For font dorks... like me.

I wish I could say that I’ve mastered the art of combining typefaces but... I can’t. I believe combining fonts is an intuitive process which every designer approaches in their own way. My only rule is to keep it simple. I often like to limit my font usage in a piece to two or three at the most. I know! Sometimes impossible when there are soooo many amazing typefaces out there. To help focus myself here are three techniques I have a tendency to use, but not limited to, as I find sometimes it’s those happy accidents that prove to be winning combinations.

ONE: Choose fonts with contrasting or complementary moods. The contrast between the font moods will play off of each other and create something very charming and surprisingly harmonious. 

TWO: Choose fonts with similar line qualities but with different textures. These three mechanical fonts play elegant curves against hard edges to create dramatic typographical tension.

THREE: Choose typefaces with similar proportions but give them different emphasis. Here you see one font is played up in a large size while the other fonts play support roles for a understated, sophisticated result.