones include web-safe fonts such as Arial, Helvetica and Georgia. The fonts can be easily read on desktops to mobile phones.
Hint: use one-two font families to keep the consistency of your site.
3. Print Materials (Posters, Flyers, Brochures)
In case of literature, the font used should be legible in bigger dimensions or small size letters of print. Take serif font as a heading and sans-serif font as a body, so as to develop a contrast and appeal your personal design with a form of contrast. It is also possible to use display fonts to add emphasis within titles or the call to actions.
Tip: When determining your design, first test how the fonts would appear on print. Make the fonts not so tiny and not so decorative to be read.
The Way to Search the Best Fonts to Your Design
Given this rudimentary knowledge on font types and match up strategies, it is time to discuss some of the quandaries in illustrating the best fonts in your graphic designing works.
1. Font Libraries
A number of websites offer free and paid-for fonts in thousands. Designers may find Google fonts, Font squirrel and Dafont useful. On these sites, too, you can get tools that will match fonts and preview fonts instantly.
2. Custom Fonts
To achieve a really unique appearance, you can commission a type designer or make your own, custom font. This is particularly trendy in branding so that your design is unique in the market among others.
3. Font Licensing
Ensure you know that they have the licensing even as you select a font just in case you are using it on a commercial basis. Other fonts can be used in a personal setting at no cost but are subject to a paid license on commercial readings.
Final Thoughts
The process of selecting the appropriate font that you need in your graphic designs should be enjoyable and good, but you need to take it with a serious mind. Think about the message you wish to send, the nature of the project and the atmosphere you wish to set. If a printable free poster maker is your option or if you have a custom job in your hand, the font that you select must contribute to your design and whatever your overall concept is.
Fonts are not ornamental only, fonts represent a great medium of message. Take your time experimenting upon different possibilities and depending upon your instincts and gut feeling, you can come up with the right font that depicts your design.