Proper Font Selection

Proper Font Selection

by: Maricon Williams

In times when you are writing a message in your computer, have you ever asked yourself the following questions: How will I convey my message with the use of my fonts? Do I need several colors? Am I going to use big, bold, crisp or spaced fonts? Well, you are not alone in this dilemma. To help you with it, just read on..

Fonts are the crossing point between writers and readers. This is the reason why they have to be catchy in appearance and content.

Presentation is crucial because it is not only the superb content that draws the reader’s attention. It starts with the font’s character. It should speak for itself. Font’s role is to get attention, enhance readability, set and atmosphere and most importantly projects an image. To be able to play the role well, we need to follow certain guidelines.

The first rule is to know what case to use. Avoid using all upper or lower case especially in the body of your composition because it is hard to read. Use upper case in titles and headings only if it is necessary. Do not make the readers curse you while reading your message.

The generally accepted size of a font is between 1012 point for the body, 1448 point for primary headings and one half of the primary heading point size for secondary headings. Be aware though, that fonts may appear larger in computer than the actual size.

Keep the font simple. Your font is used to augment your message and not to impair it. Simplicity is still a virtue in writing so bear in mind using simple fonts not exaggerated ones.

Sometimes variation is necessary. Variety is most of the time used to break the monotony. Examples of variation are underlining of the text, italization, making the letters bold, highlighting and the likes. But it will be overstressed if you used them all so use them sparingly.

The last rule is to match your font with your medium. You can break other aforestated rules provided that it blends with your medium. Every project has many perspectives. Some are intended to general public some are specific. Some are serious others are funny. But whatever your approach and typeface it must redound to the benefit of your project and not to destroy its goal.

After you are through reading these rules, ask yourself, am I using my fonts perfectly? If so continue what you’ve started. But if not, try to change your ways for the better. Communication is more than just words. Actually, there are a lot of things that we should consider to achieve not just comprehension but retention.

About The Author

Maricon Williams

Book reading has always been her greatest passion mysteries, horrors, psychothrillers, historical documentaries and classics. She got hooked into it way back when she was but a shy kid.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 01

by Maricon Williams

5 Basic Rules on Typography

5 Basic Rules on Typography

by: Grannyกs Mettle

Whenever you get projects for designing graphics for different media materials, there are certain rules you need to know before venturing to the complexities and elaborate world of graphic design.

One of the elements considered in graphic design is typography. This is how you utilize and create your text to come out with a result that complements your images and design of the whole media material, whether itกs for print or web.

For typography, here are five of the basic rules to follow (or to break, whichever suits your creativity at the moment):

Rule No. 1 DO NOT use all the fonts in one document.

Every designer has his or her own collection of fonts, which he or she uses for each design project. As one designer would say: กIf you’re a designer, it almost goes without saying that you own fonts Lots of fonts.ก

Aside from the existing fonts in the software program being used, most designers have their own lists that were added to the already existing list. And because of the availability of so many fonts, one may be tempted to use as many, if not all of the fonts that he or she owns.

Always remember that simplicity is more attractive than disarray and confusion. When you start using many fonts in one document, the message most often get lost in the jumble. In addition, too many fonts can distract the reader from the original intent of the design to get a message across. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you have to be dull and boring by sticking to the conventional ‘twofont ruleก, which states that you had to have one font for headings and another for text. So whereกs the creativity in that? Just make sure to have a reason why you want to deviate from the rule and chose to use the fonts.

Rule No. 2 กSerif type is easier to the eyes than sans serif.ก

Thereกs an old principle in the graphics world that goes กSerif type is easier to read because the serifs draws your eye from character to character.ก Hence, sans serif type is oftentimes used for headings and short quantities of text.

Truth to tell, all fonts can be made readable (except, well, maybe for Wingdings) with the ideal design. With sans serif, although it needs more leading than serif type, it can give your documents a very modern look, and is the popular body text in Europe.

Rule No. 3 Putting two spaces after a period is a nono.

In the olden times, when typewriters are the thingamajigs for writers, two spaces after a period was the rule to indicate the end of a sentence.

With the onset of technology, fonts have characters of their own, with different widths, that putting two spaces after a period is no longer needed. Sometimes, this rule can create a rather annoying flaw that creates a stop rather than help you pinpoint the end of every sentence.

Rule No. 4 DO NOT use all capital letters.

One designer said that when using all capitals in the text, there are no ascenders or descenders. The two are what makes it easy to identify the shape of a word. ‘the shape of almost every word becomes a rectangle, and itกs harder to read.ก

But this doesn’t also mean that you cannot use capital letters. Where can you use capital letters? Short phrases or headings do look attractive in all caps. Sans serif also works better in all caps.

Rule No. 5 DO NOT center large quantities of text.

The eyes go from left to right when reading. Itกs the way to go. It rapidly scans one line, then goes from the right side of the page back to the left side of the page. When text is centered, it makes it harder for the eyes to be told to find where the next text begins again on the left side of the page, and makes it easy for the reader to skip down lines of text.

This time, itกs not too easy to bend the rules. The best way is still to save centering to headings that don’t run more than several lines deep.

About Color Printing Wholesale

Color Printing Wholesale is a company that offers a wide range of quality digital printing services from brochures, flyers, business cards, postcards and posters, to digital, inkjet and web solutions, as well as laminating services. For further information, visit their website at http://www.colorprintingwholesale.com/category/BROCHURE/BrochurePrintingServices.html.

About The Author

Grannyกs Mettle is a 30something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.

Her thoughts on writing: กWriting gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine.ก

On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.colorprintingwholesale.com/category/BROCHURE/BrochurePrintingServices.html

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 04

by Grannyกs Mettle