Design 101, Too Many Fonts - Good Grief!

I just added this to JenSocial, and figured it might be a good idea to add here too. When it comes to Graphic and Web Design, there's a ton of room for all types of artistic and creative levels, styles, etc... However, there isn't room for a ton of fonts. Some of the wonderful aspects of the vastness of the Internet are: so much to discover, so much for the eyes to see - - so many different designs, and so many different Designers. But, way too often, there are too many fonts starring you in the face.

Whether you have designed your own website, or hired a Designer, here are a couple of Design Tips that you can take to heart - - seriously. There's no written-in-stone rules, just a few good rules-of-thumb. To new or novice Designers these tips may seem simple and unimportant. But, trust me on this. These 2 small bits of advice are critical for the success of your overall Design.

Don't Use Too Many Font Types. There is never a need to use more than 2-3 for a logo, header, or special image. And you shouldn't use more than 3-4 for your overall site.
Be Consistent When Using Fonts and Applying Font Attributes. For example: If you use a different font for every headline, this is confusing, tough on the eyes, and can give your design a busy and unprofessional look. If you apply bold for one type header, apply bold for all headers of the same type. If you use Lucida Grande, and apply bold for a sub-title, do the same for all sub-titles.

Bottom Line: There will be cases where you really need more fonts. If you need more to communicate better, go for it. But, when possible, try to keep those fonts at a minimum.

Happy Designing!

;-)

Jen

Tags: design, design tip, font, font use, how many fonts, how many fonts should I use, number of fonts, too many fonts

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Comment by Izak Boyes-Jackson on April 17, 2011 at 3:31pm: Thanks for the Tip Jen.

Comment by Sebas Tahalangi on April 17, 2011 at 6:50pm: Great info. Thanks for sharing, Jen.

NC for Hire Comment by Jen on April 17, 2011 at 9:24pm: Izak and Igulig, thanks, and happy you liked it. It's simple, but worth saying I hope.

;-)

Comment by Anthony on April 18, 2011 at 7:09am: Good tip...keep it clean, simple and to the point.

NC for Hire Comment by Jen on April 18, 2011 at 3:45pm: I think two fonts for the entire site is good. Because one is hard for some people's eyes to follow. I guess it's all a matter of preference too. But, adding attributes to one font is a good thing too.