Depending on who your market is – choose carefully and appropriately. These differ between typefaces and can either result in a pleasant reading experience, or a very strained one for the reader.

Spacing between the lines is called leading. A good rule is not to use more than 3 different typefaces within a single book design.Ī final note when choosing a typeface, and this goes back to when you designing the spec grid, is to look at the character and line spacing of that typeface. Sometimes you just got to… keep it in the family!

Bear in mind, the bigger the font family, the better you are able to show variety in font without using another typeface. So test the bold and italics to see if you like the way it sits within the text before you make a final decision. Sometimes the italics can look awful within the body text. Those ‘designy’ typefaces are perfect for headlines or for logo use.Īlso, if you using the typeface for body text throughout the book, then a good tip is to test the italics. Loved it! Got it approved! Only to realise afterwards that it didn’t have an italic or a semi-bold font. I’ve made the mistake where I once chose a really cool typeface. In book design, it helps to choose a typeface with a large font family to support your design.

Does it look good? Is it easy to read? Could it be better and how? So next time you are reading, take a moment, and look at the text on the page. And read more! It’s a good training ground in becoming aware of typefaces. This doesn’t always have to be learnt through an expensive course. Knowledge comes with time, study, practice, research, and by looking at everything around you… In the street while driving, while shopping, and even while watching television. Experienced designers should have a general knowledge on typefaces. There are so many that it can become confusing or even intimidating. One can get overwhelmed when choosing typefaces.Remember, the typeface you use contributes to how a book is read – with strain or with ease. That is, we need to look at the usability of reading – where it will be read on – before we implement old text rules 😉 However, for printed books, it all depends on the kind of book you are designing, and the market you designing for. Sometimes using a sans-serif throughout a book can look great for computer or cellphone reading. When it comes to body text styles, I often use a serif typeface. Using serif typefaces for body texts doesn’t always apply to all books, especially in ebooks. For example, Palatino LT Std – see image below. Sans-serif fonts are without serifs. An example of sans-serif is Helvetica Neue LT Std – see image below. The term sans comes from the French word meaning without. Headings generally look good in a sans-serif.It is now widely used in contexts from designs for public spaces and facilities in Switzerland to the digital interfaces of Apple products. Created to meet the social demand for practicality in 1950s, Helvetica was made to be more functional than decorative. Helvetica is a typeface that was first developed in 1957 by the Haas Type Foundry in Münchenstein, Switzerland. between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue.

Bookcovers with helvetica typeface