Design Notes

Content First

Content Attribute that Influence Design:

Audience
- Age
- Race
- Gender
- Culture
Tone
- Casual
- Formal
- Friendly
- Sarcastic
Purpose
- Informational
- Conversion

Above content questions should be answered prior to beginning design.

Typography

Serif

Any font that contains small lines enhancing the visual outline of a letter.

Humanist
- Classic & traditional
- Emulates calligraphy
- Journalism & historical
Transitional
- Strong, stylish and dynamic
- Sharper serif
- Legal and academic
Modern
- Structured, clear and elegant
- Art and culture
Egyptian
- Boxy serif
- Authoritative and friendly
- Marketing and promotion

Sans-serif

Any font that does not contain a serif.

Humanist
- Emulates calligraphy
- Tension between perfect and imperfect
- Government & educational
Transitional
- Unassuming and modern
- Technology and transportation
Geometric
- Strict, object and universal
- Science or architecture

Script

Any font that mimics hand-writing or calligraphy.

Other Considerations

Don't use Comic Sans. Ever.
Don't choose two fonts from the same style (i.e. two humanist serif fonts) or class (i.e. two serif fonts)
Do combine fonts with a similar trait (i.e. one humanist serif font and one humanist sans-serif font)