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Finding the right font for your design work can often be really frustrating and time consuming. For that reason you should always have plenty of various fonts in your toolbox. When was the last time you downloaded a nice and pretty font? It’s time for you to update your font library with some fresh and stunning fonts. This article presents 50 fresh and beautiful fonts from 2011 to enliven your design work as well as a few typography tips. The list contains many smooth and solid fonts that are suitable for web design as well as some funkier and nontraditional fonts that will add that extra something to your digital art. And did I mention that all the fonts are completely free? (some fonts might be available only as demo versions). Also here are a few tips to consider when working with type.
As you may already know choosing the right font is often the hardest part of a design that involves typography. But that’s only half of the story. In both digital art and web design you’ll often have to use more than one font. For digital art typography is used more as an artistic element and in web design you have to think about elements like headlines, remarks, call to action and many more things. Don’t get me wrong and stuff your website with a dozens of fonts. Use a few but select them carefully. Remember to take into consideration things like dynamics, font moods and even things like mobile browsers.
Choosing the right font is extremely important in minimal web design because type is what basically will make your website. Oliver James Gosling has chosen a large strong font for title and a smaller smoother one for navigation. The whole website is using about five fonts which is absolutely enough. The typography used in this website creates the right mood and dynamic.
Styling and formatting is as important as the choice of the font. Even some of the prettiest and most user friendly fonts can become unpleasing if the styling and layout is awful. One of the tools to avoid messy typography is by using a grid. A grid is especially important in print and web design. Whether you use guidelines in Photoshop or 960 Grid System with CSS think of the positioning, layout, margins and structure. Your eyes will be the best judge.
Francisco Inchauste’s personal website is a great example of efficient use of grid system. The text is divided in three main sections and it’s clear and easy to read. Also other things like headlines, opacity and capital letters makes this seemingly plain text styled and formatted perfectly.
It’s often the tiny little details that separate good typography from excellent. Kerning, tracking, font sizes – all these factors matter especially if we’re talking about web design. In web design all the little details count and they can either enhance or spoil your design. Pay attention to things like spacing between the lines, quote marks and hyperlinks. Typography is a subtle yet powerful science which consists of many tiny details that definitely aren’t insignificant.
You can see an efficient text styling and polished details in the website of Revista Vlov. The font is subtle and smooth and the styling makes it pleasant to read. Line height and kerning are just fine and the transparent boxes give the text that solid and complete look. Also the more important words are nicely highlighted with a different color.
Most of the time type is not going to be the only thing that will shape your artwork. This point combines all of the previous and many more typographic rules. You can create a perfect type fitting all typography standards however if it’s not going to interact with other parts of the design it’s pretty much useless. Choosing the right fonts will play a big role, but you have to pay a lot of attention to details and the overall look as well. Pay attention to colors, shapes, images and free space. In web design white space is going to be your biggest friend. Be sure to treat it accordingly.
Pixelschupser Medien design agency has achieved perfect balance and harmony with the use of typography. They’re using a few, yet carefully, selected fonts that do their job greatly. You can easily scan over the services they’re offering and the main content is legible as well. When you look a this website there’s that lovely feeling of completeness. The type in the background is also a neat solution.
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Sunday, March 4th, 2012 16:36
The Duke font style is absolutely beautiful. Some of the others not my style. Funny how we all have our own particular likes and dislikes. This is what makes us unique as humans. But anyway, great list. And thanks. – Martin
Friday, February 17th, 2012 19:25
A truly great collection of beautifully crafted fonts!
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 23:43
can we use those fonts for free??
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 19:08
Awesome, as always. 1WD rocks!
Thursday, December 1st, 2011 16:44
amazin collection really im so thankful to you
Saturday, November 12th, 2011 01:52
Great list! I often look through Typography to gain inspiration for a new design. I was really stuck on my newest project (My OWN site) and this really helped! Thanks!
Friday, August 26th, 2011 18:44
thanks for the collection! it’s nice to have some great ones all in one spot!
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 12:31
thanks for all
Saturday, August 20th, 2011 06:26
You put together a nice variety of fonts, but most of all I liked the different sites you got them from… now that was most helpful!
Thursday, August 18th, 2011 11:28
All fonts are different and unique and I would go for fontsquirrel.
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 15:24
Wow some of these are amazing, will definitely be showing these around the office. Really love them, thanks guys!
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 14:10
What an absolutely delightful trove! Daniels, you are nothing short of an angel.
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Miranda Grimm
Saturday, November 12th, 2011 01:52
Great list! I often look through Typography to gain inspiration for a new design. I was really stuck on my newest project (My OWN site) and this really helped! Thanks!
Gregory
Friday, February 17th, 2012 19:25
A truly great collection of beautifully crafted fonts!
Willliam Rodriguez
Friday, August 19th, 2011 22:58
nice collection!
Photo Booth
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 15:45
Nice compilation! This is very helpful!
Charles
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 19:08
Awesome, as always. 1WD rocks!
milla
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 23:43
can we use those fonts for free??
suresh
Thursday, August 18th, 2011 11:28
All fonts are different and unique and I would go for fontsquirrel.
Gavin
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 15:24
Wow some of these are amazing, will definitely be showing these around the office. Really love them, thanks guys!
Hannibal x
Saturday, August 20th, 2011 06:26
You put together a nice variety of fonts, but most of all I liked the different sites you got them from… now that was most helpful!
Jeremy Mavis
Friday, August 26th, 2011 18:44
thanks for the collection! it’s nice to have some great ones all in one spot!
ege
Saturday, August 20th, 2011 14:39
Retweeted. Thanks for the collection!
Martin
Sunday, March 4th, 2012 16:36
The Duke font style is absolutely beautiful. Some of the others not my style. Funny how we all have our own particular likes and dislikes. This is what makes us unique as humans. But anyway, great list. And thanks. – Martin
soufien
Thursday, December 1st, 2011 16:44
amazin collection really im so thankful to you
Kunal Puri
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 14:10
What an absolutely delightful trove! Daniels, you are nothing short of an angel.
Pasa
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 12:31
thanks for all