Fonts, fonts, fonts
sgmajorshipper : Not exactly an icon tutorial request, but I was curious what some of your favorite fonts are at the moment? Or any techniques/things you like to do with text?
caution: this post is really image-heavy!
Favorite Fonts
Ironically enough - given that most of my icons are textless - I love fonts. I have so many on my computer, I have to archive them on a regular basis as having them all installed slows down my otherwise powerful iMac.
note: icons shown can be found by browsing here, larger images are from my tumblr.
My All-Time Favorite Font
→ League Gothic
I love how it balances boldness and elegance and I have yet to find better for titles. I do have a preference for using uppercase though, and generally use it on bigger graphics rather than icons (I find it takes up a little too much space on icons)
Bold/Title Fonts
→ Twentieth Century
Probably the font I use the most on my icons! Again, I have a preference for the bold uppercase. It's pretty much my icon go to font, when all else fails :)
→ Nouvelle Vague
This is a new found font for me, but I have been loving it so far!
→ Museo Regular Slab Sans
→ Rockwell
→ PTF Nordic
I don't use this as much as I used to, but it's still on my fave list!
Hand Written/Script Fonts
I often hand write the text myself when I want a handwritten font, but the following fonts also do the job nicely!
→ Levi Marker
→ Bon Iver
→ Rabiohead
Classic Fonts
→ Sorts Mill Goudy
(uh-oh)
Other Fonts
→ St Marie
→ La Fraktouille
Using Fonts
→ You know how you say that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything? Well regarding text on icons/graphics, I always say 'if you don't have anything smart to say, don't say anything'. That would probably be my biggest font/text tip :p
Character Toolbox
→ I like playing around with font weights & styles (bold, italic, uppercase, small caps...).
→ With handwritten fonts, playing around with the baseline can really help add an authentic look (when you write, it's rarely on a perfectly straight line)
→ Basically playing around with the settings in the character toolbox will allow for some fun results.
Blur/Soft text
→ I know some people hate blurry text, but I hate sharp text :p I always soften my text, at least lightly, with the blur tool. Tip: placing the blurred text layer under a colour edit layer will allow for some extra coloured glow/softness round the text.
caution: this post is really image-heavy!
Favorite Fonts
Ironically enough - given that most of my icons are textless - I love fonts. I have so many on my computer, I have to archive them on a regular basis as having them all installed slows down my otherwise powerful iMac.
note: icons shown can be found by browsing here, larger images are from my tumblr.
My All-Time Favorite Font
→ League Gothic
I love how it balances boldness and elegance and I have yet to find better for titles. I do have a preference for using uppercase though, and generally use it on bigger graphics rather than icons (I find it takes up a little too much space on icons)
Bold/Title Fonts
→ Twentieth Century
Probably the font I use the most on my icons! Again, I have a preference for the bold uppercase. It's pretty much my icon go to font, when all else fails :)
→ Nouvelle Vague
This is a new found font for me, but I have been loving it so far!
→ Museo Regular Slab Sans
→ Rockwell
→ PTF Nordic
I don't use this as much as I used to, but it's still on my fave list!
Hand Written/Script Fonts
I often hand write the text myself when I want a handwritten font, but the following fonts also do the job nicely!
→ Levi Marker
→ Bon Iver
→ Rabiohead
Classic Fonts
→ Sorts Mill Goudy
(uh-oh)
Other Fonts
→ St Marie
→ La Fraktouille
Using Fonts
→ You know how you say that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything? Well regarding text on icons/graphics, I always say 'if you don't have anything smart to say, don't say anything'. That would probably be my biggest font/text tip :p
Character Toolbox
→ I like playing around with font weights & styles (bold, italic, uppercase, small caps...).
→ With handwritten fonts, playing around with the baseline can really help add an authentic look (when you write, it's rarely on a perfectly straight line)
→ Basically playing around with the settings in the character toolbox will allow for some fun results.
Blur/Soft text
→ I know some people hate blurry text, but I hate sharp text :p I always soften my text, at least lightly, with the blur tool. Tip: placing the blurred text layer under a colour edit layer will allow for some extra coloured glow/softness round the text.