What Font Should I Use?

            I found this awesome article on Smashing Magazine called “What Font Should I Use?” It has some key points & reminders for graphic designers when choosing fonts.  First off a little bit about Smashing Magazine; It is a website that publishes articles mostly on web design, but is not limited to, for designers to come & read for some insight.  I find it very useful not only to just browse articles & see if one appeals or applies to you but also to search for examples for your own inspiration.  There is also a breakdown of subcategories in the left column of the website if you want to browse particular areas of design.  I think this website is another great reference for any designer for inspiration or insight into parts of the design world.

            Now about the article “What Font Should I Use?”  I think this article is a good reminder for designers of how & why we should choose the fonts we do depending on what it is for.  I thought one good point was how designers need to know the types of font families (geometric, humanist, old style, transitional, modern, and slab serif) in order for a better understanding & application of these fonts to our work.  I think as designers we a care more about the feeling & mood the font conveys(which don’t get me wrong is important) for the particular piece & forget the importance of having a fundamental understanding of the fonts structures as well.  This is also important for the next point they make with mixing fonts.  I like the key part of this point: “keep it exactly the same, or change it a lot.”  Sometimes it can be challenging deciding which fonts to mix together & why.  This fundamental point is always good to have as a guide in the back of your mind when placing fonts together.  Overall I think this article is a very useful reminder of the basics of choosing fonts & is a good reference that I think designers should reread from time to time to keep themselves in check!