Fonts and Colors Drive Engagement

Before I decided to go to school to learn more about design, I often thought of design as being purely visual, a matter of making things “look good.” But as designers, you often find yourself in the business of communication, and two of our most powerful tools are fonts and colors. They happen to not be just for decorations; they’re (like I’ve learned in my InDesign class as well) fundamental to how people process information, feel emotions, and interact. As much as I thought it was for design theory, it turns out it’s more than that and rooted in how our brain works.
After reading about how readability is basically king (or queen); I thought about how trying to read a simple flyer in a swirling script is, frustrating. It turns out our brains are wired for efficiency. When it comes to text, we prioritize readability.
Though readability is important, we often see or use overly decorative font (even small doses)for things like logos. This example of style over substance can be an example of hindering engagement and retention.
Visual hierarchy is a crucial aspect of typography. Using distinct font styles and sizes helps users scan and understand the structure of content.

Colors have a profound impact on our emotions and behavior. Color psychology, a field that explores these effects, demonstrates how different hues can evoke specific feelings. Like, blue often conveys a feeling of trust and stability, which some financial institutions use.
Color can be double-edged sword. Clashing or overly saturated schemes can overwhelm viewers, leading to fatigue, frustration, and an over all negative experience. In this sense I think we should take into account how important accessibility is and strive to adhere to accessibility guidelines to ensure content is usable by everyone.

In essence, fonts and colors are powerful tools that can significantly impact how users perceive and interact with your designs. We should use it with purpose and understanding, keeping the users cognitive and emotional experience at the forefront.