A font family is a collection of font styles that share similar characteristics. They have the same basic design but may differ in weight, style, or width. Using the right font family can make your design look more consistent and professional.
Here are some common categories within a font family:
Typeface Categories:
Within a font family, fonts are also categorized by type. The most common ones are:
- Serif: Fonts with small strokes or “feet” at the ends of letters.
- Sans-serif: Fonts without extra strokes or “feet”.
- Monospace: Fonts where all characters have the same width.
- Script: Fonts that mimic handwriting.
Font Weight:
This refers to the thickness of the letter strokes. Common variations include:
- Thin
- Extra Light
- Light
- Regular (or Normal)
- Medium
- Semibold
- Bold
- Extrabold (or Ultrabold)
- Black (or Heavy)
Font Style:
This refers to the shape and slant of the letters. Common variations include:
- Italic (slanted letters with a calligraphic touch)
- Oblique (slanted, but typically less formal than italic)
Font Width:
This refers to the width of the characters. Common variations include:
- Condensed (narrower)
- Expanded (wider)
By understanding these subcategories, you can choose the right font combinations to create the perfect text appearance for your design.