4 Ways to Get Inspired by Google’s Open Source Font Library

CSS3 has opened up significant typographical opportunities for individuals and organizations that wish to express themselves with a variety of characteristic font faces. Unlike the web of days gone by, you don’t have to worry too much about whether a font is web compatible. The @font-face option allows web designers and developers to store fonts on your web server, so that virtually any font can be loaded and displayed with speed and ease. Google’s open source font library enables you to find free-to-use fonts that encompass a wide range of styles. Here are four ways to leverage this tool to find the most inspiring fonts for your blog or website.

1. Filter Categories

Are you overwhelmed by the hundreds of font families displayed when you first visit the font library? In one fell swoop, you can quickly eliminate several font styles that are not relevant to your needs. Are you searching for an elegant, handwritten font for a digital invitation? Well hit that “Filters” dropdown menu and select check off “Handwriting,” while leaving all the other styles unchecked. You’ll notice that the preview text automatically adjusts itself to reveal the fonts that are relevant to these filters.

2. Preview Scale

Are you reluctant to download a font until you see it in action? Are the default sentences too short to give you a real feel for a font? Don’t worry, you can scale up the previews. Just select the “Paragraph” button on the top menu to preview each font with content in a longer form. If you want a magnified view of the text, then take a look at the “Word” view. These scalable previews allow you to get intimate and general views of how text can be stylized.

3. Slide to Define Features

You might have a vague idea of the font you’re looking for. Perhaps you’re searching for a thin, slanted, serif font. You can actually use these parameters in your font quest. Just move the sliders around under the Thickness, Slant, and Width filters to settle on your ideal look. You’ll notice that the preview automatically updates to incorporate your settings.

4. Use Collections

Chances are, you’ll discover several favorite fonts that you’ll want to test drive. Or you might discover fonts that will fit in a future project. Click that handy “Add to Collection” button to save these font families to your Google account. From here, you can quickly review your font choices side-by-side, removing options as you see fit. Click the little “Bookmark” icon on the top menu to generate a handy URL to this collection, so that you can retrieve these selected fonts on a later date. And the handiest feature? You can hit the download button to snag all the fonts in your collection, so that you don’t have to waste time downloading them individually.

Are you ready to impress visitors with sleek fonts? Combining a sleek web presence with business strategy sessions can be the best way to enhance the customer experience and build a strong rapport with digital audiences. Tools like Google’s open source font library can help your company move forward with a professional brand image.