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TheFabulousWorldofFonts2017-18.pdf

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The Fabulous World of Fonts!

More than you ever wanted to know about something small but super-important

Why Talk About Fonts?

• Fonts have an effect on your finished product in terms of: • Readability: how easy is it to read your writing? • Professionalism: how seriously are we taking you? • Communication: how well are you getting through?

• All of these are interwoven, so let’s stay flexible as we move forward…

Readability • Different things affect how readable your finished product

is: • The style of the font

• Is it so fussy and fancy that it becomes illegible?

• The delivery medium • Electronic vs. print—how will your audience receive it?

• The serif question!

Readability • Fonts with serifs vs. fonts without (sans serif)

• Serif: the little “feet” at the top and bottom of letters in certain font sets1

• Sans-serif: a font with no feet

• Each has certain benefits: • Serif fonts are more readable on printed materials • Sans-serif fonts are more readable on electronic devices

1Dictionary.com: “Serif: a smaller line used to finish off a main stroke of a letter, as at the top and bottom of M.”

Professionalism • Style speaks volumes with fonts

• Simpler is generally better • Book Antiqua? Or French Script? Or Impact?

• Consider the situation, the project, the finished product, and your audience:

• Situation: for the office or for the family reunion? • Project: office potluck or annual report for the BoD? • Product: printed, online, or both? • Audience: your mom or your boss?

Communication

• Think in terms of both audience and accessibility: • What kind of audience would find this font appealing?

• Kids, teens, or adults? • Casual get-together or formal meeting? • Business world or campus club?

• When will your audience’s preferences change?

Communication

• Think in terms of both audience and accessibility:

• Font color: • For presentations, does it work with your background?

• Would someone with limited vision be able to read it? Someone sitting at the back of the room or at an odd angle?

• For print, is it a professional color for a professional document? • Hint: if it’s not black ink, the answer is typically no

Communication • Think in terms of both audience and accessibility:

• Font choice: It’s pretty, but is it standard?

• Default fonts are more likely to be included across platforms and in standardized font packages

• Not all platforms may include novelty or decorative fonts (but there are ways to get around this)

• How can font design help people?

https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/dyslexie-font/