Font Frenzy
If you’re like me, you’ve loaded your computer down with every font that ever caught your eye, some free and some not. Fonts just make me happy; I love to see the way they can change the look and feel of any layout with one click of the mouse. Acquiring fonts is one thing, but actually using them is another ordeal entirely.
Learning the ideas and design techniques behind the fonts you have will allow you to really get creative with them. Some of the most basic fonts can really put a finishing touch on any layout. You just need to know how to use them properly.
Serif vs. Sans-Serif
First off, we need to talk about the two basic types of fonts, serif and sans-serif. In the example you can see that a serif font (such as Times New Roman) has little “feet” on the ends of the letter. A sans-serif font (such as Arial) does not have the feet. The difference, however small, can have a big impact on your reader. A sans-serif font tends to be a much less formal look than a serif font does. For instance, if you want to journal from the perspective of your child, a sans-serif handwriting font will look much more convincing than a formal-looking serif font. I reserve serif fonts for invitations, letters and single words in a title.
 Combining Fonts
If you’re going to be combining fonts for your title work or your journaling, it is usually a good rule to use no more than two on a page. For the best look, try combining a serif with a sans-serif. In the example below you can see how the two look together. If you start using too many fonts on one page, they will start to lose their effect and become confusing for your audience. Some of my favorite combinations include a basic serif font along with a long, drawn-out cursive font or a really grungy serif with a clean-looking sans-serif font.
Go Free
There are so many places to get free fonts these days that there’s almost no need to buy them. Sites like 1001freefonts.com, fontgarden.com and acidfonts.com all have great fonts that you can download directly to your computer for free. If you’re not sure how to download fonts, check out the font tutorial at Scrapjazz for help.
My Favorites
Just to get you started on your font journey, here are some of my favorite fonts right now.
I hope this information will help you to be able to use your fonts more freely on your pages from now on. These simple design principles along with your creative ideas will make for some amazing layouts in the gallery.
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