Typeface Combos

The following is a list of all the typefaces used together in this book. For each Exploration, the faces are listed in order of use.

Designing with two (or more) typefaces requires a bit of forethought and sensitivity. There is no shame in using one typeface at a time until you feel comfortable with the more complex task of using multiple fonts together. Although theoretically any two typefaces can be used together, it really depends on exactly how and why they are used; realistically, some faces just don’t look very good together.

The possibilities for combining typefaces are endless; however, the basic guideline is to select (1) a serif face and a sans serif face that (2) have similar shapes. One way to discover typefaces with similar shapes is to look for ones designed by the same designer or created during the same era.

Note that type set in two different typefaces in the same point size may not look like it is the same size. Sometimes this works to your advantage. Other times, you will want the two faces to look like they are the same size because they need to express the same hierarchy. To make two typefaces look like they are the same size, make their x-heights match by using them at two different point sizes.

If you see a combination here that you like, but you don’t have access to one or more of the typefaces, create a new combination by substituting one of the free or low-cost alternatives listed in the book.