20 Best Typography Blogs You Should Read
As a designer, you must be concerned about how the typography of your site looks, and even more so how it appears across all browsers. Not all browsers are able to display the fonts you want to use, and if the font hasn’t been installed on the end-user’s computer, they’ll see a substitute font instead of the ones you want to use. (Typekit is a great solution to this problem).
Although there are plenty of sites out there that showcase great fonts, there are a few blogs that stand out as providing excellent background and insight into the methods of creating fonts. Many of these sites also provide tips and guidance on the proper use of web fonts, whether they are in our web or print designs.
Although you’ve likely seen roundups of hundreds of typography-based blogs/websites, we wanted to collect and share just a few of the best typography sites out there.
Best Typography Blogs You Should be Reading Daily
In this roundup, we will explore some of the best typography blogs out there. We looked at the following elements from these sites in the process of finding these sites:
- Quality of articles. They should have a decent number of articles that reflect solely on typography, how to use it properly, and the process typography designers use to create new font sets or families.
- Variety. While it’s nice to have blogs strictly on one aspect of something, it can also become frustrating to read the same type of article each day. We looked for a good variety in what was posted.
- Their design. Of course, content rises above design, but it is also nice to see typography-based blogs use good typography, and certainly not Comic Sans.
1. The Font Feed
Brought to you by FontShop, this blog focuses on some of the latest news within the typography space, as well as insight into why we should be using particular fonts. You can find articles dating back to 2005, but the company behind the site dates back more than twenty years.
Begin with OpenType FontFonts and the Languages They Speak, which includes a PDF User Guide and is ideal for anyone looking for designing with accessibility in mind.
2. Typophile
Typophile is based around creating a community, with forums and memberships available. A wiki, news area, and resource area are all available, making it the ideal “hang out” for people who love typography. Even though you may not be a designer, you can still love fonts, and this is the place to go.
Consider checking out the latest discussion on the site, The Best Type of the Decade, for other users’ opinions on what fonts may be the best.
3. I Love Typography
Created by John Boardley in 2007, I Love Typography is a site for people who have a passion for typography, type design, and lettering. Find out where our letters originate and why they look the way the do at this site.
An excellent starting place if you are visiting the blog is their “So You Want to Create a Font” series, which just happens to go into the process of creating a font, the tools required, as well as the more minor details that will allow your font to stand out.
4. Typographica
Typographica covers typefaces, type books, as well as commentary on typographic design. The site has been online for more than eight years, so you’ll surely find some excellent posts and reviews of various elements of typography.
A good place to start reading their site is their “Favorite Typefaces of…” posts, which sum up the past year(s) in typography.
5. We Love Typography
I debated adding “We Love Typography” into this list, as there really isn’t much text on the site, but font designs and styles found from the web. The site is excellent for anyone interested in discovering some excellent examples of typography.
The site appears to have only been online for about a year, yet there are thousands upon thousands of images already on the site, submitted by users.
6. Typography Served
It’s always nice to see some variety in the way professionals include typography within their designs, and this site allows anyone to see this. It’s from Behance, and provides work from around the web. The site is also extremely easy to browse and discover new artists.
7. Daily Type
Crossing on the lines of a blog and regular site, Daily Type features fresh designs utilizing typography, and has been doing so since 2004. Its main focus is on Russian type designers, but nonetheless, it is still a great site to visit.
8. Type 101
A blog operated by Font Bureau’s Roger Black and David Berlow, the site features looks at new fonts, choices of fonts in publications, and more. The site isn’t updated too frequently (about five posts in two months), but still has excellent posts.
9. The Ministry of Type
Run by Aegir Hallmundur, this site focuses on typography, type, lettering, calligraphy, and anything else that might be inspirational to the site’s readers. Posts are well-created and excellent reads.
10. Typesites
Showcase of great typography do little for the visitor. All they do is spread the designs, but there really aren’t any way for the visitor to learn about what went into the design to result in the final work. Typesites solves that problem, and you can see it in their latest post, Helveticons, which takes the site and breaks all the elements down (Layout & Color, Typography, and Criticism) into a single post.
11. Type Thoery
I really like the format of this site, with each post only looking at one type/graphic designer and showcasing just a few examples of their work. Within the sidebar, you’ll also find the latest news from the “type space.”
12. Beta Type
This is the blog of an independent type foundry run by Christian Robertson. You’ll find custom fonts, as well as brief reviews of new fonts that have been released.
13. Upscale Typography
Again, this is a blog from an independent type foundry, Parachute. On the site, you’ll find excellent posts on the latest design news, a look at trends, and comments on various fonts.
14. eightface
Written by Dave Kellman, a designer and developer from Canada, there are plenty of links and resources found on the blog related to typography.
15. Typefoundry
Background and usage of fonts in the world around us. Post frequency isn’t too often, but the posts are really in-depth, especially compared to some of the other sites.
16. For the Love of Type
We get that you love typography. So here’s yet another (clean and simple) blog about typography, showcasing news and looks at various fonts.
17. A List Apart: Typography
No collection of design-related posts is complete without adding A List Apart to the mix. You’ll find excellent posts on a variety of topics, including typography.
18. Ralf Herrmann’s Typography Weblog
Specifically on typography and fonts, you’ll find great articles on Ralf’s site that really inspire and help you design with typography in mind.
19. Typepedia
Encompassing more than just a blog, Typepedia offers a great resource for designers and type lovers. Each week, the site looks at a new, great font.
20. Typoretum
Last on this list, but certainly not least, is Typoretum, a blog that takes a look at various aspects of type design, great use of it in work, and brings to focus new fonts.
Conclusion
Please feel free to share any other typography blogs within the comments below. Remember, you can always find the latest updates from us on Twitter.