Typography is everywhere. We lay eyes on tens, if not hundreds of typefaces every single day. What are the differences between the various typefaces, and what makes them unique?
Are you confused about choosing the right font for your brand? Here we lay out a beginner's guide to choosing the right fonts or font combinations for your business.
Ø If your business is more formal and classic, but with a lighter presence, you should use a thin font or a serif font for your main typeface and a sans serif font with different weights. On the other hand, if your business is more informal, modern, and dramatic, a bold display font and a sans-serif font might be a good combination. If you're wondering what serif and sans-serif mean, let us break that down for you.
Ø Serifs - are the oldest type style and are perceived as traditional, formal, practical, and profound - and depending on the type of serif, they can also look like a house font. conveys a professional feel and can be used for dramatic and light branding.
Ø Sans-serif - fonts do not have the feet that serifs have. Modern, the best style for body fonts, is the most versatile and tends to be the most readable. Therefore, they look clean, minimalist, sleek, and elegant.
Ø Slab serif - fonts have thick, square serifs and are considered bold, masculine, quirky, and sometimes modern, which convey confidence, creativity, and reliability. You can use them as your brand fonts, as they are usually better suited for headers and logos. Although they are extended text, they are still pleasing to the eyes.
Ø Scripts - fonts are handwritten and much fancier than serif fonts. Because of their handwritten, stroke-like style, script fonts evoke ideas of creativity, elegance, freedom, and femininity. To make your target audience feel that your brand is something personal, you should include script fonts in your brand fonts.
Ø Display fonts - also known as decorative fonts, are the most diverse category. Consider these as your brand fonts if you want to showcase your brand personality and connect emotionally with your target audience. Some of the most common emotions they evoke are fun, originality, and creativity.
This is just a broad classification of fonts, based on their structure. There are a dozen other parameters that go into the making of a font or a font family. Typography is an ever-evolving craft and its evolution is strongly driven by culture and zeitgeist. It would not be wrong to say that they convey emotions and feelings as much as an illustration or a piece of art.
For that very reason, choosing the right font will help you convey the right message in the right manner, consistently.