Why — when most of us now have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of different typefaces — would anyone want to intentionally use only a single typeface in their desktop published documents?
With a single typeface design you:
- Avoid 'mismatching' different styles
- Save time (less time spent finding and matching multiple typefaces)
- Create impact through simplicity
Oh, there are probably other reasons too. Simplicity is a good one though.
But aren't single typeface designs, well, boring?
They don't have to be. One of Chuck Green's examples in his ideabook.com feature Type Palettes includes an all-Caslon sample. It's anything but boring. You can create singular beauty too with some of these ideas:
- Make maximum use of contrast (size, style, alignment, color)
- Float text in a sea of white space
- Emphasize distinctive characteristics
- Use typeface families (including the bold, italic, light, and condensed versions of some faces)
Take a look at these two layouts utilizing a single typeface or type family for more tips on creating single typeface documents.
