To reiterate, this short series is for non-graphic designers who simply want to make their TpT products attractive, recognizable and cohesive. I’m using “branding” very loosely (and somewhat skeptically) here.
So, step 1 was to choose a color palette. Step 2 is to choose a font family…
About Font
When I began creating products for TpT I was lost when it came to font. I mistakenly thought that a bunch of random fonts thrown together on the page would make products look more exciting. Instead, it just made them look busy.
I’ve seen lots of people on TpT and Instagram who use cute (purchased and downloaded) fonts really well. These people have an eye for such things, and would be better qualified to write this post. But I DON’T have an eye for such things, so I keep it simple.
Choose a Font Family
Here’s what I look for in a font:
- Easy to read
- Attractive
- Cohesion (I want to use similar fonts for all my products, images, etc. to make my brand more recognizable).
The easiest way to do this is to select a font that comes with your software (Keynote or Powerpoint). Choose a font that meets the above criteria and is part of a family. This means you can slightly alter the font by making it bold, italic, narrow, etc. The above image shows the family for Futura.
What About Those Cute Fonts I Purchased?
Use them sparingly. These fonts might be good for product covers or page titles. I don’t use cutesy fonts for the actual content though (lesson plans, student sheets) because they aren’t always easy to read, and they usually don’t have options for italics, bold, etc. Here’s a before and after from my TpT store:
Go for Ease & Clarity
A font family, like a color palette, means you’re never starting from scratch when designing a new TpT resource. Having some of these cosmetic things decided ahead of time means you can focus all your attention on content.
Another reminder: Appealing covers attract teachers to your products, but they really want resources that will actually work in their classrooms. A font that’s difficult to read or doesn’t print well becomes a headache. When in doubt, go for clarity and simplicity.
What’s your favorite font family? I like Future and PT Sans. For more about creating a simple Teachers Pay Teachers Brand, preview the whole series!
