From Font Personality to Readability
Every font possesses a "personality" that influences the audience's subconscious, and the first step is aligning this personality with your brand.
A) Font Personality and Brand Identity
Fonts convey different moods and feelings:
- Serif Fonts: Such as Times New Roman; evoke a sense of trust, history, tradition, and formality (suitable for finance and legal fields).
- Sans-Serif Fonts: Such as Tahoma or Arial; are modern, clean, and friendly, and have very high Readability in digital and mobile environments (suitable for technology and fashion).
- Key Point: شخصیت فونت باید با اهداف کاتالوگ شما (مثلاً لوکس، صنعتی، یا صمیمی) همخوانی داشته باشد تا پیام برندتان دچار تناقض بصری نشود.
B) Typeface and Font Family
What we mistakenly call a "font" is actually a "Typeface." It is important to choose a complete font family so you can use heavy weights (Bold) for titles and lighter weights for the main body text. This variation provides the necessary design flexibility without compromising unity.
Hierarchy and Contrast in Typography
The audience should know at a glance which section of the page has reading priority. This is where hierarchy helps.
A) Establishing Hierarchy
Hierarchy guides the audience's eye across the page:
- Main Heading (H1): Largest size, often with a bold weight.
- Subheadings (H2, H3): Slightly smaller, for categorizing topics.
- Body Text: Smallest size, with regular weight, for longer reading.
- Note:Maintaining consistency in the size and weight of fonts throughout the catalog is crucial; headline font sizes should not change without reason across different pages.
B) Visual Contrast
Font Contrast (in size, weight, or color) is used to highlight keywords, product names, or CTA buttons to quickly draw attention. Overdoing contrast leads to clutter and disorder, while a lack of it makes the text monotonous and tiring.
Principles of Layout and Spacing (Whitespace)
Typography is not just about the letters themselves; it is about the space surrounding those letters.
A) Line Spacing (Leading)
Appropriate spacing between lines is vital for text Readability on digital screens. The general rule is that line spacing should be at least 1.5 times the font size to prevent the audience's eye from losing lines while reading. This spacing is even more critical on mobile.
B) Negative Space or Whitespace
The empty space around text, images, and elements provides breathing room and neatness to the page. In digital catalog design, where pages are prone to clutter, Whitespace prevents audience confusion and emphasizes key elements.
C) Alignment
Alignment (left-aligned, right-aligned, or center-aligned) must be consistent throughout the catalog. In Arabic and Persian, right-alignment is standard and helps maintain the flow of readability. Aligning unrelated elements creates visual chaos.
Final Words
Typography in digital catalog design is the art of intelligently using letters to convey a message and build trust. By correctly selecting the font personality, strictly observing content hierarchy, and paying attention to the principles of layout and spacing, you transform your catalog into an eloquent, smooth, and readable visual content piece. Remember that high readability is the first step towards successful engagement and sales through your smart catalog.
