September 07, 2006

Curious George: Serif font. Is there a serif font that doesn't look as boring as Zurich? I'm doing parts of the back cover of a short-run nonfiction book in Zurich Condensed and it's coming across as really bland.
posted by rolypolyman 17 years ago
  • Do you mean sans-serif font? Zurich is sans-serif.
  • . Hows about Zapf Humanist (Optima)???
  • Yeah, sorry, sans-serif... guess I need more caffeine.
  • Futura? It's got a lot of flavors to choose from.
  • And you really also can't go wrong with Helvetica Neue.
  • Frutiger. Gill Sans. Futura, yes, or Univers.
  • Me likey Optima.
  • Yes, but you two didn't include a link. I did. So your suggestions are STOOOOPID. Girly-men sans serif font wannabees. DUMBASSES!
  • I find myself using Book Antiqua a lot in publications.
  • Oops, just noticed that you meant sans-serif. I'm using the Franklin Gothic family a lot lately. It has a sort of mid-20th-century feel.
  • Ah, quiet RYD, you dingbat, or I'll put a bullet in your caps and make your kids orphans.
  • Arial
  • Quit raggin' on Ralphie!
  • Comic Sans is always an exciting one to use!
  • *recovers from a myocardial infarction at the mention of Comic Sans* Personally, I dig Trade Gothic.
  • FU TU RA! FU TU RA! Frutiger, as also suggested, is also nice.
  • PS never use sans-serif for long blocks of text. it sounds like it's fine for this application (though i think we'd need to see the other fonts you're using on the back cover to make an informed decision), but basically, serif fonts help the eye follow the line of text and make reading faster. (you may/probably already know this, rolypolyman, but in case someone comes along who reads this and doesn't know - well, now they do! :)
  • If you need something similar to Zurich, but a little livelier, try Eurostile. If you just need a sans serif font, though, the aforementioned Frutiger has a nice kick. Gill Sans also lends itself to many situations; you will find that the Light variation of that font can give something an upscale yet friendly appearance if done right. Just be careful using the bolder versions of that one.
  • My brochures are dripping with Gill Sans.
  • I find myself using Book Antiqua a lot in publications. *sighs, stirs coffee, looks out the window*
  • *wants more about jackdaws*
  • Humanist is the only one mentioned here that is suitable for type. Although technically Herman Zapf called it a 'serifless roman'. He designed it for his wedding invitations. Gill Sans is best drawn from the upper case only. Eric Gill was a very opinionated socialist, and sounded best shouting.
  • Arial?? Are you people on crack? I would recommend Optima or Chicago (early Macintosh Finder font) Remember the finder?? Remember when that shit was like a seperate program? Remember the death of Duane Blehm, author of StuntCopter?
  • Also, I think Adrian Frutiger designed futura and Univers. So they're basically the same? Could be wrong. I know he designed at least two of those. The thing, by the way, about Helvetica/Swiss/Zurich (I assume it is the same) is that it looks like shit unless it's weight is chosen very carefully, the line spacing ditto, and the kerning has to be spot on. If you have InDesign or something, set it to optical kerning and it will look great. Franklin Gothic is an interesting choice. It is used in newspapers a lot. It definitely has a more American vibe. Gill Sans is very british, Frutiger is french if that means anything. Trade Gothic is california-ey. Very Adobe systems 1995.
  • RIP Duane Blehm. I will drop a man into a bale of hay pulled by a horse for my O.G.
  • I find myself using Book Antiqua a lot in publications. *sighs, stirs coffee, looks out the window* Boring, yes. But surprisingly enough, my superiors at the agricultural college didn't take to the idea of having their school gardening manual done in Plasma Drip.
  • I'm fond of Myriad Pro... I use it quite a bit for labels on figures I create for teaching. Not sure how it works for blocks of text though.
  • My favorite is Comic Sans. Not because I like it, but because I relish what it makes monkeys say.
  • OK, I got my new insulin pump in the mail yesterday, which is good. But imagine my shcok and horror when I opened up the user's manual is printed in COMIC SANS! How am I supposed to take them seriously as medical professionals now?
  • C'mon, it's all a bit of a giggle, innit? If life seems jolly rotten, There's something you've forgotten, And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing. When you're feeling in the dumps, Don't be silly chumps. Just purse your lips and whistle. That's the thing. And... Always look on the bright side of life. [whistle] Always look on the right side of life, [whistle]