What “Type” of Person Are You? - An Introduction to Typography
Did you know that every time you write an email, compose a Microsoft Word document, or input text into a spreadsheet cell you have the opportunity to wander into design territory? Typography is an art form in and of itself, but with the influx of computer applications replacing hand-lettered documents, everyone now has the chance to bask in the aura of typography. Even more interesting is that the type of font you use for every day publishing says a lot about you; whether it is stoic Arial or Helvetica, or decorative Lucida Grande, your tried-and-true arsenal of fonts allows for a small glimpse into your personality.
What is typography?
While more antiquated definitions of typography summarize it as the art of drawing type, a modern-day definition is “applying type in an expressive way to reveal the content clearly and memorably...” (White, 2002). With this in mind, one may find it impossible to select the one perfect font that embodies all hopes and dreams of the content to be written. Relax... the following information should help you determine which styles of fonts are appropriate for certain projects, and what those favored fonts of yours mean about your character!
What can you work with?
Typography is too complex and too beautiful to simplify, but the scaffolding of it could probably be built with two materials: serif and sans serif. Of Latin descent, serif means “foot” and sans means “without”. If a font is serif in nature, it has small accent marks at the terminals, or endpoints, of letterforms. Mainstream serif fonts include Times New Roman, Courier, and Baskerville. If a font is sans serif, it does not have these accent marks (it is, after all, “without feet”) and the endpoints of the letters are unadorned. Commonly used sans serif fonts include Arial, Helvetica, and Century Gothic.
How do you choose?
There is no algorithm or equation in existence that allows you to plug in your needs and layout desires, resulting in a font suggestion. Instead, there are merely guidelines to consider during the selection process. For example, a decade ago it was not recommended to use serif fonts for website text because the “feet” were hard to read on screen. This is no longer the case as long as the font size is appropriate for the audience. In previous years, sans serif was considered too avant-garde and cavalier for any serious usage. Again, this is no longer applicable, as sans serif fonts were created solely to counteract the fraternal hold serifs had on the general public. If you look at Art Deco works or any advertisements during the Roaring 20’s, you will likely see the dominance of sans serif; this era marked the final push for accepting sans serifs without prejudice, a nomination that took hold and still enraptures us today.
What does this mean to you?
Typography is the simplest form of design psychology, and can give those Rorschach ink blots a run for their money. So what exactly does your font preference say about you? If you leave your fonts as default, the following hypotheses do not apply to you. For these people, I recommend two steps: read the summaries below to educate yourself, and then stop being a passive Typographer and grab the reigns of your design!
- Serif fonts: If you prefer to utilize serif fonts, you could be considered a classical, traditional type of person. Some may take it so far as to call you “old school.” The Bible was, after all, the first book ever published on the Gutenberg press and was, of course, composed in serif style. While you may prefer to deviate to more simplistic fonts every now and then, chances are likely that if you prefer serifs now you will most likely request a serif font for your epitaph.
- Sans serif fonts: If you choose unadorned fonts that have clean-cut terminals and edges, you could be classified as a trendy individual who appreciates new techniques and modern art movements. This does not imply that you hold a disregard for classic serif fonts; it simply means that you currently prefer simplicity and function over form. If you currently choose sans serif fonts over serif fonts, you may change your mind in later years. Because you have already passed on the traditional text style of serif, you are now more open to new font styles that may come your way.
So what now?
There is no right or wrong in selecting a font. The only “wrong” would be to ignore all the options available to you either as professional designers or weekend warrior Typographers. Knowledge is key, but so is the availability to change your mind. I hope with having read this article, you now have both.
This guest post was written by Jennifer Ayotte the School of Technology & Design Coordinator at Rasmussen College at the Fort Myers, FL college campus. In this role, she assists students seeking digital and multimedia design degrees.
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