Typography

Explore & Discover

Typography is everywhere — on street signs in Salt Lake City, on your favorite sneakers, on every app you've ever used. This week, start paying attention to letters as *design objects*, not just words. Download the free app "Font" or browse Google Fonts to explore hundreds of typefaces. Walk around your neighborhood and photograph interesting lettering — storefronts, murals, sports logos. Check out the free course "Typography 01" on Canva Design School. Notice the difference between a serif font (with little feet, like in a textbook) and a sans-serif font (clean, like on your phone). You're ready for the next step when you can spot and name both types of fonts in the wild.

Learn the Basics

Learn the four main font categories: serif, sans-serif, script, and display. Then learn the six core typography terms: typeface, font, kerning, leading, tracking, and hierarchy. Use Typewolf.com (free) and Fonts In Use (free) to see how professional designers combine type in real projects. Practice on Canva's free plan — create a simple quote poster using only one font family at different weights (bold, regular, light). Study the typography rules that designers live by: never use more than three fonts in one design, and always use size to show what's most important. You're ready for the next step when you can define all six terms and use them correctly in a sentence.

Build Your First Project

Design a one-page event flyer for something real in your life — a school club, a birthday party, a neighborhood game, or even a fake event you invent. Use Canva (free) or Google Slides. Apply everything you've learned: pick two complementary fonts (one for the headline, one for the body), set a clear hierarchy so the reader's eye knows where to look first, and adjust kerning so nothing feels cramped or stretched. Use Google Fonts to find your pair — try the "pairing" tab on each font's page for suggestions. You're ready for the next step when your flyer has a clear headline, readable body text, and someone else can tell you the most important piece of information just by glancing at it.

Experiment & Iterate

Experiment with how type changes meaning and mood. Take the same three words — like "Utah Jazz Game" — and set them in five totally different fonts: a classic serif, a bold display font, a handwritten script, a technical monospace, and a grunge/distressed font. Notice how the feeling completely changes. Try adjusting only the tracking (space between all letters) on a headline to see how it shifts from casual to formal. Use Adobe Express (free) or Figma (free) to experiment. Share your five versions with a friend or family member and ask them which feels right for different contexts. You're ready for the next step when you can explain why a specific font choice works — or doesn't — for a given purpose.

Advanced Techniques

Go deep on type pairing and grid systems. Learn about baseline grids — the invisible horizontal lines that keep text aligned across a layout. Study how magazines like National Geographic or apps like Spotify use type to guide your eye through dense information. Read "The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web" at webtypography.net (free). Try designing a three-page mini-magazine spread in Canva or Figma using a baseline grid and a strict typographic system: one display font, one body font, consistent sizing rules. You're ready for the next step when your layout feels organized because of *system*, not luck.

Final Project Showcase

Create a custom typography system for a brand you invent or a real local Utah business you admire. Define: your primary font (headlines), secondary font (body copy), accent font (optional, for labels or callouts), sizing scale (h1, h2, body, caption), and color pairings for text. Then apply it to three real pieces: a logo lockup, a social media post, and a one-page flyer. Present your system in a single document — like a mini brand guide — explaining why each choice works. Post it to Behance (free student portfolio site) or share it in the Canva community. You're ready for the next step when someone else can follow your type system and produce something that looks consistent.