5 highly recommended Typefaces for 2021
In this article I bring you a selection of practical, and robust Typefaces that I've used consistently throughout 2021, and my thoughts on them.
I'm a massive Type fan, bordering on the obsessive.
If the web were just amazing Type presented in #000 against a wall of #FFF (with the odd image or video sprinkled about here and there), I'd be pretty content.
Anyways.
Great Type, when used well, can elevate both your design and message significantly and should always be given plenty of consideration for every project you work on.
So. Without further ado. Here's a small selection of beautiful, practical, and robust Typefaces that I highly recommend, have used consistently throughout 2021, and my brief thoughts on them.
Let's take a look at them...
Sofia
Sofia has turned into ‘that’ Typeface for me. You know the one. That go-to Typeface you get hooked on and use for countless personal (and sometimes client) projects.
Yup. That’s Sofia. I love it.
Sofia is a contemporary Sans-Serif Typeface with a warmth and friendliness to it, something which I found most appealing compared to many other sans-serifs.
It also has an incredible amount of weights and styles to choose from, bringing loads of versatility into the mix.
Created by the talented Olivier Gourvat, it’s a real workhorse of a Typeface. I’ve used it for Headlines and Body copy in equal measure, and with its large x-height, it has excellent readability at tiny font sizes, so a fantastic all-rounder for screens of all sizes.
I picture Sofia still being ‘that’ Typeface for a good part of 2022 also.
Download Sofia from Adobe Fonts
Objektiv
Objektiv, like Sofia before, was ‘that’ Typeface for a very long time for me, with its versatility being the main reason it became ‘the special one’ for such a length of time.
Sofia has since usurped it, but I still have a lot of love for Objektiv, especially when it can be used, again like Sofia, quite readily for both Headlines, and Body copy, of which I’ve used it extensively for both.
I’ve mixed things up in the past, choosing Objektiv MK1 and MK2 for large Headlines, and MK3 for long-form Body Content, and Micro-Copy, with the latter providing superb legibility at smaller sizes. This mix has brought some great results, just opting for the one Typeface.
Created by Dalton Maag, the studio behind other great Fonts such as Aktiv Grotesk (another firm favourite), Effra, and Mokoko, it’s become a solid choice of mine, and I highly recommend you check it out.
Download Objektiv from Adobe Fonts
Atkinson Hyperlegible
Atkinson Hyperlegible is a different kind of Typeface, but for very good reasons, to improve readability and increase legibility for readers with low vision.
Now. I wasn’t a massive fan of Atkinson at first, but having spent a little time with it and viewing it on various devices, I came to the realisation that...
A: I’m not a jerk. And folks with low vision should be able to enjoy long-form content in the best way possible, just as much as anyone else,
and...
B: As someone with ‘ok’ vision, I appreciate how great a Typeface it is for those longer passages of text. Simple as that really.
Created by the Braille Institute alongside Applied Design Works, it’s different for a very ethical and practical reason, and that’s why I like it so much.
Quick Note: I’m using Atkinson (named after the founder of the Braille Institute, if you were wondering) on this little blog of mine right here.
Download Atkinson Hyperlegible from Google Fonts
Inter
You’re one of the 6.5 billion people that have heard of Inter, right?
It’s everywhere. Extremely popular (with a hint of over-usage) to the point of being Montserrat with a side helping of Proxima Nova (remember that fan-favourite?)
Brought to us by the mucho-talented Rasmus Andersson (he of Spotify and Dropbox fame), it’s an amazing Typeface with plenty of weights and styles to choose from and created primarily for device screens.
Like Sofia before, it’s got a wonderfully large x-height for the best readability at smaller font sizes, but it’s equally adept at those gargantuan-sized headlines when required. I’ve used it for both, like Objektiv before, as a one Typeface option for whole projects.
It’s a veritable Typeface classic already and one that I’ll continue to use for the foreseeable future.
Download Inter from Google Fonts
Freight Text
Ready to end on some Serif action?
You are. Good stuff.
Now. I’ve used quite a few of Joshua Darden’s Typefaces before, and once again, he brings another fantastic Serif all-rounder with a great choice of weights and styles to choose from.
On occasion, I’ve used this alongside its Sans-Serif companion, surprisingly called Freight Sans, and with them being part of the Freight superfamily, they complement each other beautifully.
Like its Sans-Serif counterpart, it’s got a friendliness and warmth about it, which can work perfectly for certain projects and elevates it above the starkness of a lot of Serif typefaces for when you’re looking for something a little more easily approachable.
Download Freight Text from Adobe Fonts
Like I mentioned at the start of this article, great Type can improve your designs enormously, so I hope there’s a few in this little collection here that can help elevate your own designs in 2022.
By the way, if you want to improve your design skills fast, and save yourself hundreds of design hours, my Design System for Figma; Cabana could really help you out. Use the code CAB35 to receive 35% OFF. 👇
Thanks for reading the article,
Marc.