HEY, HOW DO FONTS WORK?- The DO's and DON'Ts
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If you're here, there's only a few things I can assume as to why. Either you just simply want to expand your knowledge, or you want to know about fonts and what is effective when it comes to their uses. Whatever your aim is, I'm here to simply explain which fonts are best, specifically for public design.
First off, what is the difference between Sans Serif fonts and Serif fonts?
The easiest way to spot what font belongs to which family, is the strokes on a letter. I personally call them tails, just for the simplicity of it but a proper term for it is "strokes".
credits to: https://ittrainingcontent.iu.edu/training/crpos/files/uc/selecting-fonts-colors-layout.html
Now that you know the difference of the two family fonts, when and how are they used?
Serif - These are used for the body of a text. It represents elegance, trust, seriousness, and reputable. Speaking of reputable, these fonts are used by brands that are considered professional or for the elites, these are brands that convey a sense of confidence or big names that want to appear genuine or committed.
examples:
credits to: https://www.impactplus.com/blog/sans-serif-vs-serif-font-which-should-you-use-when
Sans Serif - These fonts are usually used for headers on a text file. The Sans Serif font family represents a modern feel, cleanliness, and welcoming. Companies who use these are usually open for all types of people to use their product and/or services and target the people in the most accessible way possible.
examples:
credits to: https://www.impactplus.com/blog/sans-serif-vs-serif-font-which-should-you-use-when
Now for some examples of where to use them, here are some samples with tips and tricks to help you out when the time comes!
Theme: Flammable
DON'Ts:
Avoid putting too much color and do not use bright background colors that hurt the eyes. Don't use fancy fonts or any font that make text hard to read, especially from a far distance.
DO's:
It's best to use neutral colors so that it does not hurt the eyes when staring at it. Black and White colors usually work best with an accent color. Another tip is to organize the position of the design, depending on what you're working on. This will affect the impact from the audience's perspective. The use of a simple Sans Serif font also works great since it is readable even from far away.
Theme: Poisonous
DON'Ts:
Do not make it too plain. While I said White works as well as Black, it also depends on the color scheme you're using. In this case, purple and white are too bright and may give viewers a headache. Black works better in this case. Use symbols as well for the sake of everyone's understanding.
DO's:
Look at these examples. There are uses of symbols to portray the message: DANGER. Like I said before, planning where to put the symbols and text are also important. Here are two samples where in one is monochromatic and the other uses an accent color. For the sake of variation, I also included different languages in a scenario where there are different nationalities of people in one area.
Theme: Beware of Dog
DON'Ts:
Does it look intimidating? Does it display the message you are trying to convey? Ask yourself these questions first before pushing through with the design. In this case, while there is a use of symbols, it's not exactly the right one. There is also a right planning for the design but the text is not clear and there's too much unnecessary information that could lead to confusion.
DO's:
Ah, here's a good example for the theme. It looks serious and gives off a warning, yes? The same color schemes are used, Black and White with a touch of an accent color. The symbol used is intimidating, and even if it's not as intimidating, just like in the left side, it still conveys seriousness. The text should also be specific, it should be straight to the point so that the message is well received. The text of "DOG" is bigger since it is emphasized to be cautious of it. There is clarity and neatness.
Theme: Multimedia Arts
DON'Ts:
This is a horrible example of what NOT to do. It's too overcrowded and there are too many elements used. While a variation of color is not bad and can be innovative, it should be used with the element of unity and harmony. It should still look professional and intriguing to gain more attention.
DO's:
Yes, looks familiar, yes. Now, observe the variation of colors used. It still works despite the flood of colors in the images. This is because there is space added that makes the piece pop. It is recommended to put space and NOT to overcrowd the piece so that the main attraction is still the center. Remember to put attractive images to grab the attention of the viewers. To attract more people, I put a quote or a tagline that makes it more appealing for Multimedia Arts aspirants. For this, I used a Sans Serif font style.
The Serif font style version:
Theme: Be Safe from COVID-19
DON'Ts:
Yikes, look at that. Though it's not overcrowded, it is boring and no sense of plans in case of the design. While simplicity is sometimes the best course of action, avoid making it too simple that it comes out boring. Plus, the symbol used does not fit the background in both color and realism. You might be asking, "how will I know if it's TOO boring?", that's easy. Just take a step back and see if you're attracted to the design. If not, it's either too much or there's too less.
DO's:
Here we go, there's a nice looking simple design. On the left, it's just a simple style of showcasing a basic reminder to be safe from COVID-19. On the right, there is further explanation per symbol to stress the guidelines for the public to understand but make it straight to the point. Remember to also fact check if the information you are putting is reliable. A good point here is to experiment with the orientation of the design, it's size, and which works best for the theme.
There you have it! Those were the tips and tricks that will be most helpful, at least in my experience and observations. It should go without saying that it's best to experiment on your own which fonts should be used where, on what designs, and how it should appear. Make sure to ask for opinions from other people to see if the message you wanted got through. Fonts have their own affect on the people after all, they have their own stories to tell. It all depends on you.
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