Select the best fonts for any project

Select the best fonts for any project

Six tips for better type

Regardless of the content, you can improve your designs by creating a consistent structure and adhering to the following tips.

Typefaces, or fonts as they are more commonly known, have been created by designers for different
purposes for as long as humans have been printing.

But with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide which fonts are best to use for a specific project.
Step outside the Times New Roman box and dive into the world of type.

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Andrea Lesken explain how.

As Andrea explains, choosing the right font for a project is as easy as following these six simple tips:

1. Consider your audience.
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Your choice of fonts should reflect the audience and the purpose of
the design. For instance, consider the difference in style between a skateboarding and poetry
reading poster. Fonts with rounded edges can be considered friendlier, while simple,
geometric fonts can seem contemporary, bold, or more serious. Serif fonts give a classic or
traditional impression.

2. Size and space matters
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. Choose font sizes based on how the audience will view your design.
Use space before and after your text to hold elements together that need to connect and set
elements apart that need to be separate. Limit your spacing when you want elements to read
as one unit.

3. Pair type for hierarchy.
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For instance, if you choose a serif type as your body type, you might
style your titles or subtitles in that same typeface but larger or in bold to set titles apart.

4. Limit your typefaces.
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In general, use a maximum of two fonts and be consistent about your
use of different sizes and typographical emphases — such as bold or italics. Save the use of
decorative fonts for titles.

5. Create contrast.
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Think of your design as a plate of food: If there are too many competing
flavors on your plate, nothing stands out. Choose one strongly flavored element — called the
“focal point” in design — and let the others sit back a bit, where they can support the focal
point.

6. Don’t stretch type.
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Type designers work very hard to make sure every detail is considered.
The overall rhythm of the letters and the spacing is really important. Stretching type changes
the proportions and appearance of a font and is a big “no no.” If a font doesn’t give you theeffect you want, choose a different font