Web fonts are bringing the aesthetics of print design to the web. Here's how to make best use of them.
11. Try before you buy
New service Skyfonts let you trial more than 8,000 fonts, and rent rather than buying them
Worried about committing to a web font you're not sure will work on your site? Font specialists Monotype has recently launched a new service that lets you trial any of 8,000 fonts for free. With Skyfonts, you can also rent fonts for as long as they're needed.
12. Consider free web fonts
In the world of web fonts, as in most creative arenas, you usually get what you pay for. Yet if you search hard enough amongst the free web fonts offered online, you'll find some diamonds in the rough. That takes a lot of time and effort, though, so we've put together a list of the ultimate free web fonts to save you the trouble - check it out!
13. Don't go overboard
Just because thousands of web fonts are available to you, don't use them just for the sake of it. Always remember you're designing for readers, not to impress other designers. If a tried and tested combination of two traditional web-safe fonts is what works best for the reader, then stick with that.
14. Brush up on the basics
Learning about the fundamental rules of typography for print remains an essential grounding for using web fonts. Check out our article What is typography? to get to grips with the basics.
15. Further reading
Anyone serious about developing their understanding of typography - for both print and web - should read at least one of these classic books:
Also check out webtypography.net from Richard Rutter. It takes the principles of Robert Bringhurst's book and explores ways to implement them on the web with HTML and CSS.
