Having an “eye for design” is sometimes less about natural talent and more about knowing some basic rules.
I think one of the #1 rules for an overall nice design is knowing how to choose a font and how to lay it out.
Simplicity – Go simple. Make sure your font is readable and you can picture it on a book cover. That always helps me to know whether a font is professional or not.
Contrast – If you’re choosing two or more fonts for a title, make sure they don’t look too much alike. There needs to be a good contrast – like maybe one larger title in a scripty font and one smaller title below it in a basic font. There should also be good contrast in your sizes as well.
Spacing – This is why it’s hard to design anything too special in Microsoft Word. Words need to be spaced well. Especially in titles, there needs to be enough space to give balance. It’s good to consider letter spacing (kerning) too.
Avoid – There are some fonts that are pretty much blacklisted from overuse or just because they stink. I think it’s safe to say you should stay away from these…Comic Sans, Papyrus, Storybook, Impact, Brush Script & Curlz. Just say no. Haha.
Okay onto the good fonts!
Here are my top 10 favorites right now… and they are all FREE. (Click on the image to find them for download at DaFont.com)
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Recognize #8? Yep, that’s the font I use in my logo design. I absolutely love it.
What fonts do you use over and over again?
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Tags: Design, design rules, DIY, fonts, Freebies, Graphic Design, Resources, Typography
if you haven’t looked it up before, you should look up avantgarde. it’s by far one of my favorite fonts. I also really like futura.