How many fonts can you identify? - Page 3

Rob Lister · 10-27-2011, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1611mac

I worked publishing Yellow Pages for 22 years... was leader of ad creation team and pagination. I never want to identify a font again! (Except went selecting fonts in my reading app... and hopefully Arial.) When you have bad eyes those serifs just confuse!

From Microsoft's Crabby Lady...

Quote:

When you're trying to figure out whether to pick a serif or sans serif font, consider if this is for an on-screen job or a print job.

Studies show (although I'm not a font scientist and I don't play one on TV, either), a serif font is easier to read in print, while a sans serif font is better when reading something on the computer.

The theory is that serifs form a visual guide, or train, which helps the reader's eye follow the type and read groups of words, rather than single words one at a time. And while this works great for print, it doesn't work as well for the screen. So, to sum up:

@ Use a serif font for printed materials such as books, reports, and catalogs.
@ Use a sans serif font for documents or other things you'll be popping up onto the Web.

Interesting. Any opinions on the truth of that matter?

Hellmark · 10-27-2011, 10:52 AM

I think on this forum, you'll get more people able to recognize fonts. I've done a lot of graphic design and layout work, so I can recognize many fonts. I think you'll find that the norm here, since so many do work with layout and text here.

As far as the serif vs sans serif, I think much of that really depends on the screens. Many people dislike serif'ed fonts on screen, because at lower resolutions and sizes, it makes things harder to make out. On print, you don't have to really deal with pixelation, so you can take advantage of serifs.

1611mac · 10-27-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

From Microsoft's Crabby Lady...

RE: Serif in print, sans-serif on computer
Interesting. Any opinions on the truth of that matter?

Well, I certainly agree with this summary but that's just me. We're all different.

Also, an e-ink device (I don't own one) may be different than my iPad. I read a lot (mostly) in dim light and with a "glow" on the screen the simpler the font the easier to read and the easier on my eyes. (I have light gray text on a dark blue background with, after experimenting with many colors, I find is most comfortable.)

Sweetpea · 11-01-2011, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

For me, not so many. Sure, I can plainly tell if it is seriffed or not. I can tell if it is ugly!

Of course, everyone can recognize Comic Sans (and agree that those using it should be punished).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... I rather like Comic Sans, in certain settings...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

I occasionally happen upon sites that have critical reviews of new fonts. Always interesting reads. They talk about the font like it's a wine:

"A heady font, bold with only a touch of serif so as to retain that gothic allure. Clearly elite without being presumptuous or, dare I say, pompous..."

What a hoot...

I think the same when they talk about wine...

I can recognize 4 for sure. Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana and Courier New.

sakura-panda · 11-01-2011, 02:23 PM

I'm not a graphic designer, but I do digital scrapbooking so I can recognize a lot of the popular fonts used for titles or journaling on layouts. I can't identify regular print fonts so well, and didn't recognize more than one or two in the quiz. (I gave up after a while and just clicked through to see if I could recognize any of them without actually trying to match them to the names. I ended up with 9/34.)

Skip_intro · 11-03-2011, 07:55 PM

I have this book:

Does that make me sad or just erm, dedicated...?

pdurrant · 11-04-2011, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip_intro

I have this book:

Does that make me sad or just erm, dedicated...?

I was given it for a birthday present!

Teddie · 11-04-2011, 02:35 PM

errr ok .. just shoot me now .. I like Comic Sans hehehe

As to do I recognise other fonts to be honest I've never looked at a font and thought hmm what font is that ....

Teddy

Solitaire1 · 11-05-2011, 01:46 AM

I took the test and got 16 out of 34. Often I was just making my best guess since I wasn't familiar with most of the typefaces used.

When it comes to typefaces, I generally have settled on these five: Calibri, Comic Sans, Georgia, Thorndale, and Cumberland. These are the ones I like and they cover all of my formatting needs.

WillAdams · 07-30-2013, 12:15 PM

I got a copy of Garfield's _Just My Type_ as a birthday present as well --- still trying to force myself to read through it.

Lemurion · 07-30-2013, 10:10 PM

To be honest, the only font I really hate is Arial. I dislike sans-serif as a rule, but Arial I hate. Comic Sans doesn't bother me, but I do read a lot of comic books.

Solitaire1 · 07-31-2013, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

To be honest, the only font I really hate is Arial. I dislike sans-serif as a rule, but Arial I hate. Comic Sans doesn't bother me, but I do read a lot of comic books.

Although Comic Sans is based on comic book lettering, the actual lettering used in comics has a great deal of variation. One letterer, Bob Lappan, was so good that you could almost hear the spoken words from the text based on the way he lettered it. He was a key member of the 1980s "Justice League" comic (the Bwah-Ha-Ha Era) and per the writer Lappan is the letterer for writers who write too much.

When it comes to Comic Sans, I've found that it's very readable on screens at a very small font (say 6 point) when, at that size, other typefaces are unreadable. This is one of the reasons I use Comic Sans as my composing typeface for emails (I don't send them out with that typeface I just use it for composition, I send my e-mails out as plain text).

I don't hate Arial but I don't like it either. Of the sans serif typefaces, I've recently found that I like Verdana best. On an electronic screen it's easy to read and to me it also looks good when printed on paper.

Coops · 07-31-2013, 04:39 PM

Thanks to the dreadful built-in font in my old Sony 350, I tried out a few standard fonts... but can't claim to identify the fonts in that Font Game. Except 'Wingdings', haha. Is "Mrs Eaves" really a font?

I have ended up rather liking Gill Sans, which comes standard with Apple PC's. Works pretty well both on screen and printed on 'dead trees'. I discovered a minor fetish for the shape of the letter g. The Gill Sans g is more like a typical Sans-Serif shape... lovely. ;-)

Serif for e-readers is best - and ones that are a bit 'thicker' in their lines, for me. Fontin is free.

Solitaire1 · 08-01-2013, 12:23 AM

Lack of font control on my Sony EReaders is what led me to use PDF for me ebooks. I found it frustrating that something that should be simple, having it consistently display a general typeface (serif, san serif, monospace), I was never able to get it to do without resorting to PDF. I agree that a serif typeface is best for ebooks, and Georgia is one that I've grown to like the best.

WillAdams · 08-12-2013, 10:45 AM

Yes, Mrs. Eaves really is a font, designed by Zuzana Licko, modelled on Baskerville's designs and named for his housekeeper:

http://www.emigre.com/WebFonts/Mrs-Eaves

10-27-2011, 10:52 AM	#32
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I think on this forum, you'll get more people able to recognize fonts. I've done a lot of graphic design and layout work, so I can recognize many fonts. I think you'll find that the norm here, since so many do work with layout and text here. As far as the serif vs sans serif, I think much of that really depends on the screens. Many people dislike serif'ed fonts on screen, because at lower resolutions and sizes, it makes things harder to make out. On print, you don't have to really deal with pixelation, so you can take advantage of serifs. Last edited by Hellmark; 10-27-2011 at 10:54 AM.

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11-01-2011, 02:23 PM	#35
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	I'm not a graphic designer, but I do digital scrapbooking so I can recognize a lot of the popular fonts used for titles or journaling on layouts. I can't identify regular print fonts so well, and didn't recognize more than one or two in the quiz. (I gave up after a while and just clicked through to see if I could recognize any of them without actually trying to match them to the names. I ended up with 9/34.)

11-03-2011, 07:55 PM	#36
Skip_intro Culture Eccentric Posts: 71 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South of Heaven, East of Eden Device: Sony PRS-T1 Red	I have this book: Does that make me sad or just erm, dedicated...?

11-04-2011, 02:35 PM	#38
Teddie Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: West Sussex UK Device: Kindle	errr ok .. just shoot me now .. I like Comic Sans hehehe As to do I recognise other fonts to be honest I've never looked at a font and thought hmm what font is that .... Teddy

11-05-2011, 01:46 AM	#39
Solitaire1 Samurai Lizard Posts: 14,922 Karma: 69500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: NookColor, Nook Glowlight 4	I took the test and got 16 out of 34. Often I was just making my best guess since I wasn't familiar with most of the typefaces used. When it comes to typefaces, I generally have settled on these five: Calibri, Comic Sans, Georgia, Thorndale, and Cumberland. These are the ones I like and they cover all of my formatting needs.

07-30-2013, 12:15 PM	#40
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,258 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	I got a copy of Garfield's _Just My Type_ as a birthday present as well --- still trying to force myself to read through it.

07-30-2013, 10:10 PM	#41
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	To be honest, the only font I really hate is Arial. I dislike sans-serif as a rule, but Arial I hate. Comic Sans doesn't bother me, but I do read a lot of comic books.

07-31-2013, 04:39 PM	#43
Coops Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 77756 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis, Sony T3 backup	Thanks to the dreadful built-in font in my old Sony 350, I tried out a few standard fonts... but can't claim to identify the fonts in that Font Game. Except 'Wingdings', haha. Is "Mrs Eaves" really a font? I have ended up rather liking Gill Sans, which comes standard with Apple PC's. Works pretty well both on screen and printed on 'dead trees'. I discovered a minor fetish for the shape of the letter g. The Gill Sans g is more like a typical Sans-Serif shape... lovely. ;-) Serif for e-readers is best - and ones that are a bit 'thicker' in their lines, for me. Fontin is free.

08-01-2013, 12:23 AM	#44
Solitaire1 Samurai Lizard Posts: 14,922 Karma: 69500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: NookColor, Nook Glowlight 4	Lack of font control on my Sony EReaders is what led me to use PDF for me ebooks. I found it frustrating that something that should be simple, having it consistently display a general typeface (serif, san serif, monospace), I was never able to get it to do without resorting to PDF. I agree that a serif typeface is best for ebooks, and Georgia is one that I've grown to like the best.

08-12-2013, 10:45 AM	#45
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,258 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Yes, Mrs. Eaves really is a font, designed by Zuzana Licko, modelled on Baskerville's designs and named for his housekeeper: http://www.emigre.com/WebFonts/Mrs-Eaves