What every New Designer should know about Typography

Ninety five percent of the information on the internet is written language thanks to typography. Typography in simplest words is the art of structuring text for human consumption. It dates back in the 15th and 16th century when humanist writers and scholars showed preference for classical handwriting and rejected gothic scripts. We have had many important breakthroughs since then and have come a long way to where we are today.

Today, typography is central to the skills of a designer. As it is with every skill and trade, it is important to learn the dos and don’ts before you can fully develop your skill set. When you have grasped the rules, it is easier to break them. In this article, we will discuss 7 important aspects about typography that every designer ought to know.

Sounds good?

Let’s dive right in.

Choosing the right Font

You know what confuses most designers? Creativity? Resources? No!

It is actually choosing the right font!

There are endless possibilities when it comes to font selection. From crazy styles to the alluring ones, you never fall short of options. Choosing the right font requires that you to drill down options to find those that look best in your design. So while there is an astonishing array of fonts to choose from, you should settle for one that has all the options you need to create a great design.

Learn the language of typefaces

Typography is not merely a random display of words without any specific meaning. It is a way of communication and typefaces sets a specific mood while still conveying a certain message to your users. Each font conveys a specific mood to your layout. Fonts come in many forms business, friendly, serious etc. How your audience perceives fonts visually plays an integral part in creating a first impression about a product. Poor choice of fonts can easily mislead your audience and that’s a recipe for disaster.

Typefaces should therefore connect with your audience seamlessly. Playful or whimsical fonts for instance are more appropriate for wedding and baby shower invitations. Using formal fonts on baby products may seem misplaced and boring.

Learn the basics of typography

This may sound quite obvious but the truth is most designers ignore the need for studying the basics of typography science. In most cases, new designers rely on modern tools that automate every design aspect to generate a final product. This is like learning to read without the knowledge of the alphabet. It is utterly impossible to maximize the potential of the typefaces fully without understanding the concept and anatomy of the typefaces.

Learn the art of mixing typefaces

A clever combination of typefaces goes a long way in improving the quality of your design. This is a skill that every designer should know. Mixing typefaces is like making a salad. You need a proper mix of size, texture and color to achieve the perfect match of elements in your design. Mixing typefaces doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start your design by giving each font a role to play.

Learn about Kerning

Kerning might sound like a new term but in its simplest form, it is the space between two letters. To stand out from the crowd, you need to learn kerning and use it to your advantage. Most designers rely on kerning tables to get the best solution when working on page layout. However, you need little or no kerning at all to achieve the best results.

Practice Hierarchy and scale

If all your text looks similar, then your audience might not know the most important information. You need to take your audience on a smooth journey by differentiating the most import information and the least important one. You need a hierarchy that will guide your readers throughout your design. Headings are large; sub headings are small while body text is the smaller. Even though size is a great way to create hierarchy, it can also be achieved with color spacing and weight.

Work with the right tools

Just like any other trade and skills, knowing when and how to use the right tools is critical. Every graphic designer should learn to work with tools that fit well for the task. Even most importantly, you should be aware of the tools that you should ignore completely. There are many resources available online to help you determine the best tools for specific design procedures. The most popular ones are designed by adobe. While paid tools offer unmatched performance, they can be quite pricey sometimes. It is therefore important to make informed comparisons before committing to spend your money on any particular product.

Practice, practice, and practice some more

Finally, you need to practice these rules over and over again in order to master your art. As a matter of fact, it only through actual interaction with each of the concept described above that you get to understand how they work. In your endeavor to perfect your skill, you will discover new rules and guidelines along the way that will help you to create magnificent work.