How Do Fonts Convey Mood?

As a graphic designer, I know that each element, no matter how small, plays a huge role in the outcome of a project. Fonts are often overlooked in favor of other elements, however, this can be a huge mistake. Fonts convey mood through many different aspects, from weight to serifs and more. Here are some of the most common tips for utilizing the right font to convey your mood.

Serifs

Fonts that contain serifs are typically more formal and academic. Think about the most popular academic font: Times New Roman. This font is used by teachers and students for its easy readability and has become the standard in many schools around the world. Using a serif outside of a school setting may result in your work coming across as uneducated or stuffy, however, so be cognizant when deciding whether or not to choose it.

Bold, Italic, Underline, and Strikethrough

In graphic design, these four options are used to emphasize something. Bold font can be used to grab someone’s attention, or possibly as a way to increase the weight of the font (if used throughout the entire project). Italics are meant for emphasis when speaking, or often for foreign words or jargon. Underline is typically used for the most important words or phrases, and strikethrough is used informally to show a change of thought. While you may not utilize these fonts often in graphic design projects, you may find yourself using them frequently in writing or longer projects.

Fancy Fonts

Many people love to use weird or fancy fonts to give something a unique voice. However, I strongly advise you to consider what kind of message you are sending. If the font is too curly, it may be difficult to read or come off as childish. If it looks robotic, it can seem campy. Try to rein in the fancy fonts and instead consider making a unique font for your project.

Weight and Size

The weight and size of fonts can also make a difference with how your work is perceived, although for a much different reason than the other factors. Let’s say you are combining two fonts for a project, one to display the title of a business and one to explain what the business does. You would want a larger font with a heavier weight for the business name, as larger text and heavier text both draw the eye naturally. The explanation should be one or two sizes smaller and a normal or light weight. This makes it easy for readers to distinguish the most important information and make the text flow. As a final note, I would shy away from increasing the weight and decreasing the size, as letters become hard to distinguish.

Fonts are a huge part of everyday life, so it is important to understand the conventions surrounding font and mood. Whether you are utilizing fonts for graphic design purposes or just for general use, take these tips into consideration when deciding which font you want to utilize.