Most information on the internet is displayed through written language. This is all typography. Typography is the art of structuring text for human consumption. Typography is an essential skill for a designer to have, it is important to understand the do’s and don’t before you can develop your skills. When you have a grasp of the rules it becomes easier to break them.
Choosing the Font
Choosing the correct font is one of the toughest challenges in design.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to font selection. Choosing the right font requires that you 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 a way of communication and typefaces set a specific mood while still conveying a certain message to your users. Each font conveys a specific mood to your layout. How your audience perceives fonts visually plays an integral part in creating the first impression about a product.
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.
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 colour 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.
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.
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 important information and the least important one. You need a hierarchy that will guide your readers throughout your design. Headings are large; subheadings are small and body text is smaller. Even though the size is a great way to create hierarchy, it can also be achieved with colour spacing and weight.
Work with the right tools
Just like any other trade and skill, 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 spending your money on any particular product.
Practice
In your endeavour to perfect your skill, you will discover new rules and guidelines along the way that will help you to create magnificent work.
