I really like how, for instance, the lower-case “a” in Sabon plays off the even and parallel x-heights of Futura in the example above. The combination works because it’s bold, classy, and functional. With Futura and Sabon, we have a totally respectable combination that is ready to do a lot of heavy lifting with no controversy. We at least have a clear typographic hierarchy, and I think it works. If Rockwell was bigger compared to Futura in this example, it probably wouldn’t work. There are no set rules, just some principles to help guide you in the right direction. One of the things about creating interesting font combinations is how you can stumble on something that works, that shouldn’t work, but your eyes aren’t lying. Ok, we are going out on a bit of an over-contrast limb here with Futura and Rockwell. It’s like Futura can bark out a command, and New Baskerville steps in to explain the command. New Baskerville is wider and more “friendly” than a typeface like Times New Roman, and this warmth, I think, plays to the optimism of Futura. With Futura and New Baskerville, I think we have an interesting mixture. This is a great example of how contrast works well here. There is nice contrast of x-height and glyph widths. With Futura and Bodoni, we have an interesting play between the authoritative Bodoni and the optimistic Futura. I created five custom-tailored samples for our discussion. Too many typefaces in a single document can add a chaotic, uncomfortable tone and undermine your message.If you are interested in what books we either make or might make for font combinations, the best thing to do is subscribe to the newsletter (either to the right or down below if you are on your mobile device). Keep It Simpleįor most situations, it’s best to use no more than two typefaces on official ACF materials. Choose one typeface and use it for body text – don’t combine different sans-serif typefaces. Start with Arial, Calibri, Helvetica Neue or Source Sans Pro. Body Textįor body text, a sans-serif typeface is preferred. This creates visual hierarchy, which helps readers navigate your content more easily. Heading variations should follow an expected pattern – for example, Heading 1 should visually stand out more than Heading 2, which should stand out more than Heading 3, and so on. Vary the size and boldness of the type to make your headings stand out. Don’t combine different serif typefaces (for example, don’t pair Merriweather with Cambria). Some typefaces have serifs, which are little decorative strokes that appear on the ends of the letters. Sans means “without” in French, so sans-serif refers to typefaces without serifs.īelow is an example of a serif font (Cambria) compared to a sans-serif font (Calibri).įor headings, either use the same typeface as the body text, or pair with one serif typeface such as Cambria or Merriweather.
Typefaces pairing neutra text pro#
Preferred sans-serif fonts: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica Neue, Source Sans Pro.Preferred serif fonts: Merriweather, Cambria.Typography should never steal the show from your content – use it to unobtrusively organize and support your message. Typography is an important element of the ACF brand – it can convey trust, command attention, and manage the flow of information on the page.