This question has a lot of nuance and requires explaining the nature of graphic design and the benefits of working with a professional and experienced graphic designer that has worked on projects with many different outputs (web, print, broadcast, etc). Fonts are an essential part of any design project, whether it is a website, a print publication, or a video. Fonts can convey mood, personality, tone, and style. They can also affect readability, usability, and accessibility. But why are some fonts so expensive? And what are the benefits of working with a graphic designer who can help you choose and use fonts effectively?
So Why Are Fonts So Expensive?
To answer the question directly fonts can be expensive because they are made by different people with different costs and pricing models. Some fonts are also more exclusive and rarer than others. Overall. the price of fonts depends on several factors such as:
- The creator: Different people make fonts in different places and conditions. Some may have higher costs for rent, salaries, equipment, software, etc. than others. Some may also have more experience, reputation, or recognition than others.
- The quality: Making a font is not easy. It requires a lot of time, skill, research, testing, and refinement. A high-quality font may have hundreds or thousands of glyphs (characters), multiple weights (thicknesses), styles (italic, bold), variants (small caps), ligatures (special combinations), alternates (different shapes), etc. A high-quality font may also support multiple languages and scripts (Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic), as well as special features such as kerning (spacing between letters), hinting (adjusting for screen resolution), or OpenType (advanced typographic options).
- The exclusivity: Some fonts are more rare and unique than others. They may be custom-made for a specific client or project or only available from a certain source or platform. They may also have limited licenses that restrict how they can be used or distributed. These factors can make some fonts more desirable and valuable than others.
- Consistency: A graphic designer can ensure that your project’s typography is consistent across all elements,
pages, platforms, etc. They can also create style guides that document your font choices and usage
rules for future reference. - Brand awareness: A graphic designer can help you establish or reinforce your brand identity through
fonts that reflect your values, personality,
and image. They can also help you stand out from your competitors by using fonts that differentiate
you from them. - Trust and credibility: A graphic designer can help you build trust and credibility with your audience by using fonts that are professional, appropriate, and legible.
What’s the Benefit of Working with a Graphic Designer?
A professional graphic designer can help you navigate font licenses, which have special rules on how to use a font in a specific way. When choosing a font, you can choose between different licensing structures such as open-source, commercial, etc. Depending on what structure you choose, the font usage rights within font licenses can limit usage to a particular use case such as desktop publishing for educational purposes, web usage for a certain number of page views, some have rules specific to printing and billboard usage. You need to make sure you have the right license for your intended use of the font, otherwise you may face legal issues or extra fees.
A professional graphic designer can also help you pick fonts that will better present your business and build trust and credibility with your audience. Fonts can have a substantial impact on how people perceive your brand and what emotions they associate with it. You need to choose fonts that are professional, appropriate, and legible for your business aesthetic, target audience, presentation format, and visual hierarchy.
Contact Us for Your Graphic Design Needs!
McNair Media is a full-service website and app development company based in Arlington Ohio. We offer professional and industry specific strategy consulting services for businesses of all sizes, including graphic design and font selection. We can help you choose fonts that are legible, suitable for your brand, and cost-effective. Depending on the font choice, we include font licensing in our hosting plans.
