Did you know that some fonts are easier to read, depending on whether they’re used on a printed page or on a screen?
Serif, or Not To Serif, That Is the Question
All fonts are either serif or sans-serif. Serif fonts have decorative strokes on the letters; you can see serifs in the Atma Serif font, above. Serif fonts are easier on the eyes and good for blocks of printed text while sans-serif fonts are easier to read online. (“Sans” means “without” in French.)
For printed publications:
Times New Roman is tried and true, but you may like the look of Garamond better. Also, if your content is meant to be downloaded and printed, you may choose one of these fonts instead of one recommended for online readers.
For online use:
According to some tests, the Verdana font was a very good choice for screens. However, Times New Roman and Arial were read more quickly than other fonts, which is important for most online readers who tend to scan content.
For both:
Georgia works for both printed and online reading and is what this blog uses.
Want to learn more? Try these articles:
- The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web
- Responsive Typography: The Basics (informationarchitects.net)
- Select Easy-To-Read Fonts (netmechanic.com)
- A site to test the readability of coloured text over a coloured background.
- Finding Exact Colors (eQuipping for eMinistry)
This post is in the Printer and Printer Tips series.
Saving Printing Costs: Cartridges and Printers
eQuipping for eMinistry 
This was very helpful to see the various fonts illustrated. I knew some of what you included here, but also learned something! Thanks!
LikeLike
Hi, Anne!
I’m about ready to write our next prayer letter this week. I’m going to pay more attention to the fonts. We usually pick what fits and is not to small, but I think we’ll try Garamond this time.
LikeLike