Guide To 4 Font Characteristics And Their Use In Design

Fonts

Font is an integral part of a design. It has the power to set the tone, induce emotions, and form the first impression even before we read and understand what it means. As human beings, we all are highly attracted to visually pleasing things. Visual appearance is a metaphorical mode of communication that influence the subconscious human mind.

You can go through this article to understand how fonts influence the views and attitudes of the viewers toward the product or content and how you can use it in different fields.

Font weight

One of the things that we first notice when we look at a text is font weight. Generally, there are three types of font-weight- light, regular, and bold. Among these three the regular font style is neutral and readable, making them the best options for reading. Being the expressive ones among the lot, light and bold need to be used with some care as they have the power to evoke a range of emotions. For instance, the thin font style is considered to be delicate, hence they can be used in the field of cosmetics.

Font weight

Font width

Font width is also a very noticeable character that influences the reader a lot. Regular width font can be used for reading, while condensed and extended are used for specific purposes. Condensed fonts are readable, but extra-condensed fonts are not. Hence, they are best to convey small words. Since extended fonts are more memorable, they can be used in manufacturing designs.

X-height

X-height refers to the height of the lower-case letters against the uppercase letters for a typeface. The X-height is an important font property as it can influence the emotions and mood of the message. For instance, in the medium X-height, the upper case and lower case will maintain a balance, making it easy to identify the next sentence.

In the case of a small X height, there will a significant difference in height. This font style represents artistry and masculinity, making them suitable for the design of wedding cards and invitations.

With large lower-case letters, there won’t be much difference in height between lower-case letters and upper-case ones. This font style lacks a friendly vibe, but it represents stability.

Italics and oblique

Even though you might consider Italics and oblique as the same, they both have different meanings and purposes. Italics font style originated from the handwritten style of the Renaissance period and is used to highlight a text. It is used to imply that there is a change in intonation while reading a particular part. Since they represent the handwritten world, they look more elegant and have more vertical lines. This also gives the text a pleasant and polite tone. Also, the Italics font style is used to write personal things.

In the case of oblique font style, it is usually used to add a sense of speed to a text. It is used to represent something promptly, making it best to use in sports themes.

So, understand the meaning and function of each font style to make a  most impactful design.

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