Serif vs Sans-Serif
Anyone who has played with a standard list of fonts in a word processing or digital graphics program is bound to be familiar with the terms serif and sans-serif. To the scholar or dedicated typographer, these terms are imbued with great meaning and have histories dating back to the days of ancient Rome. Yet many web designers, even in artistic hubs like Austin Texas, are unaware of the significance of these terms and the impact they have had on the visual presentation of text on the web.
Simply put, a serif is a short accentuating line or detail placed on the edges of a letter; it creates additional strokes and can help us distinguish between similar characters, such as the numeral 1, the lowercase letter l, and the uppercase letter I. As you might have guessed, then, the term sans-serif refers to type where these marks are absent. The origins of the serif itself is somewhat of a mystery, though there are some widely-accepted theories on their first use and subsequent survival through the ages. The most prominent theory about the origins of the serif stems from the technique with which the ancient Romans inscribed words into stone. Before the chisel was taken to its target, the text to be engraved was first painted onto the surface. The small brush strokes at the finials of each letter are thought to be the first recognizable serifs, and their association with prestige and import may have a great deal to do with this idea.
Whether the Romans did indeed invent the serif or simply picked it up by accident or association (many other world cultures have made use of the marks throughout time), their modern pervasiveness is undeniable. Pick up nearly any printed book and you’ll recognize the distinct look and feel of serif text; most of the world’s books in print are distributed in serifs. When fonts are applied to the immense platform of the web, however, the story isn’t quite the same. A great deal of body text continues to be published in serif fonts, but some designers contest the typeface’s readability within the digital medium.
Given the limitations of resolution (which are, admittedly, vastly improving over time), the ability of serif fonts to achieve perfect clarity on-screen is finite. Though in many applications this special concern in resolution fails to be of much consequence, the disparity in precision between serif and non-serif fonts can sway typographical decisions for certain types and formats of text. Applications such as search engine optimization which utilize high-impact headings tend to prefer sans-serif fonts; as clean and quick impressions are necessary in SEO, especially for new brand names, clutter-free type is a good choice. More artistically-inclined applications like announcements or text that covers familiar names like Austin TX or Google can often more easily afford to take on the frills and fancy of serif fonts.
Though individual preference in font types varies from one designer to the next, a clear understanding of issues in serif and sans-serif fonts can help you make more informed and appropriate choices.
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