Following on from the last blog which looked at the history and development of typefaces (and two in particular, Johnston and Gill Sans), over the years Going underground and off to war, we delve a little deeper into what typeface might suit your business best.
1. Garamond – Serif
History: Garamond refers to a group of Old-style serifs based on the designs of 16th-century French engraver Claude Garamond. Old-style serif fonts have a more organic design than their humanist and transitional successors, which makes them appear more curved and romantic.
Usage: Use Adobe Garamond Pro to give books, magazines and stationery a quiet intelligence. It’s also an unparalled choice for typesetting body text, being exceptionally legible and easy on the eye.
2. Didot – Serif
History: The refined version, Linotype Didot by Adrian Frutiger, is based on typefaces developed by the Parisian-based Didot family in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Usage: If you want to make a design appear more luxurious or aspirational, Didot is a font that will have an instant transformative effect on the elegance of your typography.
3. Gill Sans – Sans serif
History: If one font could sum up the mood and culture of the British, it would be Gill Sans. Designed by Eric Gill in the late 1920s, it’s crisp and clean lines are balanced by a distinct warmth and humanity. (see Typeface: Going underground and off to war)
Usage: Although it was widely used across transport signage in England in the 1930s, Gill Sans has been used widely across the world, throughout the last hundred years. In contemporary design, it’s found fresh life splashed across food packaging and book covers, bringing a cosy nostalgia to artwork that needs subtle demodernising.
4. Futura – Sans serif
History: Released by Paul Renner in 1927, Futura is one of the earliest modernist typefaces inspired by the ideology of the Bauhaus movement in Germany.
Usage: It’s also one of the most versatile sans serif fonts still available, and has the power to make any layout look contemporary without stealing the show. Use it to add a futuristic or clean look to any layout.
5. Gotham – Sans serif
History: Inspired by the lettering style seen across New York signage, Gotham has a functional, authoritative style that has quickly made it a go-to typeface for top print and web designers.
Usage: The font comes in a huge selection of weights and widths, ranging from narrow to ultra, making it possible to use only Gotham across an entire design, creating a unified, ultra-modern look.
Conclusion
Just as there are thousands of typefaces out there on the market, so too are there thousands of design agencies. However, whilst choosing the right typeface will be vital for promoting your brand, similar care needs to be taken when choosing a design agency.
So, select a design agency that will work hard for you, and that is tried and tested through successful projects and satisfied clients.
View Studio Stanley’s Case Studies and Testimonials here.