

How Do Designers Choose Typefaces? - rogerfernandezg
http://www.slate.com/blogs/quora/2014/02/21/what_criteria_do_designers_use_to_choose_a_typeface.html

======
MikeTaylor
This is a fascinating question; which the article _completely_ fails to
answer. Besides fluffy common-sense tips like being aware of what message a
font sends and not using what was fashionable twenty years ago, the only
concrete advice is:

"Serifed type is often used for long copy, like books and magazines. This is
because the serifs make the characters more recognizable and the text easy to
read in bulk at small sizes. Serif body copy usually pairs well with sans-
serif display type. There are mountains of exceptions, but you have to
understand the rules before you can effectively break them."

 _Everyone_ knows the serif-for-body-text, sans-for-headings "rule". What we
need to know is the next step: what are those exceptions, what motivates them,
when do they apply? Why _specifically_ do you choose, say, Baskerville over
Stone Print?

By not answering any of these questions, the author gives them impression that
he doesn't know the answers.

Does anyone? Because articles like this just reinforce the impression that
type choice is a religion that its priests make mysterious for their own job-
security. I really want to believe that there's a science in there.

~~~
Thos
I just registered to reply to your post. I am a designer with a couple of
decades experience. There are of course design 'rules' but there is just as
much intuition and familiarity.

If I can make an analogy, it may help explain the process of choosing
typefaces for a project. I really hope this doesn't come across as pretentious
nonsense, as anyone can learn about type, but it really is mainly down to
experience and a desire to learn:

So let's say your job is to choose the songs that appear on film soundtracks.
You need to be aware of the mood, era and style of the film, and choose
compositions to match. Now due to the nature of your job, you will be more
aware than the average person of music around you - you are constantly
conscious of it around you in your day to day life, as well as researching the
history of specific songs and tunes, in your own time, purely for pleasure.

So you'll have built up a mental database of knowledge. For a specific film
you could include a popular song that many people are aware of, or you could
choose something more obscure, but more appropriate. You might choose a
selection of songs by the same artist, or tunes from the same record label, or
all songs played in the same key. Simply having more knowledge means you have
these options.

There could be a set of rules written for choosing music - 'In a tense scene,
use this type of tune', and that would be fine, but it really is one of those
things where experience over time, and an enthusiasm, is more valuable than
just going by the book.

Bringing it back to type, it's a case of knowing about the moods generated by
each typeface. From day to day I am constantly aware of the typefaces used on
shop signs, TV and film credits, newspapers and posters; but I also know what
fonts would have been used in the same circumstances in 1979, or 1962, or 1890
(although not so much on TV then).

So I've probably not done anything at all to dispel your idea of 'priests of a
mysterious religion', but I'd personally compare it more to a hobby or
pastime, which, if you're lucky, you can get paid to do.

~~~
olivermarks
Brilliant analogy Thos - i was an art director and creative director last
century and you nailed it. I'd add that good vintage typographical signage
goes for ridiculous prices these days because of their evocativeness and
balanced design. Graphic design is very analogous to creating music also, and
picking appropriate tonal colors...

------
aquateen
Interesting post, but please don't preface submission titles with "Show HN:",
especially if it's not some personal project.

