Typography Do's and Don'ts

Some say that font use is an art all in itself, and we tend to agree. For the inexperienced presentation designer, there are an overwhelming number of choices and styles from which to choose. What typefaces are easiest to read? What size is the best? And is it okay to mix font styles? This section takes a closer look at these and other important typeface issues.

First of all, we are of the opinion that there are no definite rules when it comes to typography. Rules are too restrictive - we prefer to use the term "recommendations" instead. Therefore, our main recommendation is this: your typography should match the theme and mood of the presentation you are building. Be aware of your typography, and use it just as you would an image. It is, after all, a highly visual element so be sure to choose a font face that fits the style of the content you are presenting.

But remember that an effective presentation is one that can be read quickly and efficiently, no matter what the theme. In general, typography for PowerPoint templates should be simple, large, and have high contrast. The rules...er...recommendations for presentation design are a bit more constrictive than something like advertising design, as the ultimate goal of your presentation is to convey a message or information to a group as clearly as possible. And if you have a large target audience, the simpler the design the better.
Serif vs. sans Serif?

The choice of using a serif or san serif font ultimately comes down to your own personal preferences. Serif fonts are more decorative, and are identified by the short curved lines at the end of the strokes. Sans serif, therefore, does not have this feature and tends to look cleaner. However - serif fonts are easier to read at large sizes, so they work great as section titles and large bullet points in your presentation template. They aren't considered as stylish or hip as some of the cleaner sans serif typefaces, so keep that in mind if you are building a template for a style-sensitive audience.

In general, TemplateGraphix recommends that formal (corporate) templates should use generic san serif fonts (e.g. Arial or Calibri) in black or white. This type of simple typography allows the content to take center stage, and keeps the design of the template elements from overwhelming the content being presented. On the other hand, if you are building a less formal template, generic fonts and colors might not be the best choice. Consider using a serif font such as Helvetica or Verdana instead.


Is it ok to mix serif and sans serif fonts?

Absolutely. We have built a large number of PowerPoint templates over the years, and we have found that using serif fonts for section headers and sans serif for body copy seems to work well. Again, it all comes down to personal preference, so don't be afraid to experiment a bit. Your presentation template will look better if all the font faces are the same, but it's ok to mix two fonts between different sections of your layout. However, it is not recommended to mix more than two.


Appropriate typeface sizes

It is widely accepted that fonts in a presentation template should not go below 14pt. There are several reasons for this. First of all, 14pt is large enough to remain readable when the template is printed. Anything below that is very difficult to read for many people. Also, it will prevent you from cramming too much text on a single slide! Every good presenter knows that it's smart to keep their template clean and organized, with just a single topic on each page. Due to the amount of space it takes up, a larger font can prevent you from cross-contaminating different kinds of information into one slide.