Welcome to the October 2008 issue of the DESIGNINGJOE monthly newsletter! (click here for archives)
Boo.
Last month I talked about margins, so it only makes sense to talk about what lies between said margins.
This month's DESIGNTIP will address the smart (and not so smart) use of typefaces.

I'm Joe Pallister and my skills are web design, graphic design and branding. Please call me to see how my services can help your business - 347.249.1690. And visit DESIGNINGJOE.com for some examples.

How do you want to be seen?
That's the challenge that drives good design. The right presentation of the details creates a dialogue that addresses the lifestyle and needs of your audience, resulting in a clear and powerful connection.

Good Design = Good Business.
So ask yourself: How do you want to be seen? DESIGNINGJOE can create your answer.
phone: 347.249.1690 or

MONTHLYSAMPLE
I was commissioned to design the t-shirt and poster for Cornell Cooperative Extension's Annual Pumpkin Fling, where pumpkins, launched by trebuchets, rain down from the sky. My goal was to symbolize that with a new take on the classic "Falling Rock" highway sign. I was able to reach that goal by using Photoshop to merge the two images on the left. Heads-up!

DESIGNTIP
A typeface is a set of fonts sharing the same design style. A font is a complete character set (letters, numbers and sometimes symbols) of a specific size (ie: 9 point) and style (regular, bold or italic).
The three most common types of typefaces are: Serif, Sans Serif, and Script
(if the Script font does not appear as script, it is due to the lack of a suitable font installed on your machine)

Some very general guidelines are:
• In large sections of text, such as articles or books, Serif fonts are easier to read than Sans Serif.
• In headlines, the opposite is true.
• Script is generally used for invites, announcements, or logos.
• It's best not to use too many diferent typefaces on one page. Doing so results in something known as "The Ransom Note Effect" which is when the page looks like a ransom note culled from a variety of torn-out magazine fonts.

Keep in mind there are many instances that call for the above guidelines to be completely ignored - the most obvious example is an actual ransom note!
You'll know when you've gone too far with your typefaces. At least now, you have a starting point.