Types of font
It should go without saying that typography is an important aspect of design, which is why getting it correctly the first time is so important. Because designers are intimidated by typography, they are more likely to make poor decisions, so we’ve compiled a list of the most common font types that can assist designers in creating legible and appealing typography. Before we learn everything there is to know about font types, we must first grasp the fundamentals of font anatomy:The invisible line on which all the characters and letters are placed is known as the baseline.
Baseline
Fonts with serifs
Because of the small feet at the top and bottom, these old and original typefaces are known as serif. It is primarily used in print and, on sometimes, internet content for both short titles and extensive pages of text. Serifs first appeared in the 15th century, and they have ruled the font kingdom ever since.
Transitional serifs, such as Baskerville and Times New Roman; Old style serifs, such as Goudy Old Style and Adobe Jenson; Slab serifs, such as Rockwell and American Typewriter; Neoclassical & Didone serifs, such as Marconi and Didot; Glyphic serifs, such as Cartier Book and Albertus; and Clarendon serifs, such as Bookman and Clarendon
Fonts on display
The display typefaces, unlike other formal or informal fonts, do not have a defined structure. Display fonts exist in a wide range of styles; they can be sans serifs or all caps birthday card writing, swirly or bold, delicate or blocky, or any other shape.They’re ideal for book covers, logo designs, and posters because they give the overall design a creative and original feel. Abril Fatface, Blackout, Archivo Black, HOMINIS, and Diplomata are some free display typefaces.
Sans-serif fonts are a type of sans-serif typeface.
These handwriting-based cursive fonts are noted for their approachable and friendly sentiments. Many firms, such as Harrods and Paul Smith, use script typefaces in their logos to demonstrate authenticity by using a logo based on the founders’ signatures. Coca-Cola and Pinterest are two more well-known examples of script-based typographic logos.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, scripts were first used. Scripts are distinguished from other typefaces by their swashes, or top curls and flourishes. Joined letters, semi-joined letters, and disconnected letters can all be used. Alex Brush, Pacifico, Great Vibes, Allura, and Kaushan Script are popular script typefaces.
Modern Serifs and Their Appearance
Firmin Didot of France and Giambattista Bodoni of Italy produced modern serifs with extreme contrast between strokes in the 1780s. At first look, the typefaces appear to be extremely similar, highlighting the quality of the rival companies’ metal-casting work, as smaller strokes necessitated significantly greater craftsmanship. The appearance and positioning of some letterforms differs significantly between the two fonts. The uppercase J in Bodoni, for example, extends below the baseline, whereas it does not in Didot. In Bodoni, both strokes on the “3” are terminated with balls, whereas in Didot, only the top stroke is terminated with a ball. Modern serifs like Didot and Bodoni are not the most readable types at lower sizes due to the level of contrast between thin and thick strokes. They’re great for headlines and display, while they can be used for body copy at high resolutions. A comparison of various Bodoni and Didot variants.