We’re working on a redesign of a website at work, that needs to follow new branding guidelines. A particular font is used heavily within the brand for most headings and introductory text.
We had to decide between fudging the font into the website design, or not. We try to follow standards at Enpresiv as much as possible, but from time to time that is not always possible.
We turned to the usual font replacement techniques:
- sIFR
- A List Apart’s Dynamic Text Replacement
- a new comer: cufon
- facelift
But I also wanted to dream a little, and take a look at what the future might hold. I made a few examples using the new @font-face css3 capability, and thought they might be useful for others.
The @font-face rule allows you to use TrueType and OpenType fonts directly in your webpages. Browser support is VERY limited at present, but Safari Version 4 beta does a really nice job at rendering the custom fonts.
I can see a whole new ‘licensing’ problem arising out of this new capability. Its going to be so easy to add any font into your website, but whether or not you’re allowed to is something entirely different.
I’m also a little scared of what the web might turn into. Despite the low number of web fonts being very limiting for professional designers, those with little design skills tend to turn to ‘fancy’ fonts and colours to try and spice up their designs. With so many great programs making building webpages within reach of the every day person, I can only imagine what we’re in for.
Filed under: technology, web 2.0
