FONT PSYCHOLOGY 01/12/2022
Definition and Importance
Before I began I wanted to truly understand what fonts are. I was actually very surprised to know that in reality this concept of typography is made up of two parts called typefaces and fonts. Typefaces are also known as font families and they are basically a large family of similar fonts that share a common style, size, and coloring of letters. On the other hand, fonts are the variation of weight of a specific typeface. For example, Roboto is a kind of typeface while Roboto Thin Italic or Roboto Black are considered a type of font.
Although fonts may seem to only serve the purpose of making written work more aesthetically appealing or more organized. The fonts themselves convey a specific meaning and emotion in whoever reads the text that is in the specific type of font. The font can influence how someone interprets the text and how they feel after reading said text. Humans overall have this habit of giving human characteristics to things that are not human which is why writers in general take advantage of this by using certain fonts to manipulate their audience to get a desired outcome. Not only do writers use fonts for this purpose but businesses as well might attempt to convince more people to buy their product by using a particular font that is appealing and creates a trustworthy environment. Typefaces can also help develop a business' identity and worldwide image through their logos and advertising. Fonts can be found everywhere from books to logos to posters so their importance cannot be understated. In this post I will research popular typefaces and fonts, who uses them, how they are used, and why they are used to create a specific feeling or tone. I will also try to use the information and connect it to my specific genre and my personal magazine.
Popular Typefaces
Serifs
This typeface has been around since the early 19th century and therefore an automatic sense of history and formality is created. Serifs look very similar to actual handwriting with each of their letters ending with a slight tail so it almost feels like you're reading a traditionally handwritten piece of writing and as a result people seem to feel more comfortable reading it. Serifs is also kind of the original typeface so if used people will trust the publication more and they will comprehend that this person/group really values originality. Serifs is also a very safe and simple option that will be accepted everywhere. The amount of organizations that use this typeface is very diverse with luxury jewelry companies such as Rolex using it as well as formal news channels like CBS. In addition, historic universities throughout the world utilize this typeface like the world famous Oxford University. And banks of course use this typeface so they gain the trust of their clients and therefore can become more successful.
Some fonts that are part of this typeface include Baskerville, Addington, Garamond, and Caslon.
Sans Serif:
This refers to a typeface that kind of evolved during the late 19th century from the traditional Serifs typeface that was previously mentioned. Unlike the Serifs typeface, this one lacks the small strokes that appeared at the tips of letters when using the Serifs typeface. Furthermore, this absence makes Sans Serifs break the tradition sort of in a way that is future oriented and more informal while still appearing intellectual. The younger generation and people who want to seem progressive can use this font to convey this message to others who read their work. Also this typeface is ideal if you want to create a friendly and comfortable environment for the reader to enjoy the work without stress. In total, Sans Serifs is the typeface of the future due to its modern look and is a prime example of how to adapt to today's society that is always looking for ways to be more open and approachable for all people. One way Sans Serifs does this is by being one of if not the most basic font out there with the typeface appearing almost like a robot that writes with straight lines and slight curves which further adds to the futuristic feel. In other words, it's pretty easy to read and understand. As a result, many companies that have to do with technology as a whole use this typeface. For instance, tech companies like Apple and Microsoft take advantage of this typeface along with car companies like Jeep and Land Rover. These companies are all trying to show how they have the newest and most adventurous designs with Sans Serifs.
Some fonts that are a part of this typeface are Arial, Modelica, Open Sans, etc.
Scripts
This typeface might just be the most creative and fun one ever due to a number of reasons. Firstly, it evokes a sense of childlike happiness as it looks exactly like cursive handwriting since all of the letters are connected to one another in a wavy sort of form which might remind you of your childhood. The typeface also is very peculiar and eccentric compared to other typefaces but in a good way as it looks more like handwriting than actual typography and there is a lot of room for creativity when using this typeface. Scripts also look like someone's professional signature when using an ink pen thus creating a formal tone whenever used as well. In other words, the meaning conveyed really depends on the context which allows Scripts to be used by companies like Disney who make kid products as well as jewelry companies like Cartier.
Some fonts that are a part of this typeface are Seldoms, Sinisuka, etc.
The best way to sum up this typeface is that it's made up of all of the outsiders that did not fit into other typefaces. Display or novelty fonts are the most stylized fonts out there which means they are one of a kind. Consequently, these fonts are sometimes made specifically for a brand, company, or product in order to express a feeling of individuality. They are mostly used for headlines or titles and not so much for paragraphs or long texts. Display fonts are very useful to attract the audience's attention toward themselves and are usually colorful and large. For brands with a lot of direct competition like Oreo and Lego this typeface allows them to appear distinct from other brands. Additionally, this typeface is very commonly blended into a graphic image to enhance the power and look of the typeface. This is the case with many major sporting events that want to seem more important than others like the Tour de France. Even NASA uses this font to convey the fact that they are one of a kind and essential to the world as a whole.
Some fonts that are a part of this typeface include Ca Negroni, Addison, etc.
Now, for sports magazines they want to either appear one of two ways. They either want to seem playful and fun or formal and analytical. Furthermore, there are two fonts that fit those descriptions perfectly, First there is Recons which is part of the Display typeface and for that reason it is mainly used on the front cover of sports magazines and shows how energetic and unique the magazine is. It's usually seen in all caps to make it appear even bigger and to add an aesthetic quality to the font; there are gaps at certain angles in the letter. In contrast, there is also a font called Faltige that is a part of the typeface, Slabs Serifs. This typeface conveys a feeling of masculinity and power which associates very well with sports in general and with the magazine's intended male audience. Just like the original Serifs this typeface has the little strokes at the end but the letters are much more chunkier and bolder further adding to the bold emotion that is conveyed.
Another good kind of typeface that is commonly used by magazines such as Sports Illustrated is the Sans Serif typeface. More specifically the impact font. This font is very bold and mostly uses straight lines with no strokes at the end to give it a more modern feel. This works well for sports magazines as just like the sports they talk about they too always want to continue evolving with today's society and this font gives off a progressive vibe that many people enjoy. Next, there is one very nice font that is part of the New Sans typeface and is called Forever Freedom. This font is tall and is italicized which gives it a futuristic and captivating feel. The font also feels formal but not too professional to the point that it gets annoying, thanks to the italics and longer letters.
Lastly, there is one more font that really caught my attention during my research which is the Rockster Casual font that is part of Sans Serif typeface. This font looks almost exactly like handwriting with a marker as it's very thick and easy to read. Additionally, the font is slightly slanted and in all caps showing how it is not perfect and strict but instead more relaxed. This entices the audience into reading the magazine and creates a very friendly tone for the sports magazine that relates to the joyful feeling of playing sports and becoming free.
In my case I will most likely try to utilize a font like Forever Freedom for a number of reasons. First of all, my desired outcome is to give my audience an analytical breakdown of recent games in a way that is formal and easily understandable. At the same time, I do not want to make it sound robotic and completely about facts because that's not how sports are in real life. In sports it's not just statistics as the best part of the game is watching the players play at the highest level and perform incredible tricks and skills that not only beat the opponent but also wow the audience like myself. Thus I want to create the same atmosphere in my sports magazine. To reiterate, I want my magazine in total to be not just about the fascinating numbers but also about how I saw the players actually play. I will also talk about my opinions on players and about their personal lives off the pitch. Fortunately, the font Forever Freedom and other fonts from the New Sans typeface will allow me to keep a formal tone while still keeping it fun, new, and energetic as sports should be.
Fussell, Grace. “The Psychology of Fonts (Fonts That Evoke Emotion).” Design & Illustration Envato Tuts+, Envato Tuts, 16 May 2020, https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/the-psychology-of-fonts--cms-34943.
Keung, Laura. “The Best Fonts for Magazine Designs (& Famous Magazine Fonts!).” Design & Illustration Envato Tuts+, Envato Tuts, 8 June 2020, https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/the-best-fonts-for-magazine-designs-famous-magazine-fonts--cms-35034.
Snell, Steven. “40 Outstanding Sports Fonts (and Esports Fonts).” Vandelay Design, 14 June 2021, https://www.vandelaydesign.com/sports-fonts/.
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