Typography trends for 2020

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Typography is a central part of graphic design so you'll want to stay on top of what's hot with fonts right now. According to a popular graphic design YouTube account, 2020 is going to see innovation and modernisation in typography, bringing the use of fonts hurtling into the new decade (for our pick of the best fonts for designers, see our list of professional fonts).

Tom Satori, a designer with almost a decade of experience, has put together a handy video explaining the typography trends of 2020, including how to use them and pitfalls to watch out for. So, let's dive in and take a look at the four font stylings to put to use in the coming year. 

01. Bold and heavy fonts

Satori advises that the first typography trend will be to go big and bold. "The heavy use of typography can act as a focal point and draw in a viewer as a visual starting point on your design," he says.

Satori mentions that it's important to choose the right font family and suggests you adhere to two rules. First, keep the heavy fonts to just a short phrase or a few words or you risk overcrowding, and secondly, contrast the heavy typography with thinner fonts, as it makes the overall design more visually appealing. 

02. Typography to create shapes

Using typography to create 2D and 3D shapes is about to kick off in graphic design. Satori stresses that it's important to make sure that use of shape fits the design brief, and isn't a random choice that just drops a shape into your design without a reason or "just because it looks cool". 

And don't just focus on the use of shape. "Make sure you adhere to other design principles while incorporating this trend," Satori advises. "So use things like balance, focal points, contrast and so forth."

03. Maxi typography

The maxi trend is all about attention seeking. "This actually has been a trend in 2019," says Satori. "Maxi is the use of typography that is so bold and heavy that it sometimes bleeds off the page, and it really takes centre-stage as a focal point."

You can create intrigue and interest with the font becoming obscured by other parts of the design, Satori suggests, and it's important to remember that the maxi typography should always be flat – with zero gradient and no 3D elements. 

04. Semi-transparent use of text over design

A good choice for busy designs, the semi-transparent text works to blend the composition and stay a prominent element of the design. "It's a nice way to tie everything together and, again, a choice of bold font here is a good move," says Satori. 

Satori rounds off the video, which you can watch above, with a quiz to help cement that knowledge in your design brain. The video is a great continuation of the hottest typography trends from the end of last year, with some fresh insight. You can check out more of the designer's work on his YouTube channel, Satori Graphics.

Read more: 

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