Font pairing for Handmade Dropshadow JNL
February 1, 2013 8:34 AM   Subscribe

A project I'm working on uses Handmade Dropshadow JNL for the main title. Obviously, that's not a typeface you can use anywhere other than in the title, so can you recommend a secondary display font for subtitles, headings, and so on? Another web-font would be a plus, but not a requirement.
posted by Ian A.T. to Media & Arts (3 answers total)
 
Without knowing the aesthetic you're going for (do you want to reinforce this font, or contrast with it. What's the topic/point of the project) I'm going to say you'll get the most use out of browsing Google Web Fonts yourself.

A couple of shot in the dark suggestions: If you want to go with the same aesthetic, but more readable at small sizes you might try "Exo" in book.

If you want a higher contrast, Andada is a modern serif with character.
posted by dadici at 9:58 AM on February 1, 2013


If you're trying to "pair" a font, I'm guessing you're looking for a similar font without all the headline-font artistic embellishments, like 3D effects and whatnot. On the page for that font, you might notice the collection of tag links on the right side, clicking "grotesque" in those tags brings up a list of fonts that are of a similar style. Just glancing at that list, Alternate Gothic FS looks like it could fit.

League Gothic is another take on the classic Alternate Gothic face. One interesting thing regarding this font: on this blog post, you can see League Gothic being used as a subhead font, with a subtle faux-3D look achieved through CSS (using the border-bottom and text-shadow attributes). I wonder if a similar treatment might be appropriate for subheads below Handmade Dropshadow JNL. You could then scale back the treatment on further reductions and create a cascading match down to your body copy, with a heavy 3D condensed look for titles, a subtle 3D condensed look for subtitles, and a condensed no-3D look for minor headings. I haven't tried this out, so it might not work, but off the top of my head that seems like an approach that could yield appealing results.
posted by smoq at 10:24 AM on February 1, 2013


Response by poster: I've loved League Gothic for years, but I didn't think to use it here. The subtle-shadow idea is a great one, thanks smoq!

Thanks also for the higher contrast recommendation, dadici. I feel like that's what I'm really looking for: a typeface that's pleasing different from the condensed sans serif Handmade.
posted by Ian A.T. at 12:48 PM on February 1, 2013


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