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Typography for Designers

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Combining Typefaces

4:42 with Hope Armstrong

Pairing typefaces may seem tricky at first, but we’ll look at what makes a good combination.

Advice

A good rule of thumb is to keep it simple. Mixing many typefaces in one design can easily look disorganized and confusing if not done well.

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    Lastly, let's look at how we can establish hierarchy by pairing different typefaces. 0:00
    We talked about how to choose a typeface earlier, so we're working under 0:06
    the understanding that we should pair it based on the text typeface we've chosen. 0:09
    Typeface pairs aren't always necessary. 0:13
    And beginners are sometimes encouraged to only use one typeface in order to really 0:17
    learn the ins and outs of good typography until they're ready to start pairing type. 0:22
    You can start by staying within a typeface and choosing different weights, 0:28
    or you can pair a sans-serif with a serif from the same family. 0:32
    For example, FF Meta and FF Meta Serif. 0:36
    Typography gets harder to execute well once you throw two or 0:42
    more in the mix, but it's well worth the variety. 0:45
    Here are some basic pairing rules to go by. 0:49
    [SOUND] First, pair typefaces with similar proportions. 0:51
    This means taking into account what we learned about letter forms from our 0:56
    first stage. 1:00
    A sans serif typeface with a similar x height, proportions, and 1:02
    contrast to a serif typeface can pair well together. 1:06
    You can even utilize superfamilies that have multiple weights of sans and 1:10
    serif counterparts that work great with one another. 1:14
    [SOUND] Pair typefaces with complimentary personalities. 1:17
    Besides the fact that it's incredibly helpful, 1:22
    one of the things I really like about Hoefler & Co's techniques for 1:24
    combining fonts is how they talk about their typefaces' personalities or moods. 1:28
    Check out the link in the teacher's notes. 1:34
    As you pair typefaces, try to classify the mood each one is conveying and 1:36
    see if they jive and play well together. 1:41
    [SOUND] Pair typefaces from the same historical period. 1:44
    Jessica Hische, whose immersive article on typography is linked in the teacher's 1:47
    notes, has some great thoughts on this. 1:52
    If you're building a site focused around a certain time period, then research and 1:55
    find out as much as you can about typefaces in that era. 1:59
    You might even find some pics of a storefront or 2:04
    sign with a great typeface pair for inspiration. 2:06
    [SOUND] Pair typefaces from the same designer. 2:09
    Type designers often have a certain style that can be found 2:11
    throughout each of their faces. 2:16
    The style forms a common bond that holds the two or more together. 2:19
    This especially works in your favor if they have a vast array of families to 2:24
    choose from. 2:28
    [SOUND] Lastly, explore more. 2:29
    Try out different combinations, 2:31
    sometimes you can stumble upon a typeface pair you wouldn't have imagined working. 2:33
    It's like kale and frozen bananas. 2:39
    You definitely thought they wouldn't work together, 2:42
    but do they make a tasty smoothie. 2:44
    A great site I love to peruse is called fontsinuse.com. 2:47
    It catalogs different typefaces used in print, web, and all types of media. 2:51
    It's great for inspiration on different type combinations and pairs. 2:57
    Take a few minutes to check it out. 3:01
    All right, now let's look at our project one more time. 3:04
    I've chosen a typeface for the title of our page, whose personality 3:08
    I think pairs well with the theme of the content and our serif, Alegreya. 3:12
    It's called Pathway Gothic One and can be found on Google Fonts. 3:17
    Notice that it doesn't have a bunch of weights or styles, but that's okay for 3:23
    this specific use. 3:28
    I chose it due to its tall letter forms and no nonsense look. 3:30
    I mean, if the worlds are at war, then we're not messing around. 3:34
    Its tough and classy personality compliments 3:38
    Alegreya's elegant and energetic letter forms. 3:43
    I'll set the title in this font, 3:48
    Then I'll adjust our font size to 124 pixels, 3:56
    as I want the title to really stand out on the page. 3:59
    Looks great. 4:05
    I really like this typeface pair and 4:06
    feel like the body copy keeps our book vibe intact, 4:09
    while the title gives it an authoritative look that fits the theme of the content. 4:13
    It almost feels like a newspaper declaring a headline. 4:17
    When you get back, I'll be waiting for 4:22
    you in our next video on how to go even further with typography. 4:24
    We'll talk about how to translate all of this to different screen sizes 4:28
    through responsive design, discover more, explore variable fonts, 4:32
    and get into some finer details of polishing your typography. 4:37

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