Why Fonts Matter

A Serif type was the first typeface ever created. Serif typefaces have a small tag or tail at the end of each stroke. Because of these smaller identifiers, serif type has been found to be more readable in large bodies of text and at a smaller size. The tags add contrast and make it easier for the viewer to differentiate one character from the next, also making these fonts more legible.

Why Fonts Matter

The more decorative category of fonts, a script font, often contain swirls and flourishes. These fonts are often used for headers & large text and would rarely, if ever, be used for paragraphs of text. Being decorative, these are often less readable and used in select circumstances. Often used as in a wordmark logo, such as Disney.

Script fonts in essence, are an extension of handwriting, inspired by the way we really write. Because of this, these fonts are seen as more friendly and personable or relatable to consumers. Cursive fonts also bring about a feeling of elegance and lean more toward femininity.

Slab serifs are often seen as reliable, steadfast, and sturdy due to their strong slab end points. These typefaces bring about a grounded feeling and something you can rely on. These fonts are still seen as personable and friendly even with their solid nature.

These different categories are just a few of the many different fonts options you can choose for your brand. By choosing the right fonts, you can give customers an idea of which type of brand you are. Having a unique font and using it consistently builds a familiarity with customers and also makes your brand stand out in their mind.

This is where fonts come in. When used correctly, fonts can help draw a reader in, encourage them to stay on the page longer, and, hopefully, guide the customer successfully all the way through the buying process.

Fonts are crucial to creating the sort of smooth, intuitive experience that meets these demands. When used effectively, fonts guide the eye from one place to the next, keeping the user grounded as they browse products, compare features, and move through the purchase process.

Using fonts to differentiate between two or three different text blocks is pretty straightforward, but achieving the same effect with five, six, or seven groups of content can be a lot more challenging. When done well, customers can quickly scan for the information they need and just as easily decide if they want to begin the buying process or keep browsing.

Use contrasting styles to set blocks of text apart, such as mixing relaxed hand scripts with no-nonsense sans serifs or monospaced fonts. It is generally good practice to create visual contrast through weight, like pairing bold headings with light body text.

The basic approach of using typography is selecting the correct font. The font should be as clean as possible. It shouldn't be too small and crummy. Using fonts that are easy to read are key to presentation.

Harmonic design provides an artistic effect to your website. Using same font for similar contents provides continuity. The alignment of fonts with correct proportion organizes your presentation and makes it uncluttered.

If you follow a pattern on using fonts and present your site with some rhythm, it adds a great value to your company brand. The audience always remembers the fonts that you use in presenting the visuals.

Fonts have different personalities that can create trust or mistrust, give you confidence, make things seem easier to do or make a product taste better. This volume will help you understand the science behind how fonts influence what you read. They're hidden in plain sight, they trigger memories, associations and multi-sensory experiences in your imagination. You may not believe it, but fonts can change the meanings of words right before your very eyes, alter the taste of your food, evoke emotional responses and reveal their users' personalities.

Graphic designer Sarah Hyndman specializes in exploring how fonts influence us as type consumers; Why Fonts Matter synthesizes Hyndman's 20 years of experience as graphic designer with her typographic research and the findings of experimental psychologists and neuroscientists.

Fonts can tap into positive associations to project a sense of trustworthiness and credibility. Helvetica, for example, is used on government documents. Courier is used on vintage books. Using these classic fonts can communicate authenticity. Even if you are using less traditional fonts, once people begin to associate your documents with a specific type style, this visual consistency will authenticate your materials, as well.

This book offered a refreshing approach on how to think about fonts and type. Hyndman does not focus on designers' perspectives, but instead discusses what the general public thinks about typefaces, as they are the majority end consumers. She goes beyond the sometimes biased opinions of designers and type snobs to get a more real world view on famous fonts and styles. For example, designers might tie the personally of the famous Bauhaus typeface to the art movement of the 1920s German art school, while non-designers saw it as silly, clown-like, friendly typeface, or even that it resembles doughnuts.

Why Fonts Matter allows you to think critically about what fonts are really saying by using a variety of interactive activities throughout the book. Activities such as counting the number of typefaces you interact with on your daily commute, guessing what a movie would be about based on the title's typeface, creating a dating profile based on your favourite font, and evaluating typefaces from other senses such as sound or taste. There are even some typographic baking recipes hidden in the back. Hyndman makes you get out of your chair, interact with fonts, really get into the nitty-gritty of what typefaces are saying and understand how real people interpret with them in the real world.

Take a look at the experiences and associations typeface evokes.Fonts have different personalities that can create trust or mistrust, give you confidence, make things seem easier to do or make a product taste better. Understand the science behind how fonts influence what you read. They're hidden in plain sight, they trigger memories, associations and multi-sensory experiences in your imagination. You may not believe it, but fonts can change the meanings of words right before your very eyes, alter the taste of your food, evoke emotional responses and reveal their users' personalities.Graphic designer Sarah Hyndman specializes in exploring how fonts influence us as type consumers; Why Fonts Matter synthesizes Hyndman's 20 years of experience as graphic designer with her typographic research and the findings of experimental psychologists and neuroscientists.

A serif is known by the small extra stroke found at the end of the main vertical and horizontal strokes of a few letters. Popular serif fonts include Playfair display, Merriweather, Times New Roman, etc.

Like BeFont, it allows users to submit fonts too. Cufonts has a rather practical categorization such as Brand Fonts which houses fonts used by popular brands, fonts for Instagram users, and so on and so forth.

Hyndman has spent over 20 years studying fonts and what meanings they portray. She said certain fonts emit emotions while others display characteristics like power or strength. Hyndman also acknowledges that people associate fonts with the messages that are written.

Hanks denied any racism associated with his line in a video posted to Instagram while users on Twitter pointed out that the New York Times and The Washington Post both use custom blackletter fonts as their logos as well, in his defense.

The ongoing debate still stays strong but as Hyndman explains "fonts are not inherently racist, but because humans look for connections between items, our brains may create a relationship between two separate issues."

Of the key typographic factors (face, kerning, line length, letting, size, contrast), research shows font face has the smallest impact on legibility (big caveat here: studies have looked at differences like serif vs. sans, and a host of basic font face comparisons, Palatino vs. Arial, Georgia vs. Helvetica, etc. but not extremely wacky fonts that are obviously less legible) (Tinker, 1963, Chandler, 2001, Gasser et al., 2005, Pyke, 1926, Rothlein, 1912).

What is important, however, from an APA Style 7th edition perspective is the accessibility for all readers. In fact, a key feature now in APA Style is the degree to which inclusivity is a part of the guidelines for usage. In general, APA says that serif and sans serif fonts of 10 to 12 point are fine, and the Publication Manual makes these specific recommendations (section 2.19):

Comic Sans was based off of hand lettering in comic books and was originally meant for use in comics, informal letters and children's materials. It should NEVER be used for formal material and series subject matters. It just "looks" wrong, doesn't it?.

Orana from Orana Creative wrote this great post for the International Bloggers Association to help bloggers choose the fonts for their brand. If that isn't enough, I highly recommend her e-course, or even hiring her to help you create your brand.

Choose a font that helps convey your message. If your message is trite or child oriented than maybe Comic Sans is right for you. But resumes, scientific presentations or policy papers about rape or other serious matters call for another choice.

This book opens up the science and the art behind how fonts influence you. It explains why certain fonts or styles evoke particular experiences and associations. Fonts have different personalities that can create trust, mistrust, give you confidence, make things seem easier to do or make a product taste better. They're hidden in plain sight, they trigger memories, associations and multisensory experiences in your imagination.* Fonts can alter the meanings of words right before your very eyes.* See what personalities fonts have, and what they reveal about YOUR personality.* Explore how you respond to fonts emotionally and can make fonts work for your message.* Be amazed that a font has the power to alter the taste of your food. 041b061a72