From the title of this post, you may be wondering, "What in the world are you talking about?" Well, first, let me explain. Over my beginning years as a graphic designer, I focused so much on making a printed piece look beautiful by using as many Photoshop techniques as possible. Outer glow and drop shadow were my saving graces. I used the outer glow on dark surfaces with dark fonts to help them pop out. Funny thing about that? I thought it was cool and it looked like I new what I was doing.
Little did I know that my entire design route was about to change when the lightbulb clicked. Surprisingly, this little glimmer translated into changing my entire style altogether. Typography is the key to good design. I could have a professional picture of Versailles on a brochure, yet, if I used Comic Sans, it would still look like I did not know what I was doing. Now, don't get me wrong, Comic Sans has its place, but not plastered on front of the beautiful, prestigious, and classic Versailles.
Soon, I found myself spending more time picking out the correct font to use than what next Photoshop effect I wanted to implement. What I neglected to realize during the majority of my tenure in effects heaven is that the entire purpose of a publication is to be read. And, if perhaps more attention is given to the photography than the words, what message does that send? It is highly important to send the correct message with the fonts that have been chosen.
For example, Didot is a classic font that many have come to know and use frequently (and rightly so). It is a fantastic classic font with a gorgeous italic. Not only does it possess wonderful serifs, but it also is one of the few serif fonts that I prefer to use as a headline in all caps. Didot provides beautiful hierarchy, and, when used sparingly, can send a timeless, classy message to the readers of a publication. However, if I used Didot in a design for a Children's Recreational Gym, that would not send the correct message.
Typography is an essential element to not only beautiful, but effective and purposeful design. One of the ways that has helped me in the past is to hand draw letters and sketch out ideas for placement and body copy. This helps tremendously! So next time you are stressing out about what colors to use or what image to place on a document, do not overlook the all-important fonts that are used to actually communicate the message.