Typography for Web Design

It is essential  to consider suitable fonts for the web before implementing the website. The following factors must be carefully thought through:

·         Font

·         Size

·         Colour

Font:

There are various parts to a font to consider, for example whether to use a serif or sans-serif font, whether to capitalise the font, whether to use a font downloaded from the internet etc…

Using different fonts is the best way to divide content on a website. However using a number of fonts can confuse the user and make the site look cluttered. Therefore I will only use a maximum of 3 fonts on my site.

Each font used must be thought about carefully. For example you may use a font on your computer which the end user does not have. Therefore they will be seeing a different design to you. I have thought about this and have decided to use the classic Times New Roman font, and also Arial. The reason for this is because both fonts are clear to read, and the majority of computers have them.

I will also use fonts downloaded from the internet as headings. Because these may not be present on the user’s computer, I will have to create an image file of text which will display on the web quite easily.

SHOULD I CAPITALISE MY FONT? Using capital letters is good to emphasise navigation or headings, but it is too hard to read for a large paragraph of text. I have chosen to capitalise my navigation to stand out from the rest of the page.

Size:

When creating a website, the end user must be considered. The text must be set to at least 12px so it’s legible for the majority of people. The size of  the monitor must also be thought about i.e. as stated by ilovetypography.com “what’s legible on your 65 inch High Definition Plasma monitor, might not be so on a 15 inch MacBook.”

Colour:

A further factor to consider is colour. To help achieve legibility of text, it must contrast enough with the background.

To conclude, I will use Times New Roman, Arial and a font downloaded from the internet (I have yet to decide which one!). I have chosen these two fonts as they are both clear to read and the majority of computers have these installed. As for the other font, which will be used as a heading, I will create an image file of text which will display on the web quite easily. Thinking about the choice of font hasn’t really affected my design process and creativity. I had already thought about these factors before planning the appearance of the pages.