Choosing the right typeface can be overwhelming for those who appreciate how it can influence the visual impact and reading pleasure of your marketing materials. Whether you are designing a business card, flyer, or poster, choosing the right font for print will dictate how effectively you can communicate your message. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for choosing fonts, but there are some guidelines to consider to ensure that your font fits your media and message.
- DETERMINE THE PURPOSE OF YOUR PRINT MATERIAL
This may seem obvious, but knowing what your material will be used for sets the tone for what type of font you should use. For instance, letterheads need to be more formal than flyers, and would appear more professional with the use of traditional fonts. You can reserve the more creative and decorative fonts for headlines for your posters and flyers.
- CONSIDER LEGIBILITY AND READABILITY
Legibility refers to the shape of each character and how easy it is to distinguish one letter from another. Readability refers to how the words are arranged on the page and how easy a reader can makes sense of the content. Legibility and readability go hand in hand. You want your readers to be able to easily understand your content without being distracted by the typeface. Generally, serif fonts (the ones that have feet at the end of the letterforms) are better to use on print material, while sans-serif fonts are preferred by web designers.
- EXPLORE FONT RESOURCES
While you may already have hundreds of fonts installed on your computer, you run the risk of using common fonts that will make your print material look plain and unimaginative. There are multiple websites that offer free font downloads like dafont.com or 1001freefonts.com. Don’t be limited to what you already have on hand, but also be prepared to spend time browsing since there are literally thousands of fonts to choose from. For starters, you can search the web for font combination suggestions.
- CREATE VISUAL HIERARCHY
Whatever you are designing, there’s a good chance that you will have a headline and a body. At first glance, your audience should be able to identify the most important elements of your material. As such, you should have at least two font combinations that vary in type, weight, and color. While your headline should stand out, it should also direct your reader’s attention to the other parts of the page. Also, while certain parts of your print material should stand out, make sure that your font combinations complement one another – your material should not appear like a showcase of your favorite fonts.
- DO THE TEST PRINT
While your fonts may look good onscreen, factors like contrast and brightness can affect how your font stands out once printed against a background. Create different samples of your design using different fonts and print them out. Place your samples side by side and get the opinion of a colleague or friend.
Keep in mind that fonts are as much a part of your design as your images. Choosing the right typeface will help engage your audience and aid in efficiently getting your message across.
