Just My Type: An Introduction to Typography
Chapter 3: Typography
Typography
Lesson 1 of 11
Because the vast majority of graphic design incorporates text, a solid understanding of typography and font usage is critical to managing good design.
Good typography will not only ensure your design looks great but also that it effortlessly communicates its message to your target audience. Bad typography will make your design look sloppy and unprofessional or, worse, ensure that your message is lost entirely. While your designer will be responsible for designing with type, you need to understand typography to make sure both their choices and your feedback are crafted to meet your goals.
A thorough understanding of typography is fundamental to ensuring...
Your designs are legible.
Your designs actually get read (regardless of how legible they are).
Your designs look clean and professional.
Your font choices go with your brand.
Your message doesn't get lost or tangled.
You have the right files for every potential use.
You license your fonts correctly.
You and your designer communicate effectively.
You know what to do when you can't use your brand fonts.
Implementing type (or fonts) incorrectly will…
Lead to illegible or confusing design.
Cause viewers to get overwhelmed or confused, potentially skipping your design altogether.
Lead to cluttered or off-putting design.
Risk off-brand font choices.
Lead users to read content in the wrong order.
Lead to extra costs or missing font files.
Get you into trouble for incorrect licensing.
Lead to inefficient communication between you and your designer.
Risk off-brand design when your brand fonts are not available.
In this chapter, we will dive deep into typography and fonts (and learn the difference between the two!), helping you to both develop and implement beautiful and effective text across your design materials.