Serif vs Sans Serif

Text Type vs Display Type

Text Type

Designed to be read at large quantities at small sizes. Examples: newspaper stories, magazine articles, or books.

• Typically 8 point to 12 point in size
• Open space inside the letters.
• Body height is tall compared to the capitals
• Rhythmic and repetitive shapes
• Medium weight
• Easy to identify letters immediately because of their details
• Can function as display type by being made larger 

Some of the most popular text type  today are actually digital versions of typeface that have been around for hundreds of years. They are still clear.

• Adobe Caslon Pro
• Baskerville
• Adobe Garaond Pro
• Palatino

Display Type

Typically used in small quantities for emphasis.

• 14 point or larger
• Enormous variety of of letterforms
• ​Bold and loud type
• Amplifies its content
• Not supposed to be invisible 
• Use in small quantities
• Can rarely function as text type - at smaller sizes they become illegible