custom fonts?

[john23]

Do you use custom fonts for your site? I would say it is better to use a font that comes installed with Windows, as there is no guarantee that your visitors have the custom font installed on their system.

[Faucet]

I use a default font, but if you do use a custom font it's always good to make that code that allows you to display the content in a default font for people without that font.

[textbooksword]

Originally Posted by Faucet

I use a default font, but if you do use a custom font it's always good to make that code that allows you to display the content in a default font for people without that font.

This is a good technique, but would use the more widely used fonts on the web as they tend to be easier to read. If I want to use a custom font I usually create an image for it. This way the font is always seen as the designer intended.

[s_purs]

i said this in the topic about backgrounds, but if you want to use a font that is easiest to read and for the eye to follow then you should use a serif font. this is a font that has the little flicks at the top and bottom of each letter, which draws the eye along and is easier for it to flow onto the next letter in the word.

if you learn graphic design at a higher level than at school they should teach you stuff like this. i didnt know that before, but it makes sense now :)

[Michael]

This is where CSS comes well into play. With CSS you define a hierarchy of fonts, in any font definition. What this does is allows you to specify fonts in the order of what you'd like, so if you say...

body
{
   font-family: Arial, Verdana, serif;
}

Here the first font that is tried is Arial, if the user does not have this font, it tries for Verdana, etc...

I think it's a good idea to use clean easy to read fonts that the end user is likely to have. As far as identity goes I'd use custom fonts, you can't have images such as headers or logos with a Times New Roman font :).

TakeCare.
_Michael

[CyCL3]

Thanks for the info. That is not the only reason to use font families though. A combination arial, Helvetica, san-serif will also look different than just plain old arial.

[iughk]

I always start off my font families with arial. I do like verdana though. I have noticed that font preferences are also sometimes a cultural this. I read the thread on fonts here on the forums and I happen to know that Amit is Indian. I have run into many Indians that prefer Georgia like he does. I think it resembles their hand written text.

http://www.infitechdesign.com/forums...highlight=font

[blaze_187]

Originally Posted by s_purs

i said this in the topic about backgrounds, but if you want to use a font that is easiest to read and for the eye to follow then you should use a serif font. this is a font that has the little flicks at the top and bottom of each letter, which draws the eye along and is easier for it to flow onto the next letter in the word.

My thoughts exactly...

[Klaas Koopman]

Originally Posted by s_purs

i said this in the topic about backgrounds, but if you want to use a font that is easiest to read and for the eye to follow then you should use a serif font. this is a font that has the little flicks at the top and bottom of each letter, which draws the eye along and is easier for it to flow onto the next letter in the word.

if you learn graphic design at a higher level than at school they should teach you stuff like this. i didnt know that before, but it makes sense now :)

Thanks for the tip, I'll talk a look at it when I build another website!

A question for all though, how do you make your own fonts?

[danielmichel]

That is no small question. This sounds like a tutorial request if i every saw one.

[Klaas Koopman]

Sounds like a plan! I'll put it in the tutorial request part, thank you!

[john23]

I prefer Verdana or Arial for my main text, I tend not to use Times New Roman though, it doesn't look too good since it is often considered the "default" font when a particular font is missing on someone's computer.

[Duality]

If your talking about an image, I use a custom font. If I'm actually using the font code, I will use Tahoma. It's the best font to use on a website IMO.

[Contention]

Originally Posted by Duality

It's the best font to use on a website IMO.

This depends on what kind of website you are doing. If you were doing a website for a vampire movie for example this wouldnt be the best font to use at all.

[sparky]

The only time I use custom fonts is in my graphics - this way its appearing as a .jpg or a .gif anyway. I usually use Arial or something for all other text :)

[ebittner]

I have never used a custom font becasue like you said if you do not people may not have it.

[Klaas Koopman]

You can always have people download it or something from your site? And you could use it in the form of an image, instead of a font right?

[Jacer17]

I like to use a variety of fonts both custom and default. I use custom faunts in my lay out and default for the content. I don't like using the same font everywhere because it kind of gets boring.

[Kevin]

I couldn't imagine using a custom font in the body of a website. Custom fonts should be used for images only, in my opinion. Like most of you have said already, the text on a website should be something that everyone ought to have already. The 3-second rule for catching people's attention is butchered if they have to download a font first.

[Green Diva]

Although I prefer "elegant" looking fonts like garamond or even comic sans, I stick to sans-serif fonts like ariel and verdana because they are easier on the eyes.