Font Personalities: Getting to Know Different Font Styles and Their Characteristics
- Steven Shippy
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Like people, every font has a personality.
Some are traditional, some are avant-garde; some are quiet and some are loud. Before you can confidently choose the right fonts for your brand, it's important to understand the different qualities they convey.
In this guide we’ll explore the personalities and characteristics of 8 different font categories:
Serif
Sans serif
Slab serif
Formal script
Informal script
Handwriting
Blackletter
Decorative/Novelty/Other
Every font carries its own historical, cultural, and emotional associations. Understanding the traits people associate with each of these font styles is an important part of ensuring that your brand’s typographic voice matches the vibe you want to convey to your audience and customers. Let’s get to know them!
Personalities: lawyer, historian, accountant
Characteristics: traditional, trustworthy, professional, knowledgeable
Examples: Garamond, Georgia, Times New Roman
Serif fonts aren't concerned with being trendy or making a statement. They speak with quiet authority, and walk with the confidence of someone who knows the facts.
That same personality is reflected in their design. Serifs are the little “feet” that mimic the movement of brush or pen strokes when letterforms are written, helping steadily guide the eye across lines of text. Although their forms hearken back to Roman antiquity, their development as typefaces began during the Italian Renaissance.
This connection of serif fonts to the historical period defined by a return to classical ideals is why newspapers, academic publications, and heritage-focused businesses and institutions typically rely on serif fonts to help them appear trustworthy and respectable.
Serif fonts are perfect for long passages of text, but also work well for headings and short blocks of text.
Personalities: programmer, engineer, architect
Characteristics: modern, progressive, direct, practical, objective
Examples: Helvetica, Futura, Gotham
Sans serif fonts don’t dress to impress. They show up to get the job done, communicating with clarity and confidence without trying to prove anything.
The term “sans serif” means “without serifs” and their development grew out of the necessity for clearer, more direct communication in advertising, along with a desire to leave behind old conventions in favor of new forms and typographic technologies.
It’s no surprise then, that this style is associated with a no-frills, no-fuss personality that seeks clarity over style.
Sans serif fonts are commonly used for brands that want to appear modern and forward-thinking. Companies like Google, Meta, and Apple all use sans serifs as their primary brand fonts.
Because of their versatility, they work well for anything from headlines to long passages of text.
Personalities: contractor, rancher, firefighter
Characteristics: sturdy, confident, reliable, conventional
Examples: Memphis, Clarendon, Rockwell
Slab serif fonts aren't interested in subtlety. They stand their ground, speak plainly, and have the confidence to say exactly what they mean without being arrogant or flashy.
Unlike classic serif fonts that have a high stroke contrast and use thin serifs, slab serif fonts are low-contrast and use thick serifs.
Slab serif fonts are typically used to convey strength and confidence. They can convey qualities of tradition and trustworthiness without feeling stuffy or old-fashioned like traditional serif fonts.
They can also appear modern and direct without the neutrality of sans serifs.
While slab serif fonts in thinner weights can be used for longer paragraphs of text, bolder weights are best suited for headings.
Personalities: ballerina, wedding planner, etiquette instructor
Characteristics: sophisticated, elegant, graceful, distinguished
Examples: Snell Roundhand, Bickham Script, Edwardian Script
Formal scripts enter the room with grace and poise, always dressed for the occasion, and reserving their voice for moments that deserve class and eloquence.
Formal script fonts are modeled after traditional calligraphy created with a pointed pen or broad-edge pen. They are characterized by elegant, flowing letterforms and carefully balanced proportions that convey sophistication and refinement.
We often associate formal scripts with luxury because this style of lettering was historically reserved for important documents and produced by skilled calligraphers or engravers.
Today, formal script fonts are commonly used for wedding invitations, certificates, luxury branding, and other designs that aim to communicate prestige, elegance, and premium quality.
While they create a timeless and distinguished appearance, they typically should not be used at small sizes or in long passages of text, and instead are best suited for titles and other short display applications.
Personalities: lifestyle blogger, boutique baker, barista
Characteristics: approachable, artistic, easygoing, whimsical
Examples: Dancing Script, Mr. Dafoe, Qwigley
Informal scripts don’t try to impress. They embrace the imperfections that make them uniquely beautiful and would rather pull up a chair and tell a story than be the center of attention.
Informal script fonts mimic cursive handwriting or casual pen or brush lettering. They are often used to convey a personal touch, warmth, and friendliness.
Unlike formal script fonts, which are based on classical calligraphic letterforms with more precise angles and geometry, informal scripts have a more relaxed, natural appearance with varied letterforms and a more organic construction.
They are commonly used for informal invitations, greeting cards, logos, branding, social media graphics and other designs that aim to feel approachable or creative.
Informal script fonts are generally best suited for headlines, short phrases, or accents rather than long blocks of text, where readability can become more difficult.
Personalities: children’s book author, travel journal writer, elementary school teacher
Characteristics: personable, authentic, candid, unique
Examples: Comic Sans, Permanent Marker, Oregano
Handwritten fonts don’t perform for an audience. They’d rather make a genuine connection than a perfect impression, and would choose a handwritten letter over an email or a phone call over a text message.
Designed to replicate the appearance of natural handwriting, they capture the imperfections and individuality of writing with pens, pencils, and markers.
They add a personal, handcrafted feel to designs, making them ideal for informal invitations, social media graphics, and product packaging.
While some handwriting fonts are also considered informal scripts, the letters can also be unconnected.
Because of their reduced legibility, handwritten fonts are most effective for headlines, short paragraphs of text, and accent text.
Personalities: Medieval monarch, tattoo artist, heavy metal singer
Characteristics: dramatic, imposing, complex, edgy, unapologetic
Examples: Cloister Black, Old English. Fette Fraktur
In a room full of fonts, who are the serifs, sans serifs, and scripts staring at?
The Blackletter fonts.
Their dramatic, almost other-worldly appearance demands a presence that can’t be ignored.
Blackletter fonts are based on the dense, angular handwriting styles that developed in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. They are characterized by heavy vertical strokes and compact spacing, creating a dark, dense texture on the page (hence the name “blackletter.”)
Early printers adopted blackletter for many of the first printed books, including the Gutenberg Bible, making the style closely associated with history, religion, tradition, and craftsmanship.
Today, blackletter fonts are often used for certificates, newspaper mastheads, logos, beer labels, and designs that seek to evoke a sense of heritage, authority, or a specific historical period aesthetic.
They have also been widely adopted in the visual language of certain countercultures that express rebellion and individuality, appearing heavily in tattoos, graffiti, and punk, emo, goth, and heavy metal aesthetics.
Because they are often difficult to read, blackletter fonts are best reserved for headlines, logos, or other short decorative text.
Examples: Curlz MT, Chiller, LCD
There are many other font styles and categories too numerous to cover in this article, each with their own unique personality and purpose.
From ornamental and themed fonts to pictographic and experimental letterforms, these designs can help establish a specific mood, reinforce a brand's identity, or enhance the overall visual impact of a project.
When used appropriately, they can add personality and individuality to a design or brand identity that is difficult to achieve with more traditional fonts.
Leveraging Typography to Connect With Your Audience
The fonts you use can influence how people perceive your business, product, or organization, making it an essential part of creating a memorable and effective design or brand.
Understanding their unique personalities and characteristics ensures that the fonts you select are working to reinforce your brand and connect with your intended audience.
If you're ready to build a brand that communicates confidence and connects with your audience, our team of experts is ready to help you find the right typographic voice to level up your business. Contact our team to start the conversation at www.marketingmavenconsulting.com/contact.
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