420 Design Blog
Print Design vs. Web Design: Part 1 - Typography
01 Nov 2006 | Angie H
Not too long ago I read an article on a design firm's website that argued one (and only one) major difference between print design and web design. The author claimed that the "print mind" only worked in terms of aesthetics (i.e., "Look how pretty I am.") and the "web mind" was about functionality and information (i.e., "Look at what I can do."). This is an overly simplistic assessment.
Regardless of medium, design is about visual communication. About getting a client's message out to the intended audience in a clear and engaging way (and yes, it should look good too). However, it's important to note that there are significant differences between print design and web design. The differences range from small to great, but they're important nonetheless.
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of setting written subject matter in type using a combination of fonts, font size, line length, leading (line spacing) and letter spacing. Wikipedia
One common misconception about web design - even in 2006 - is about fonts and how they are used. In print, typeface options are really only limited by cost. In the end, everyone who sees the end product - brochure, annual report, poster - will see the same thing.
On the web, however, we are tightly limited by what fonts can be used since it will ultimately depend on what the end-user has installed on his/her computer. (Platform - Windows, Mac, Linux - come into play here too.) That said, there are workarounds, such as a Flash-based site, sIFR, or using images for text. Each one, however, comes with its own limitations that often bring us back to square one.
Once we've accepted the fact that font choice is limited on the Web, we'll sometimes forget that the Internet is a place that people turn to primarily for information. It's because of this (combined with the tactile nature of a printed piece) that legibility and hierarchy become much more significant online.
This also includes readability. The "rules" of readability change, even if slightly, on the Web. Where white type on a black background might work well in print, for example, it won't always on the Web. The luminosity and high contrast can become a distraction and annoyance.
Similarly, typography can - and often is - used as an aesthetic element. While this is certainly possible on the Web, it generally comes with a price, usually in the areas of accessibility and SEO.
These differences in typography, while subtle, are just the tip of the iceberg, and should provide a bit of insight. In Part 2 I'll discuss color differences in both media.
Print Design, Typography, Web Design + Development