You may think serif and sans serif fonts are both used for lettering, but these terms are actually very different. The two kinds of fonts can be used to create very different typefaces, and when used in conjunction with lettering designs, they can be a great way to differentiate one typeface from another.
Serif is used to create letters with sharp angles. This form of lettering is often used to create “folded” or serif typefaces. Examples of serif fonts include the typeface Liberty Serif by Wayne Dyer and American Sans Serif by Lee Ann Womack.
A serif font is most popularly used for letterforms. Many of the top selling books, magazines, logos, and posters all use serif fonts for their titles and other important elements. Popular books like “Harry Potter” use serifs to build out their titles. Without a doubt, serif fonts are among the most used lettering fonts in existence.
Sans serif fonts have all of the characteristics of a serif, but they do not contain any rounded corners. Often called “Morpho,” these fonts have many different types of curves and groves that resemble a script style. Examples of sans serif fonts include British Airways and the fonts of Joe Barry. These are also often used for decorative elements on a web page.
While both forms of fonts can be used to create elements on a page, the element created is dependent on the type of shape and color designs used in the fonts. For example, if a person were using “Morpho” fonts to create a space where a word would be placed, the results would be a font that has a smooth form and very little design at all. However, if a person were to use a non-serif font to create a letter, the resulting font would look much different than a serif font would.
These two types of fonts can be a great way to determine the styles of an article or web page. While serif fonts can be used to create a space that looks very open and organic, a sans serif font could use an endless variety of curves and grooves to produce the appearance of a more casual environment. Either way, a reader should be able to tell which type of font is being used because the font will create a form of spacing between the letters that gives the piece of artwork a distinctive character.
Although some designers can create a look without thinking about it, most people recognize an abstract look when they see it. A solid, unadorned font creates a cold and clinical feel to a piece of writing, while geometric fonts create a hard and sturdy look. Since these two styles can be hard to create with just one type of font, pairing a typeface with a design to create an illusion of a “surprised” look can be an effective method of creating a modern and unique style.
There are many websites online that feature serif and sans serif fonts side by side for free. However, using a specific font can give a designer an idea of what will work well together, and which ones will look best on a web page. When fonts are created by combining multiple fonts, these fonts are usually created for the most basic of designs that do not require complex typography or other design elements.
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