Typography Essentials

THE PAGE80 Six necessary typefaces

THE MORE TYPOGRAPHIC CHOICES WE HAVE as designers, the harder it is to practice restraint. But imagine a time when typefaces were made of metal, and they were so laborious to produce and to use that the choices were very limited. It is reminiscent of the early days of broadcast television, when a few networks had a monopoly on our viewing attention. Now, with digital and cable television technology available almost everywhere, with hundreds of choices, we often feel there is nothing of interest to watch. Similarly, a few typefaces may be all we really need in our repertoire.

Some well-known and highly regarded designers have advanced the argument that perhaps as few as six typefaces might be enough for every ...