Facing off with Fonts

This request from an author whose book I was coordinating a few years ago opened my eyes to the psychology of fonts. She wanted to send questionnaires to a bunch of people and, since she was far off in Russia, wanted me to do the sending.

“I find that this is a most readable font and people always reply when I send it in this font,” she explained.

That set me thinking about fonts and the visual persuasion strategy. Just as we respond better to some handwriting, is it true that we respond better to some fonts? Father Google said yes. 

And, just as handwriting can tell us a lot about the writer, can the computer fonts tell us anything about the person using them? 

Oh yes, said Father Google again, throwing an old study The psychology of Fonts, by Dr Aric Sigman, commissioned by Lexmark Printers, at me.

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Windows Vista, 7 - Install New Fonts And Manage

Windows 7 has a wide range of fonts but they are still not enough for some users. Unfortunately, a command for installing more fonts is not available in the font folder at first glance.

In order to configure fonts, click 'Appearance and Personalization' in the Control Panel and then 'Fonts'. In this view, every entry already has a mini preview of the relevant font.

There are several options for installing new font types. It is usually enough to copy the new font file into the folder 'C:\Windows\Fonts'. The disadvantage of this method is that only the file name and not the font name is later displayed in applications. It is thus better to select one of the following procedures: Open the folder with the desired font file in Windows Explorer. Right click the file entry and select the context command 'Install'. Even the preview window of the font type which opens on double clicking has an 'Install' button. A click on it integrates the font into the system.

The other option is to open the Fonts folder and press [Alt]. Windows then displays the menu bar. Click 'New Font' in the 'File' menu, navigate to where the new font is saved and open the file. (Works in Windows Vista)

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Google Gets All Designy With Updated Homepage, Search Results And Free Fonts

Oh, so you thought Google was done after it rolled out Google+, Circles, Sparks, Huddle, and Hangouts? No, no, no. Google will be done when that’s Google-brand oxygen you’re breathing. This afternoon, the search giant’s rollout announcements have continued, as the official Google blog quietly declared (relatively speaking) that the Google Search page (and products across the Google empire) will be getting “a bit of a makeover” over the next few months. And there are new web fonts, too. OMGoogle!

Basically, these updates will focus on adding enhanced usability, cleaner design, and an improved UX to Google products. While these changes will roll out across all Google products, it looks like the focus will be on cleaning up Google Search, Maps, and Gmail. According to its blog, the intention behind this iterating is to succeed in “bringing forward the stuff that matters to you and getting all the other clutter out of the way”. But what does that mean? More specifically, Google will be adding bolder colors for actionable buttons, hiding those that aren’t essential until they’re actually needed, etc.

And, as you can see below, the results page will also be getting a bit of a new look. Users will find a new gray bar and a blue search button to highlight the search box at the top of the page. Oh, and how about a black navbar?

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Computer Arts mag redesigned

Computer Arts has introduced a host of new regular features and comes packed with extras that should strike joy into the hearts of designers everywhere.

The Design Manual is a new section packed with tips, shortcuts, insights and practical advice from leading pros to help you solve everyday design challenges.

The team has packed in a Photoshop Pro section that’s supported by five new pro video lessons for Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, After Effects and Flash as well as an HD documentary that takes you behind the scenes with exclusive footage and interviews at leading UK agency, The Partners.

This month’s magazine (#191) also includes the much-sought after, and long-awaited, volume two of “The Incredibly Useful Book for Creative Professionals”.

Last but not least, Computer Arts has also teamed up with Monotype to offer readers free commercial fonts worth £220.

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Make Your Handwriting As Your Font

If you are interested in making your handwriting  as your font you have come to the right place. We are here to help you to make your dreams come true. Go and start working on your Dreams!

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