THE NON-DESIGNER'S TYPE BOOK

Evocative typography

Notice these questions don't even address the subject of whether a
particular typeface suits your job emotionally; that is, whether the look-
and-feel of the face itself reinforces your message. I do hope you read the
chapter on Evocative Typography for my opinions on this most interesting
of typographic questions. Within the limits of your reproduction process,
push your creativity here. Experiment with new and different faces, faces
you might not have considered at first. Don't analyze them—get your gut
reaction. Keep your eyes open for what others have done, consciously clip
examples of unusual type choices and file them for later inspiration. You'll
be surprised at what can work!

Decorative An* fRinw fonts

There are so many wonderful and wild typefaces now, with more being
created every day. Obviously, these intriguing fonts are for special
occasions, but what occasions! Just be careful not to overdose your reader
with too much of a special face—its strong impact will be diluted. Rather
than use a uniquely creative face for all the headlines in your newsletter,
save it for one very special article. The contrast between the stable head¬
lines and the wild one will give your special article more impact.

Headline typeface is Erosive.

31: CHOOSING A TYPEFACE

An exercise and method

I recommend you call the phone number in every font ad you see, call all
the vendors listed in Appendix A in this book, and go to all their web sites,
and request their catalogs of typefaces. Spend a few minutes looking care¬
fully at each face in the catalog and try to place each one into one of the
general categories of type. Once you have found its basic place (many will
not fit neatly into a category—that's okay, just get as close as possible),
then make some judgments. Does it have distinctive features or is it
invisible? Does it wear red cowboy boots or a gray suit? Does the face have
fine, delicate features that might not hold up through a fax machine, a
copier, or on textured or cheap paper? Or does it have sturdy features that
can go through the wash?

Analyze your project

* Know your output method and final reproduction process, and
narrow your choices down to appropriate faces that will retain
their design qualities. (Reread, if necessary, Chapters 2 and 3 on
readability and legibility.)

* Decide on the look you want to convey, then narrow your choices
to the distinctive or the invisible (or a combination that is exciting
and still readable).

* If you use more than one face, make sure the fonts are decidedly
different from each other. If you have chosen a beautiful oldstyle for
the body text, try a bold sans serif for headlines. (If you haven't yet,
you might want to read another book of mine, The Non-Designer's
Design Book. The second half of the book focuses on the specific
issue of combining typefaces.)

* Don't be afraid to use wild fonts where they are appropriate, and
remember they are most effective (as is any rich item) when used
sparingly—the richer, the more powerful. But don't be a wimp!