How do you choose typefaces for a project?
What the interviewer wants to hear
- Match tone and personality to the brief
- Legibility in the actual sizes and media
- Enough weights, styles and language support
- Pairing with contrast and harmony
- Licensing for all planned uses
Model answer
First I think about tone: what should the words feel like? A law firm and a skate brand need different voices, and type carries much of that. Then I test legibility in real conditions, at the actual sizes, on screen and in print, paying attention to x-height, spacing and how numbers look. The family must be practical, with enough weights and italics for a clear hierarchy, and support for every language the brand uses. If I need two typefaces, I pair them with clear contrast, such as a characterful serif for headlines and a clean sans for body, or use a superfamily. Finally I check licensing for desktop, web, app and any other uses, because a font that cannot legally be used everywhere the brand needs it is the wrong choice.
Can you answer it under time pressure?
Take a timed easy round and get scored on every answer.
More easy Graphic Designer questions
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- What should a good creative brief contain, and what do you do if the brief you receive is incomplete?