The world is surrounded by typefaces, large and small, serif or sans serif, spare or childish. Regardless of their characteristics, they are present in our daily lives; In the coffee package that I prepared this morning, in the social networks that I check daily or even in the advertisement of the corner store. The funny thing is that we do not remember all of them exactly or with the same affection, in this world full of new signs every day, the ones that stay in our minds are those that attract the most attention, and not necessarily referring to something extraordinary for its striking colors or rare shapes stay in our mind thanks to emotionality.
The psychology of fonts and their importance:
We define the concept of font psychology as the visual and emotional reaction we have when we come across a typeface, with the "Kolenda Font Model" we can analyze how we perceive fonts and what we associate with them. For example: We associate Times New Roman with something more academic or serious, but Futura with something more modern, and this thanks to the construction of the letter, understanding that organic or geometric shapes, dark or pastel colors or the place where locate me generate different feelings in the viewer helps to find the best way to communicate something.
Therefore, using and understanding the psychology of fonts allows our message to be effective and generate greater impact. And one way to understand this topic is to think what the personality of Fonts would be like if they were people
Serif fonts
They are characterized by having a serif finish on their endings. They are considered one of the most traditional and formal font options of the group, a well-known example is the aforementioned Times New Roman, most likely you have seen it in newspapers or academic texts thanks to its origin commissioned by the emblematic newspaper The New York Times London in 1931.
We usually associate them with the classic, traditional and stable. So if it were a person it would be someone with great knowledge on a subject, very wise. In addition, she would dress formally, look serious, and speak in a very polite manner.
A variety of the Serif is the Slab Serif Font, these are characterized by their thick, block-shaped serifs, which make them striking to the naked eye. Therefore, if she were a person, she would be someone young, fun and very creative, but thanks to her family's upbringing, she would respect tradition.
The most popular fonts in this family are Courier, Rockwell, and Museo.
San serif fonts
Personally, it is the font family that I use the most thanks to its versatility, since it does not have a serif it makes them look cleaner and sharper, which allows you to play with different weights (Bold, light, Regular, etc) , we also find a great variety thanks to its different terminations between round and geometric. Each weight and finish allows a different message or sensation to be given, from something more minimalist to something more daring and impressive. A great example is Google which uses Product Sans in its logo.
If this font were a person, it would be modern, simple and very open. He would know the current trends and would not be afraid to go against the current, since he broke with the tradition of using the serif.
The most popular fonts in this family are Arial, Century Gothic, and Helvetica.
Script Fonts
If she were a person she would be the most elegant and fluid of all, like a ballet dancer. Unlike the previous ones, this one is handwritten, which we associate with creativity and give it a more human meaning, since by imitating forms of writing and scribbling it brings both emotion and history. A very famous example is Coca Cola, the use of a Script Font in its logo fits perfectly with the message that this brand wants to convey to us "Uncover happiness", leading us to pleasant moments with loved ones.
Some of the most popular fonts are: Lucida Script, Lobster, and Zapfino.
Display or decorative fonts
These can be from any family, have a pictorial style and a variety of shapes and strokes.
Display fonts are characterized by having great personality and a different design, out of the conventional. So, if I were a person, I would be someone who is outgoing, cheerful and with a very artistic personality expressed through a unique style that is very out of the ordinary with colorful clothes and many accessories.
Here are some examples: Checa Bombing, Gigi and Jokerman.
Now, with this information, you already have a great basis for choosing the typeface that best fits any project you want to carry out. Remember that all the elements within a composition, whether unique or together, play to transmit in a better way and reach to the emotionality of the client. An intelligent use of typography becomes a great tool for any designer, so always keep in mind the font families and some of their meanings so that your design stays in the mind of your client and connects emotionally.
Source: G-tech designPartial Writing and Editing: Marcela Vargas
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