One name or many paragraphs?
A short title has room for pronounced shapes. A long article needs an even rhythm. Start with a display face for the title or a reading face for the prose, then test the amount of text the finished piece will contain.
The font guide
Find good company for your words.
Begin with the reading. How much is there, how large will it be, and what should the reader notice first? Those answers make a useful shortlist.
Choose by the work
Three decisions before the font menu.
What is the smallest use?
Check the size guidance on the product page before judging a design at its largest setting. Look at punctuation, counters and figures at the smallest size you need. Screen pixels and print points describe different things.
Which styles and characters?
Make a list of the emphasis, numbers, accents and symbols your work needs. Compare that list with the actual style choices and character sheets. A family offer groups its listed styles; it does not add unlisted weights.
Give each face a role
Three pairings to try.
These are starting points for a layout. Keep the division of work clear, then compare the pair in your own words.
A shop name and the useful details
Around the corner
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9–5.
Sallet gives the name gently flared, signwriter forms. Fenham gives an address, opening time or short caption a quieter scale.
Try Sallet at 32–56px on screen and Fenham at 14–16px for the supporting line. Compare the visual size rather than assigning both faces the same number.
A generous title and a calm explanation
Something to share
Choose a loaf for the table, or take one home for later.
Pair Mallow Yard's welcoming serif forms with Roundhay's open, softly rounded sans for a product page or a short introduction.
Try the title at 32–56px and the supporting screen paragraph at 16–18px. Keep the paragraph simple enough that the title remains the first thing readers notice.
A loud headline and the whole story
Doors at eight
An evening of songs and stories. Come early, find a seat and stay for the last tune.
Put Penny Plain above Enstone for an event page: broad poster lettering for the name, compact serif prose for the details.
Begin at 48–64px for the screen headline and 16–18px for the paragraph. Add Penny Plain's matching Shadow if the headline needs two colours; keep Enstone's Italic for emphasis within the text.
Compare in context
Make a small, real specimen.
Use one heading, one paragraph, a date and a price from the project. Set them at the intended sizes. Look at the space between lines, the balance of capitals and lowercase, and whether emphasis is easy to find.
Before adding another typeface, try the available styles of the first family. Enstone's Regular and Italic can carry an editorial page together. Two faces are useful when their roles become clearer; one family can be enough.
The practical pages
From first choice to finished file.
Using the fonts
Six starting points for identities, packaging, editorial, interfaces, posters and video.
Licensing
Understand style choices, related families and the user tier for your work.
Installation
Get the files into place and choose the intended style in your application.
Help & common questions
Find answers about choosing, downloading and working with the fonts.
Support
Get in touch about an order, a file or a detail you would like us to check.
About Well Met Type
Read about the library, the drawing and the specimens behind each release.