Beginning Graphic Design: Typography

Typography Basics

Typography is the style and visual arrangement of text. Choosing and spacing type thoughtfully can make a design clearer, more readable, and more effective.

Common Font Types

• Serif: Letters have small strokes attached to their main forms. Serif fonts often feel traditional and are common in print.
• Sans serif: Letters lack those strokes. They tend to feel clean and modern and can be easier to read on screens.
• Display: Decorative styles, such as script, blackletter, or all-caps fonts. They work best in small amounts, such as titles and headers.

Fonts can convey a mood beyond their literal words, so choose one that suits the message. Some fonts, including Comic Sans, Curlz, and Papyrus, have reputations for being overused or outdated; consider alternatives with a similar look.

Combining Fonts

• Use one or two fonts per project when possible.
• Create contrast by repeating a font in a different size, weight, or style.
• Pair fonts that differ but complement each other—for example, serif with sans serif, short with tall, or decorative with simple.
• Look at other designs for inspiration.

Key Concepts

• Hierarchy: Uses differences in emphasis to guide the reader’s eye. Make the most important elements stand out, often by making them larger, bolder, or otherwise distinct. Keep the number of styles limited.
• Leading: The space between lines of text. Aim for comfortable readability; the default setting is often sufficient.
• Tracking: The overall spacing between characters. It can be expanded or condensed for visual effect or to improve spacing.
• Kerning: The spacing between particular pairs of characters. It varies across a word; if a font has noticeably poor kerning, choose another font.

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