Never underestimate the
by Lynn Strause
Type does more than just communicate through words. Our choice of fonts sets the tone or voice for the entire design or, in the case of yearbook, for the entire volume. The way we package type and employ contrast can either draw the readers into the contents or cause them to turn the page. Using one font throughout the book provides strong unity of design. But the best books get the most design mileage by first choosing a font with a large family. That means looking for a font that has a lot of variations beyond the standard forms: book or Roman, italic, bold and bold italic. Search for fonts that, in addition to those standard forms, offer weights like thin or light, demi or medium, black and heavy. Big font families often include condensed and extended forms as well.
team will experiment with several fonts. While it’s important to remember that you’re looking for contrast rather than concord, too much of a good thing is not desirable either. Much has been written about wisely combining fonts for effective design, but most articles end with the reminder that experimentation and careful analysis are the guidelines that lead to success.
Dynamic headlines also exhibit thoughtful packaging. A headline that’s all on one line with a subhead underneath won’t command nearly as much attention as one where the words have been effectively packaged by adjusting leading or even creating separate word pieces and fitting them together.
Scripts are making a comeback of sorts, used in several 2012 books as an accent font. Scripts can be tricky, because they tend to have stronger personalities or voices than either serif and sans serif fonts. Scripts often speak with a feminine voice or in an elaborate tone that isn’t always a good fit for a yearbook, especially for sports spreads. They also tend to appear smaller than other type when used in the same point size, and some scripts need special attention to kerning to make them look like connected cursive writing rather than separate letters. Plus, of course, in smaller sizes scripts can be practically unreadable and it’s crucial to remember that they are never intended to be used in all caps. As with any font choice, there needs to be a solid reason to use script type.
Some 2012 books chose to use two fonts, one serif (the letterforms with little feet at the end of the strokes) and one sans serif, to gain even more contrast. Some font families offer both serif and sans versions, but it is more likely that your design
When used with intent, type can be one of your most powerful design tools. Font choice is one of the most important design decisions we make when planning the book... and it’s almost time to start the process again as planning for 2014 begins.
The most dynamic headline designs contain contrast. A large font family will allow for contrast in weight. Contrast can also be achieved through form, like mixing all lowercase letters with all capitals or combining regular type with italic type. The structure of a condensed type can be contrasted with regular type.
Calumet, Arapahoe HS, Centennial, CO The contrast of the serif and the sans serif works well with their pride theme, “We live Arapahoe.” The serif, used for the main word in the primary headline as well as the secondary displays, copy and captions, is a more formal, traditional font choice. It sets the tone for the pride theme, and using it in one of the school colors further emphasizes the idea of pride and tradition. The round, modern sans serif, along with the lyrical alignment and increased leading, provides contrast to the more traditional font, giving the design a more contemporary feel.
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