How many people really pay attention to the type of font they choose when writing? Is it really that important? Well, yes, when you think about how much people identify with branding, images and yes, fonts, they are very important.
Take typefaces used by Amazon, Apple, Nike, Google, Coca-Cola, the iconic fonts used by these companies are some of the most recognizable in the world. As Paul McNeil, a Typographic Designer says “Type is the microcosmic representation of culture.” Fonts define and drive culture.
The history of typesetting is quite interesting, dating back to the 15th century when the very first typeface came into existence. It was called Blackletter and it tried to mimic the handwriting of monks back in the day who used to write everything by hand. Soon after, other typefaces were created such as Johnston, Helvetica (Sans Serif style) and eventually fonts like Georgia and Times (Serif style).
Just a little background here, there is actually a difference between typeface and fonts. Typeface is a series of letters designed that belong together, for example: Bodoni. Fonts are a specific group of letters within a typeface, for example, Bodoni Smallcaps and come in bold or italic and in most cases are used for emphasis.
Choosing the correct font is really a matter of choice but can really paint a picture of what you want to say. For example, if you’re working with children maybe a whimsical, fun font like chalkboard would work but if you want to impress someone or want to land that job you’ve been waiting for your whole life, perhaps Times New Roman would be a better choice.
Whatever typeface or font you choose, know that it does make a difference in the message you want to convey so have some fun and discover new ways of expressing yourself with fonts! Enjoy!!
Check these links out for more insight on fabulous fonts.