Font-family types and when to use each type

Dear all,

I have a thought about font-family types and when to use each type. 
(Fill an issue?)

Font family can be classified by "style or decoration" between two 
extremes, from raw type (courier/fixed-width… let's call it textual) to 
calligraphic type, via various other types more or less stylish (the 
latter ranging from, e.g.  Arial to Apple Chancery/Lucida Calligraphy 
etc). There is for all tastes. (see my sample [1] ....)

Precisely, should we "allow" any fonts to apply  anywhere, or should 
there be some typographical rules? Especially in Arabic, where it is 
very tempting to use nice letters.

I think also readability might be better in the other way round, from 
the more stylish fonts (less readable) to the less stylish (more 
readable). It can be considered as an  accessibility issue in some cases 
(e.g. video subtitles).

For example, to do it pretty, some  may use (and abuse of) stylish fonts 
everywhere. An example here [2] (OK not bad). A typical case also are 
subtitles or video scripts [3].

Anyway,  a typographical rule could be that the stylish fonts are for 
titles banners etc ... and  normal fonts are for, say, the content of 
paragraphs.

Here are some examples (image snapshot):
- Title decorative, paragraph normal ( 
http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/aljazeera.png )
- Title decorative, paragraph decorative 
(http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/arado-deco-font4all.png)
- Title normal, paragraph normal 
(http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/asharq-text-font4all.png)

Any thoughts?

Najib

[1] http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/Sample.pdf
[1] http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/Sample.html
[2] http://www.arado.org.eg/
[3] http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/subtitle1.jpg
[3] http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/Alreq/subtitle2.jpg

Received on Monday, 19 October 2015 20:46:59 UTC