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Using Fonts with Purpose

Does Type Font Matter?

It is easy to think that type font doesn’t matter. We read text all the time and have become very accustomed to focusing on the content or message of the words themselves and not what the words look like visually. In reality, the visual appearance of words themselves can (and should) have just as much effect on how a document is received as the content itself. Fonts can create mood and atmosphere. Fonts can give visual clues about the order a document should be read in and which parts are more important than others. Fonts can even be used to control how long it takes someone to read a document.

The professional printing industry has recognized this fact for a long time. Since the 1500s, they have used text called a “Lorem Ipsum” to demonstrate what a font will look like without having the reader become distracted by the meaning of the text itself. Although the term resembles ancient Latin, it is not actually intended to have meaning.

Above is a font that is probably quite familiar to you - Times New Roman. Especially in academic circles, Times New Roman is so popular that you almost have to use a Lorem Ipsum to actually see the curves and spacing characteristics of the font itself.

Here is another popular font called Arial. Looking at the Times New Roman and Arial fonts together it’s possible to see some subtle differences. Perhaps the choice to use Times versus Arial won’t make the most drastic of differences; however, there are so many different fonts to choose from that the point becomes much clearer once we move beyond more traditional choices.

Above is a lesser known font called Chalkboard. This font is so different that it shouldn’t be hard to realize that a page full of text in Chalkboard would look and feel very different from the more traditional Times or Arial.

Understanding how type fonts work involves learning some new terminology and thinking about the cultural codes behind words themselves. However, once you do so, font choice becomes another highly effective way to fuse your documents with additional meaning and rhetorical effectiveness.

Font Features

Graphic designers have developed a large vocabulary of terms to discuss the makeup of a font. Fortunately, learning just a few of these terms will greatly aid you in making choices about how to use a font to communicate additional meaning beyond just the words themselves.

Font Types

1. Serif Fonts

One of the primary distinctions between font types is Serif fonts versus Sans-Serif fonts. Although the exact derivation of the word “serif” is unknown, it may be easier to grasp the concept if you think of them as feet. Since “sans” comes from the French for “with out” you can see fonts as having feet or being with out feet.

Above, the circled sections highlight some of the serifs in the font type called Georgia. The serifs are little lines (or feet) at the end of particular line strokes.

Popular serif fonts include:

2. Sans-Serif Fonts

If serif-fonts have lines (or feet) at the end of particular strokes, then non-serif fonts are marked by the absence of these features.

Above is one of the most well known non-serif fonts. Notice how in comparison to the serif fonts, the line strokes end cleanly without any additional flair.

Popular Sans-Serif Fonts include:

3. Decorative Fonts

Sometimes called script, novelty, or ornamental, decorative fonts stand out for their unique shapes and personalities. These tend to have a stronger personality or character than traditional serif or sans-serif fonts.

Some examples of decorative fonts include:

Tips

• Research has found that the difference in readability of serif vs. sans serif fonts is negligible in print sources. However, in electronic or virtual contexts, sans-serif is a little easier to read. Consider the rhetorical situation (purpose, audience, context of use) of your communication when you choose your fonts.
• Sans-serifs are most typically used for headings and titles. In this use, they provide a nice contrast with the serif font used for the extended text below them. Like all conventions, this advice may change based on your audience. For example, European countries seem to have a higher tolerance for sans-serif fonts in long blocks of text on paper.
• It’s a good rule to never mix two, different types of the same font category. In other words, do not use a Times New Roman title over a text block of Palatino. Both are serif fonts and will not mix well. The ideal situation is to pair one serif font with one sans-serif font.

• Although there is no official rule, too many different fonts on one page can appear chaotic and distracting. Figure out what message you’re trying to convey and decide how to accomplish it with limited fonts.
• Use decorative fonts sparingly. Their unique features definitely make them unsuitable for extended reading. They work well for headers and titles or to add a bit of emphasis to a piece of text.

• When emailing or using fonts on the web, remember that not all computers will contain the same font sets as yours. Either use more popular fonts or set up alternate fonts in the page’s coding.

Font Personality

Although fonts are often classified by the typographical features of serifs, they can also be described as having more human-like personalities. In other words, the appearance of the font (regardless of what the words say) gives off a certain mood and feel which can alter the effectiveness of your document. Learning to predict how your font choice might make your audience feel is another way to ensure your document achieves the effect you are going for. Although there is no firm equation (no Times New Roman always equals THIS specific mood), you have grown up in the culture where these personality associations have developed; therefore, much of the predicting may be based on awareness and instinct.

Let’s return to our Lorem Impsums, as to not become distracted by the meaning of the words.

Above is a serif-font named Garamond. As a serif-font, it is good for long blocks of text. Its smooth curves and simple serifs could be said to portray a classic and easy-going beauty. These tend to be good feelings for long blocks of texts; therefore, Garamond can be an effective, rhetorical choice.

Above is the sans-serif font Franklin Gothic at a large size and at a much smaller size. We could say it’s a fairly straightforward font. Its features are not very distracting. We can also see that it maintains a high level of readability even when printed small. Once you know that this is a popular font choice for newspapers, you can see how it could be chosen to capitalize on these exact features.

Beyond serifs and sans-serifs, the appearance of decorative fonts have the most potential to tap into cultural associations. Although the Lorem Ipsum is useful to look at a font’s, basic characteristics without word meaning, in practice, the meaning of the words are effected by the font they are displayed in. Because of this fact, great care should be taken to match the font’s personality with the sentiment and purposes of your document (especially when using the more decorative options).

For example, look at these two possibilities for the heading of a greeting card:

The top example is in Monotype Corsiva. This is a font that mimics the effect of handwritten text and reflects the heartfelt sentiment of the statement and card’s purpose. On the other hand, the bottom example is displayed in a font called Bauhaus 93. Bauhaus 93 (as the name suggests) is a cold, Modernist looking font perhaps best associated with fliers for graphic design shows. This coldness is not appropriate for a greeting card expressing condolences and is therefore a poor rhetorical choice. This does not mean Bauhaus 93 is a poor font all around. For example, it might be completely appropriate for something like this:

Matching font personality with the tone of the piece is sometimes subjective and certainly not an exact science. A good technique to see if you’re choosing appropriate fonts is to use a font that seems completely opposite of what you’re trying to convey. Seeing how “wrong” this can look might help you pick a more appropriate font. Below there are two columns of words. Column A tries to set an appropriate mood for the feeling suggested by the word. Column B tries to achieve the opposite feeling. Do you think the columns are successful?

Additional Tips for Using Fonts

The more you experiment with fonts the more flexibility and options you will find among the available choices. Here are a few more tips to consider when attempting to use fonts with purpose.

• Some fonts look drastically different when displayed at smaller or larger sizes. Readability should usually be the key factor. You may fall in love with a font, but if it looks odd at the size you need it, consider trying another option.
• Italics and bolding may also affect the character of a font. In particular, sans-serif fonts often don't have an italicized version that stands out particularly well (they often become just slightly slanted). See if the italicized version still suits your needs or consider an alternate method of emphasis.
• Despite all the font options available to you, there is nothing inherently wrong with using a very traditional and well-known font. Popular fonts have often had centuries of perfecting, and professional designers use them all the time for their reliability and timelessness.
• There is a range of computer programs available for designing. Each one comes preloaded with different font choices that the others might not contain. Familiarity with a variety of programs will give you more design options.

Material adapted from Before & After Page Design by John McWade, Berkely: Peachpit Press, 2003.