As it pertains to design, have you heard of the term “typeface”? More commonly, you’ve probably heard (and used) the term “font” instead.
But the truth is, they’re not the same and shouldn’t be interchanged.
So what exactly is the difference? And how should they be used? Let’s take a look.
A typeface is the visual design of a set of letters.
A font is more specifically the different variations that make up a typeface — things like the weights and sizes of a typeface.
For example: Helvetica, Arial, and Garamond are all in fact typefaces.
Helvetica Bold, Arial Narrow, and Garamond Italic are all examples of fonts.
Here’s a visual representation to help:
More than likely, you’ve just referred to all of the above as fonts. Which, to the layman, that’s understandable — but knowing the difference can be helpful in providing effective feedback when differentiating the two in design.
Do you not like the font choice, and prefer something less bold or maybe italic? Or do you not like the actual typeface design at all?
Relaying the specific feedback you’re aiming for can always help streamline working with a designer.
However, if you just get stuck on using “font”, that’s OK too. More than likely, the designer you’re working with will know what you mean (or just ask questions to clarify).
So, as you take away this newfound knowledge, I encourage you to try and use the terms appropriately in conversation or when providing feedback on a particular project.
Who knows, you might be able to help educate someone else to understand the difference between a typeface and a font!
See you next time,
