To design a good-looking web site, designer has to give importance to each & every part in the layout. In the last article we had discussed about colour & their importance in layout designing. A current news letter focuses on fonts, typography & their importance in web designing.
Proper formatting of text will help users to read the content easily that is why you will see text in majority of newspapers & web sites set in serif type using both lower & uppercase. Generally text is written using a roman font in black on white background rather then reverse white on black background. Using of text in reverse makes it difficult to read.
What is serif? Serif means "finishing strokes" or "fillips" going off the ending lines of a letter. For example, when the number "1" or the letter "I" are drawn with a bar across the bottom, the two halves of the bar are serifs. If the serif is joined to the letter by a slight flaring out, it is said to be "bracketed." Serifs at the bottom of letters help the eye visualize the "virtual" base line of the type.
Serifs were originated by Roman stone cutters to give more strength & crisp effect to the end of letters carved in stone.
Typefaces without serifs are known as sans (without) Serifs and were developed in the year 1800 & later.
Sans-serifs were designed to be used with caption & not for text.
Serif types are more suitable for body text.
The types of serifs are:
Bracketed: traditional, safe, and rather staid.
Hairline: graceful and nearly feminine
Wedged: impression of power
Square: exaggerated bulk that is energetic and forceful.
Rounded: familiarity with strength
Calligraphic: freely styled and informal
Certain type fonts are so neatly designed which makes content transparent to the reader. The families of true Garamonds and Times New Roman falls under this category. These fonts are ideal for body text, which allows contrast with display fonts used with headings.
Serif means "finishing strokes" or "fillips" going off the ending lines of a letter. For example, when the number "1" or the letter "I" are drawn with a bar across the bottom, the two halves of the bar are serifs. If the serif is joined to the letter by a slight flaring out, it is said to be "bracketed." Serifs at the bottom of letters help the eye visualize the "virtual" base line of the type.
Certain type fonts are so neatly designed which makes content transparent to the reader. The families of true Garamonds and Times New Roman falls under this category. These fonts are ideal for body text, which allows contrast with display fonts used with headings.