Four Main Groups that Different Styles of Fonts Fall Into

In the world of designing words on a page, there are many different font types available for use. There might be so many different types of fonts, however, that choosing one to use for your design can be overwhelming. The different styles of fonts can be broken down into four main categories: Serif, Sans Serif, Script, and Decorative.

1. Serif

Serif fonts are the original font types. According to Font.com, they were first created in the 15th century. Their name comes from the defining feature of these kinds of fonts which are called serifs. They are the tiny spaces or lines added to the edges or ends of the letters. When first written, these shapes were created by the writing tools used when something was written, and even when writing moved to use a printing press, the serif shapes were still added. Serif fonts are very easy to read in printed formats such as books and magazines. They are harder to read on digital publications.

There are many different font styles within the serif family. Each of them can be identified by the small differences in their serifs. The old-style was the first serif version. Some examples of it are Centaur and ITC Berkeley Oldstyle.

Transitional Serifs were created to help out with the printing process. They take characteristics from the old style and neoclassical. Some examples of this are Americana and Bulmer. This type was created in the mid-18th century.

Neoclassical and didone serifs were created in the late 18th century. They became classified as modern due to their differences from the classic serifs created previously. Examples of this type are Bodoni Classic and Marconi.

In the 19th century, slab serifs became popular. Their serif shapes are rectangular or slab shapes, thus giving them their name. Examples of them are Rockwell and Soho.

Clarendon serifs are based on the original Clarendon type styles that were ordinally created in the 19th century. Nimrod and Bookman are examples of this.

The last Serif style group is the glyphic serifs. They have more of a triangular-shaped serif design. Examples of this are seen in Albertus and Cartier Book.

2. Sans Serif

Of the different styles of fonts, sans serif options are an easy choice. They are defined by their lack of serifs. Their letters are sleek and clean, making them easy to look at and read on technology platforms.

Grotesque sans serif fonts were the first of their kind that became popular for commercial use. Some examples of them are Helvetica and ITC Franklin Gothic.

Square sans serif fonts have more of a square shape than grotesque fonts. Neo Sans and Cachet are good examples of this.

Geometric sans serif fonts are more geometric in shape. Futura and ITC Bauhaus are examples of this.

The last version of sans serif fonts is the humanistic sans serif group. These fonts are the most like handwritten letters of the sans serif font types. They are considered the easiest to read because of this. Their humanistic qualities also make them seem like serif fonts. Gill Sans and ITC Goudy Sans are examples of this.

3. Script

One of the last major types of font styles is script fonts. These are the fonts that look like cursive or handwriting rather than printed letters. They can be some of the hardest to read due to the many extra flourishes and shapes included with the letters. These fonts can be broken into four different smaller categories.

Formal scripts are based on 17th-century writing scripts. The letters are designed to connect throughout the word. Examples of this are Bickham Script and Helinda Rook.

Calligraphic scripts are based on calligraphic writing. They do not connect throughout the word. Vivaldi and Mistral are examples of this.

Blackletter and Lombardic scripts are based on early manuscript writing. Examples of this are Goudy Text and Agincourt.

The last type of script font is the casual script. These are the least formal of the script types. Some examples of them are Freestyle Script and Brush Script.

4. Decorative

Of all the different styles of fonts, decorative is the most unique. These are the fonts that same to have their personality and identity. There is a wide range of options in this category. These different style fonts are typically used for headers or titles rather than large amounts of text. These can be the most illegible of the font types, so always make sure that when using one, you can read the words. Examples of decorative fonts are Spacethink and Sealife.

How to Choose Between the Different Styles of Fonts

With all the different types of fonts to write with, it can be hard to choose one. Here are some factors to help you decide on which different types of fonts to go with. Because serif fonts are the original, they have a very classic and timeless feel to them. If you want your company or group to feel timeless or well established, this might be the best route to go. Coach, Sony, Time, Tiffany & Co., and Vogue all use serif fonts to this effect. Because there are many different subgroups of serif fonts, this can be a great direction to take your logo name.

If you want to go for a more sleek, clean, and modern look, sans serif fonts could be a great choice for you. Out of the different font styles, sans serif is often considered the most serious and modern of all the font types. They also have many subcategories, giving them a large library of options for you to use for your company’s name. Facebook, Netflix, Jeep, Spotify, and Target all use sans serif fonts.

One of the more personable types of fonts styles is script fonts. Script fonts allow you to speak more directly to broadcast the feeling you want your company to represent. The different script fonts provide different thoughts depending on how they are created. Coca-Cola, Barbie, Kellogg’s, Sharpie, and Ford all use script fonts.

Decorative fonts are the last font category. Out of the different font styles, these are very unique because they can be so different from any of the other fonts. Each individual font will be created with its characteristics that tell its own story. They can be difficult to pull off but the results are stunning when done well. Harry Potter, Fanta, Guitar Hero, Kool-Aid, and Toys “R” Us are good examples of decorative fonts.

Use Your Own Font in Your Logo Name

Now that you know more about the different styles of fonts, you can apply this knowledge to your own logo. With our logo maker, you don’t have to be well educated in graphic design to create a beautiful logo. Our platform is easy-to-use and very affordable.

Simply enter your company’s name, choose from our library of icon images, and edit it together with your preferred font. Once you are done editing, you can choose which package you would like. Our package options differ depending on your needs. Our logo maker streamlines the logo design process, allowing you to have your logo, with your idea font type, much faster and easier than ever before.