Typography not only highlights your design concept but also spells out your message.
Typography is so powerful that, for some reason, when we speak about the parts that make up a design, we tend to disregard it.
During my work and contribution to Pro Creative Arts as a content writer, I have learned that what was once considered an ordinary design can indeed be exciting with the use of typography.
In a stereotypically over-visual world, the right font is capable of elevating your work, capturing attention and getting your point across.
Adding bold fonts is a reliable method of making sure your pieces don’t become a wall flower.
It’s all about creating an impact and directing the sight of the viewer.
The aim of this text is to show how to combine strong typography into your visual designs without making it less engaging.
So let’s get started and figure out how to make bold types more interesting.
What is Bold Typography?
So What is the Magic behind Bold Type – Pro Creative Arts Typography The Magic and Power of Bold Type
Key Takeaway
Bold type has a huge visual impact and captures attention, and can be used in a multitude of designs.
Tiger Cave Memorial Stones
Many times we use a bold statement typographically only in one aspect, but as I learned from the Pro Creative Arts team, we should consider the bold type in various formats that can be integrated into one design.
Tiger Cave Memorial Stones Pro Creative Arts
Tiger Cave style designs often incorporate stonework and rustic colors, which are prevalent in jungle locations. This fit seamlessly with the design we created, depicting a warrior and inscriptions in honor of fallen heroes.
By using a bold type to express a key aspect of a tiger type design we placed focus and attention on the warrior illustration which created depth.
That is, using stonework of grandiose nature as the background made the design more visually appealing and aided the theme.
Pro Creative Arts enlisted a warrior design concept over communism, coupled with tiger and bold colors which are sure to pay off, as we backed them up with competitive text and put major themes into their type. For foremost I will always put them first.
Bold typography means using larger and darker letters to highlight certain phrases.
It is an important aspect of a design which communicates brand identity and information hierarchy.
Let us say, you are looking through a magazine and a large and clear title catches your attention.
That is the benefit of using bold typography, as it gently works behind the scenes!
It gives the reader some insight on what they are viewing so that they can take a pause.
Try to recall occasions when you came across a galactic poster, or a stunning website.
In such case, it’s likely that the usage of bold typography helped to capture your attention and made the message clear.
Social media sites and promotional piles of where rich quotes are captured in bold fonts are way too common.
It is an awesome way to create a sense of excitement or urgency.
Let us discuss the psychology now behind using bold typography.
Text that is bold is often associated with powerful strength and confidence.
Depending on the context, it can be used to inspire, inject joy or create a sense of urgency.
An excellent example would be Nike as a business.
The combination of powerful images with a bold typeface in “just do it” appeal not only plays the trick of getting notice but also inspires one. This is well interpreted with the use of bold typography.
And similarly Coca Cola is one of the best examples in this relation.
Their trademark’s bold and flowing handwriting like fonts not only attracts eyes but also pleases the heart with a broad stroke of nostalgia.
It’s a sign of style with these brands, a good typography design which is really easy to recall when one gets emotional.
Suave Steps that Can Help you Use Bold Typography
Finding the Appropriate Fonts
Properly selecting bold typography fonts is the first but most important step.
You might be surprised to learn that not all bold fonts are made the same and each speaks of its own character and personas.
A popular may be that of a Montserrat which is often described as modern, clean and straightforward.
It maintains a level of formality that is very gutsy but remains friendlier. For this reason, it is good for use in website, and also branding purposes.
Bebas Neue on the contrary is one of those bold fonts that is powerful, classic and proper sans serif.
I remember making a poster for a local art show and applying Bebas Neue had the headline leap from the paper.
It got the reason for the event spot on and set the tone brilliantly.
When looking for the most appropriate fonts, don’t forget to keep in mind the intended communication one is trying to project.
Is it fun, serious, or refined?
Choosing the right font can make your design more attractive to your target market.
Readability Must Accompany Boldness
Big and bold fonts are visually appealing, however, readable content remains a priority.
Why would anyone want to stare at a sign trying to guess what it says, for instance?
When considering bold fonts, the various factors such as size, amount of line spacing, and the background colors used are very important.
A bold headline, for instance, might be more appealing when written in a large font. However, when the headline is written on a busy background, it quickly becomes lost.
There was a time when I was making a flyer and decided to use a bold font for the text and then placed it on a patterned background.
It looked amazing at first, however, on closer inspection, it was very hard to read, as the text and background were very similar.
One thing was clear, make sure you use a lot of contrasting colors.
Keep a good amount of contrast between bold and other regular typefaces in a design, but ensure that bold still appears to be bold.
Bold Fonts Creating Traction Quotes with Bold Fonts
In brief, it is a process that allows you to create a bold typographic hierarchy. How visual hierarchy should be established is what dictates the look and feel of your design to your audience.
Designing the layout to highlight the most important content should be the primary aim.
In order to achieve this when creating a hierarchy, it’s always a good idea to use a large heading for main sections and subheadings and start with bold typography.
From examples, let’s say the heading of the article is making sense, combining with it a sub-head only slightly smaller than the primary one is definitely a good idea in terms of design flow.
Websites like Medium come to mind where features such as large typeset lettering are used to call attention to specific thoughts presented in the article.
This improves the quality of the reading in addition to allowing users to quickly glance at the material without having to read everything in detail.
However, they should mention that proper bold setting is used in the typography to explain the content hierarchy and its significance as per the target audience requirements.
Integrating Bold Type into Other Design Mediums
Bold typography is not a fashion and serves many purposes and can be useful in many other design mediums.
Each medium provides new ways of creating a bold effect but the skillful application of the same can make great improvements in your designs.
Bold typefaces have found a more permanent place on websites than in print as these work as interfaces rather than static articles.
For instance, I have been fascinated by how the bold typeface is used on the Apple online page, where the specific state of product features is amplified.
To begin with, the large text on the homepage makes it easy to locate the relevant information.
It is a perfect combination of an eye appealing style with a functional purpose all of which makes the products they sell more interesting.
Another medium which supports the use of bold typography is posters.
The posters of a music festival I attended were noticeable due to the loud typography that contrasted the colorful backgrounds.
There was one poster that had the name of the band printed in large and thick letters, thus making it extremely noticeable.
All in all, that ballsy decision was simple yet effective because it managed to convey a sense of urgency and a feeling of high energy that defined the mood of the festival perfectly.
Bold typography can help catch viewers’ attention when it comes to social media, since it helps your post stand out amongst the content.
Consider Nike’s Instagram Account for example.
They often complement their inspirational texts with beautiful images and bold typography.
For example, promoting female athletes during a campaign featured texts in bold font on top of stunning sports imagery.
This not only captured the audience attention but also nurtured their audience to engagement and sharing.
In each of these forms, bold typography works as visual guidance to the audiences and enhances the messages they are being shown.
Trying bold typography in posts can help determine what works best for your design regardless of the platform it is showcased on!
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Bold Typography
Overusing Bold Typography
While bold typography is a fantastic way to grab attention, overusing it can have the opposite effect.
Let’s visualize scrolling through a website or social media page and every word, even the simplest, is highlighted.
It does seem chaotic and overwhelming because it feels as though someone has been screaming instead of having a casual talk.
Once I remember I was really thrilled to work on a fly and make one for a community event, I bolded all of the text since I felt it was crucial for everyone to know the significance of the event that was about to take place.
That said however, the outcome appeared to be baffling.
To me, it appeared that I was making a tremendous effort to get eyes on something, when the real goal was to simply cross the message.
The trick is to use the bold typography judiciously.
Make it something that is reserved for headlines, call to actions, and places where the message needs to be grabbed.
When you strategically place the bold text and start adding other features, it gives the user a pattern visually and does not spam the user with information.
Ignoring the Brand’s Voice
One of the greatest errors you can make with bold typography is neglecting the voice of your business.
No two brands are identical, which is why their typography is not the same.
Take for instance, Coca-Cola.
The well-known cursive they use differentiates the company from other types which are non-friendlier and full of joy.
For instance, if they started using a coarse modern font for their advertisements.
This would create great confusion to their customers and only serve to weaken their brand image.
A single time, I collaborated with this tiny yet new establishment that was aspiring for a more prominent and unconventional image for its branding.
They used a strong typeface for every single aspect from their business cards, to their website.
While it looked impressive, it wasn’t consistent with their approach which was friendly, and helped in building a community.
Their community thought it was somewhat unfriendly and so we decided to shift strategies and moved onto the more straightforward approach but retained some bold aspects.
When designers try to be too creative, they lose the essence of their voice. But successful brands such as Airbnb use creativity reasonably – they do not overdo it.
The source conveys to the audience a feeling of the adventure incorporating a touch of warmth inviting to service.
Therefore, remember to think about your brand identity first when considering the use of bold typography.
Bold typography should resonate with your brand voice because it reinforces the message that you want your audience to feel part of.
Bold Typography – FAQs
What is the optimal method for selecting bold typefaces for my designs?
Selecting an appropriate bold font can be somewhat similar to choosing a pair of shoes that compliments your style, it must always complement your design and intended purpose!
When creating a logo for a technology company, one would probably gravitate towards a font such as Montserrat as it’s sleek and quite modern.
However, if one is leaning toward creating a brand that caters to children, you might want to use something like Pacifico, as it is fun and quirky.
A local cafe approached me once with the hope of designing a logo for them that encapsulates warmth and the friendly vibe that they wished to reverse.
After working around with a couple of ideas, I found a bold script that works perfectly as it gives off the cozy feeling anyone would desire for a cafe.
Their paradigm of being bold has shifted to being more about their brand identity.
Now, to make things easier, consider what type of font you will require, depending on the context.
It doesn’t matter if I’m working with a business card or a poster, I want to make sure that the font works well with all kinds of layouts.
So, make sure to use your instinct and think outside the box, when looking for the perfect font.
What is it that I need to do to ensure the bold typography has legibility ?
While making a design, putting emphasis on typography is quite important while making sure your design is legible.
The design needs to stand out, not the words.
First thing to consider is the optimal font size one would require.
Turning the scale up or down on a typewriter can either make it read easily or choppy at times. A bold font does look magnificently, but only in larger sizes. One time, I was working of creating an advertisement where I Included a bold headline which I thought by reducing the size, it would fit better, but that turned out to be a mistake, what I ended up with was and a slight oversized border, making it difficult to read and unappealing to the. Size does play an important role. Consider this: line spacing, the dos and don’ts. As an example, have you ever tried a photograph of three figures standing close to each other? It looks good, but in reality it can be very confusing rather than overlooks. So, Remember to give a little bit of room because it does change the perspective. Another factor to walk over is What could be that typeface? This holds true if against the busy background, a bold style is used. It may be a little over the top for Dunder Mifflin, but even their LookAt Bolder New Graphic Posters were examples of patterns against bold text that were lost. Over time, it is very clear to people, and so there is no need to emphasize clarity. The answer is yes. Bold typography— especially when combined with the right graphics—may boost the marketing of a company or business, which in turn benefits the brand. Therefore, begin by creating a hierarchy of your subjects. For instance, don’t write a bold typography body text, highlight plus key messages would work great for the body text instead to take the charge. Such visuals are a help in logically guiding the reader through content by allowing them to interpret it.
I recently designed a newsletter that utilized heavy heading names to help readers shift between various sections, with a significant amount of ease.
Many designers tend to use too many serif fonts, and my suggestion is to exercise moderation when doing so.
Overlapping fonts within a logo can add a sense of confusion along with a messy outlook.
To avoid this, stick with 1 or 2 fonts so that the dominant one can command a stronger visual impression.
And finally, think about the identity of the brand.
As we pointed out in the previous discussion, any piece of bold typography should be the voice of the company and it’s things it stands for.
These rules will also result in designs that do not only appear stunning but are also user friendly.
Is bold typography used in all types of designs? Can it be.
Of course!
Social media graphics, websites, packaging, and print can all derive benefits from bold typography.
However, it’s important to take into account some factors while doing so.
If for example, a formal report is the goal, then a bold statement with multiple fonts and words would be inappropriate as it comes off as childish, however, in a flyer used to promote a music concert poster it fits perfectly.
A while back I partnered up with a clothing line to assist them during their new seasonal collection’s campaign.
Chase and the team wanted to showcase a daring and experimentation procurement, and employing daredevil typography in every single one of their modern advertisements articulates this disposition to perfection. Therefore, while bold typography is a universal design element, always make sure that it is suitable for the purpose and the audience of the design. How does bold typography impact user experience? It appears that the effects of too much bold typography can often be beneficial to users as a whole. Moreover, when applied right, it helps in conveying messages smoothly and emphasizes the key points. For example, while browsing a website, the users could be redirected to the most relevant sections through bold headers which ensure that the information they are seeking is simpler to access. I recall changing the layout of a blog to make use of bold typography for the headings. The responses were along the lines of expected – the blogs were so much more easier to read and the users were able to engage with the content better. The Other hand, however has to be treated carefully. Over usage of bold typography can create difficulty or be overwhelming and the experience will become disappointing. That being so, if you plan your use of bold typography carefully, you are sure to enhance intuition and enjoyment of interactions. Conclusion Therefore, it would be safe to say, bold typography is an elaboration of the message, all the more while incorporating it into your designs sets a trend.
Knowing how to select bold fonts and avoid the common mistakes makes it easy to design heroes that communicate well.
Soon, you will be able to use dramatic typography for your own projects as I have recommended that you try it out.
Fiddle with various styles and typefaces; the results might end up surprising you!
Please share your experience and opportunities for dramatic typography in the comments section; I will be happy to read them.
We can learn from one another and always be motivated by each other during our creative processes!
