Adobe sans-serif
May 23, 2008 1:23 PM Subscribe
If you could pick one sans-serif family from Adobe, what would it be and why? I am trying to branch out from the Myriad Pro I got free with InDesign.
Univers or Frutiger. Solidly sexy.
But I'd branch out from the Adobe family also. There's tons and tons and tons of great fonts, most of them not with Adobe.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:37 PM on May 23, 2008
But I'd branch out from the Adobe family also. There's tons and tons and tons of great fonts, most of them not with Adobe.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:37 PM on May 23, 2008
If I were looking for versatility, I would choose Univers. (Frutiger or Helvetica could serve the same purpose).
As far as fonts that I personally LIKE, without regard for utility, I would go with Trade Gothic. (Optima and Futura are runners up).
posted by kidbritish at 1:39 PM on May 23, 2008
As far as fonts that I personally LIKE, without regard for utility, I would go with Trade Gothic. (Optima and Futura are runners up).
posted by kidbritish at 1:39 PM on May 23, 2008
Univers or Frutiger. Solidly sexy.
Frutiger is too close to myriad and univers is just an attempt to upstage helvetica that falls short.
posted by muscat at 1:46 PM on May 23, 2008
Frutiger is too close to myriad and univers is just an attempt to upstage helvetica that falls short.
posted by muscat at 1:46 PM on May 23, 2008
Trade Gothic. (Optima and Futura
I think of Trade Gothic as the "American Helvetica"... It is nice, but it has a limited set of weights. Optima is one of the most disgusting typefaces ever designed and futura is a cartoon.
I may do this all day. Mods, beware. I am a helvetica evangelist.
posted by muscat at 1:49 PM on May 23, 2008
I think of Trade Gothic as the "American Helvetica"... It is nice, but it has a limited set of weights. Optima is one of the most disgusting typefaces ever designed and futura is a cartoon.
I may do this all day. Mods, beware. I am a helvetica evangelist.
posted by muscat at 1:49 PM on May 23, 2008
Optima is one of the most disgusting typefaces ever designed
What is disgusting about Optima?
posted by kidbritish at 1:55 PM on May 23, 2008
What is disgusting about Optima?
posted by kidbritish at 1:55 PM on May 23, 2008
I'd suggest either Helvetica or Univers. They are my two sans-serif workhorses.
On the other hand, if you wanted to go with a non-Adobe choice, I heartily recommend Gotham by Hoefler & Frere-Jones. Verrrry nice font family.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:02 PM on May 23, 2008
On the other hand, if you wanted to go with a non-Adobe choice, I heartily recommend Gotham by Hoefler & Frere-Jones. Verrrry nice font family.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:02 PM on May 23, 2008
1) Univers
2) Trade Gothic
But if you're going to be buying fonts, Hoefler & Frere-Jones is doing (or licensing) some of the best work out there right now. Gotham, Whitney, and Knockout are simply outstanding.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:02 PM on May 23, 2008
2) Trade Gothic
But if you're going to be buying fonts, Hoefler & Frere-Jones is doing (or licensing) some of the best work out there right now. Gotham, Whitney, and Knockout are simply outstanding.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:02 PM on May 23, 2008
Futura is great, but it might have a bit too much "personality" if you're planning on using it for a bunch of stuff.
If I were buying and I could just pick one, I'd go with Frutiger or ITC Stone Sans.
posted by kryptondog at 2:07 PM on May 23, 2008
If I were buying and I could just pick one, I'd go with Frutiger or ITC Stone Sans.
posted by kryptondog at 2:07 PM on May 23, 2008
I vote Univers!
posted by chelseagirl at 2:09 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by chelseagirl at 2:09 PM on May 23, 2008
What is disgusting about Optima?
Not disgusting, but it is somewhat dated. Use only for emergency ironic references to Expo '67 perhaps.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:11 PM on May 23, 2008
Not disgusting, but it is somewhat dated. Use only for emergency ironic references to Expo '67 perhaps.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:11 PM on May 23, 2008
What is disgusting about Optima?
There's too much crap going on. Its too fussy... almost prissy. Tries to be elegant and ends up wearing costume jewelery. Someone should tell McCain.
posted by muscat at 2:15 PM on May 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
There's too much crap going on. Its too fussy... almost prissy. Tries to be elegant and ends up wearing costume jewelery. Someone should tell McCain.
posted by muscat at 2:15 PM on May 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
My favorite typefaces are helvetica, futura, gill sans mt.. I'm not sure if Gill is available from adobe though?
posted by 0217174 at 2:20 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by 0217174 at 2:20 PM on May 23, 2008
Another vote for Gotham.
posted by deern the headlice at 2:25 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by deern the headlice at 2:25 PM on May 23, 2008
trade gothic
I'm also liking FF Din but that's not adobe and it's not good for everything.
posted by beckish at 2:37 PM on May 23, 2008
I'm also liking FF Din but that's not adobe and it's not good for everything.
posted by beckish at 2:37 PM on May 23, 2008
Identifont has similar fonts to myriad listed here that you could try instead.
posted by idiotfactory at 2:42 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by idiotfactory at 2:42 PM on May 23, 2008
Univers > Helvetica because Helvetica's minor celebrity has made it the designerly equivalent of a default, like Times New Roman for people with a clue, so it usually comes off as a bit lazy and uninspired.
posted by moift at 3:59 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by moift at 3:59 PM on May 23, 2008
Response by poster: Ok, I have to admit the stuff at Hoefler & Frere-Jones is pretty nice. If the sans-serif goes nicely with Chaparral, it earns extra points.
posted by Foam Pants at 4:38 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by Foam Pants at 4:38 PM on May 23, 2008
Have you looked at Avenir? It's by the same designer who did univers and frutiger and is -- in my opinion -- just incredibly beautiful. (Gotham's great, too. It's the obama campaign font.)
posted by Tlogmer at 9:03 PM on May 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Tlogmer at 9:03 PM on May 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
The question is unhelpfully vague. What is the application for which you intend to use a sansserif font?
posted by joeclark at 9:42 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by joeclark at 9:42 PM on May 23, 2008
Gill Sans is my go-to sans serif face. Elegant. Yes, it's available from Adobe.
posted by artdrectr at 11:09 PM on May 23, 2008
posted by artdrectr at 11:09 PM on May 23, 2008
I was going to suggest Avenir, but Tlogmer beat met too it. I've been digging it lately. Just different enough from the old standbys but not wildly different in such a way to be distracting.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 4:57 AM on May 24, 2008
posted by [insert clever name here] at 4:57 AM on May 24, 2008
I see I’m not going to get an answer to my question and people are just gonna nominate whatever font they like at the moment irrespective of Foam Pants’s (unexplained) actual need.
posted by joeclark at 12:44 PM on May 24, 2008
posted by joeclark at 12:44 PM on May 24, 2008
I see I’m not going to get an answer to my question and people are just gonna nominate whatever font they like at the moment irrespective of Foam Pants’s (unexplained) actual need.
posted by joeclark at 12:44 PM on May 24
Most of the type families listed above are versatile; if he wants some real wonk-style discussion he can always head over to typophile.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:41 AM on May 30, 2008
posted by joeclark at 12:44 PM on May 24
Most of the type families listed above are versatile; if he wants some real wonk-style discussion he can always head over to typophile.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:41 AM on May 30, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Unless you need a serif, in which case you should use Sabon.
posted by muscat at 1:36 PM on May 23, 2008