Web font services, such as Adobe Typekit or Google Fonts, have become widely accepted and open your site to a variety of typefaces that can enhance the look and legibility of the text. Get the Vocabulary StraightĪ quick “distinction” lesson is important before we begin.įont and typeface. The term “font” refers to a particular member of a type family, such as bold or italic, while the other commonly used term, “typeface,” designates a grouping of fonts generally known as a “family.” This distinction will be significant when discussing the difference between fonts and how to use them. Another important distinction is the difference between a “serif” and a “sans-serif” typeface.Ī serif typeface has small lines at the end of the stroke on the characters. This style originated in Roman antiquity when letters were carved into stone, sometimes leading it to be referenced as “Roman” typeface. In contrast, sans-serif typeface has no lines at the end of strokes and is referred to as “Grotesk” or “Gothic.”Īdobe Typekit also grants the ability to sync fonts with your local computer to aid in the design process. Paid services allow you to select multiple fonts and easily bundle them together to add to your site.īoth Google and Adobe have WordPress plugins that make adding web fonts extremely easy. Also, many services allow users to take sample text and try different font options, weights, and styles before adding them to the site. How Type Affects EmotionsĪ study by MIT researchers (PDF) discovered that “good” or “bad” typefaces affected a person’s mood as well as his ability to retain information cognitively. Typefaces can present a broad range of emotion, so it is important to choose the one that gives users the experience you desire. Serif typefaces are seen as more traditional and formal while sans-serif type is more informal, modern, and playful. This doesn’t hold true for every serif or sans-serif typeface, however, as some have been designed to elicit one particular type of emotion.įor instance, serif can sometimes bring a sense of friendliness to a design that only utilizes sans-serif typefaces. Another study, from, found that larger font sizes can elicit a stronger emotional connection for the user.Įnsure that your typeface is correct for your industry or business. Professional service firms, such as attorneys or financial consultants, should use serif typefaces to convey trust and professionalism. Technology or modern companies should use a sans-serif typeface to provide a sense of being forward-thinking and futuristic. Click here to read more about kerning in Word.A government entity, or business that regularly works with governmental agencies, should employ sans-serif typefaces like Helvetica, which is the one currently used by the IRS for all tax forms. Tip for MS Word Users: Be sure to have 'kerning for fonts' enabled for proper letter spacing. Microsoft Word 2010 or later versions have a glyph panel where you can access the swashes & alternates.įirst, select the correct font and go to Insert > More symbols > select the "Private Use Area" and select the glyph of your choice and click Insert. And don't forget to select the right font. Now select and copy the glyph of your choice and paste it in your editor or program. Be sure to switch to 'repertoire view', it's the little icon at the top left with the grid/dots or click on 'view' > 'repertoire'. To access swashes & alternates on a Mac you can use Font Book. Now click select and copy the glyph of your choice and paste it in your editor or program. When using Character Map, check 'advanced view', select 'Unicode Subrange' and select 'Private Use Characters' Go to Finder and search for 'Character Map' You can access swashes & alternates for Windows with a pre-installed program named Character Map. Select the correct font and go to Window > Glyphs > and double-click on the glyph you want to use. Photoshop CC and higher have a glyph panel where you can access the swashes & alternates. Some fonts include multiple characters for the same character, these are called Alternates.įonts that are PUA (Private Use Area) coded and have swashes & alternates, can be accessed through programs such as:īelow you will find detailed instructions for each program. The swirly, decorative parts of the characters are called Swashes. If you need help installing your font click here What are swashes & alternates This is a tutorial on how to access the font swashes and alternates.
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