The bulk of what we read is body copy. It's the novels, magazine articles, newspaper stories, contracts, and Web pages we read day after day. Body type or body text fonts are the typefaces used for body copy. Body copy requires legible, easy to read body text fonts.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: As long as it takes to find the right body text fonts for your document
Here's How:
- Check the font at 14 points or less.
Choose a typeface that is readable at body text font sizes of 14 points or less. In some cases, body text fonts may be larger, such as for beginning readers or an audience with vision impairments. When browsing a font book or specimen pages, be sure to look at how the font looks at smaller sizes, not just at the larger samples. - Consider serif fonts for body text fonts.
In the US at least, serif faces are the norm for most books and newspapers making them familiar and comfortable as body text fonts. - Avoid extremes for body text fonts.
Choose a body text font that blends in and doesn't distract the reader with oddly shaped letters, or extremes in x-height, descenders, or ascenders. - Consider serifs for serious text.
In general (with many exceptions) consider serif faces for a subdued, formal, or serious look. - Consider sans serif for informal text.
In general (with exceptions) consider a sans serif body text fonts for a crisper, bolder, or more informal tone. - Use proportionally-spaced body text fonts.
Avoid monospaced typefaces for body copy. They draw too much attention to the individual letters distracting the reader from the message. - Stick with basic serif or sans serif faces.
Avoid script or handwriting typefaces as body text fonts. Some exceptions: cards and invitations where the text is set in short lines with extra line spacing. - Use plain, basic fonts for body text fonts.
Save your fancy or unusual typefaces for use in headlines, logos, and graphics. As a body text font they are almost impossible to read comfortably, if at all. - Consider how other text will look with your body text fonts.
The perfect body text fonts lose their effectiveness if paired with headline fonts and fonts used for captions, subheads, pull-quotes and other elements that are too similiar or incompatible. Mix and match your body text fonts and headline fonts carefully.
Tips:
- View font selections in print.
Don't rely solely on an on-screen display or a small sample. Print out the body text fonts you're considering at body copy size in paragraphs of varying size. - Use Web friendly-fonts.
Fonts suitable for print do not always translate well to the screen for Web use. When repurposing print documents to the Web, consider whether or not the same body text font is still appropriate. - Best Ways to Mix and Match Fonts.
Readers respond with their best tips on choosing fonts. Post your own tips as well.
What You Need:
- A Variety of Fonts
- Software to Generate Font Specimen Sheets
