If the leading on your text is too small, the copy might be hard to read. Leading is the vertical space between lines. Formatting is a large part of the design process and will help achieve some interesting looks to match a science fiction theme, which I’ll discuss in further detail in just a minute.įirst, let’s have a closer look at these formatting options. In addition to all of the individual elements of a typeface, there are a number of formatting options when working with type, including leading, kerning, and tracking, just to name a few. They feel modern feel and provide increased legibility on digital screens. Sans serif typefaces are very popular in the genre. As you’ll soon notice, this is an important topic when talking about typography in science fiction. Conversely, sans serif is a typeface without serifs, hence the French word sans (without). A serif typeface has an extra stroke at the end of the main vertical and horizontal strokes of the letters. Typefaces are classified as either serif or sans serif. Descender line – The invisible line marking the lowest point of the descenders.Cap height – The height of a capital letter measured from the baseline.Arm – A horizontal or upward sloping stroke that does not connect to a stroke or stem on one or both ends.Ear – A small stroke extending from the upper-right side of the bowl of a lowercase g.Loop – The enclosed (even partially) counter below the baseline of a double-story g.Collar – The stroke of a letter attaching two bowls.Counter – The space in a closed or partially closed area of a letter.Bowl – A rounded and fully closed part of a letter.

Leg – The short descending part of a letter.Serif – Extra stroke found at the end of the main vertical and horizontal strokes.Stem – The full-length vertical stroke of a letter.Crossbar – The horizontal stroke in letters.Ascender – The part of the letter that ascends above the x-height.Baseline – The horizontal line where the text sits.Apex – The point in a letter where the left and right strokes meet.Ascender line – The invisible line denoting the highpoint of ascenders.X-height – The height of the body of a lowercase letter.Check out the image below just to see how detailed the terminology can become. The elements of a typefaceĪ lot goes into designing a custom typeface. You’ll need to understand some of these terms to better understand why certain typefaces work in a science fiction setting while others don’t. Anatomy of a typefaceīefore we get into the specific fonts to use in a futuristic world, let’s brush up on some typography lingo. However, you have to know how to do it right.

Creators that ignore this area of design are missing out on a huge creative opportunity. The difference between a typeface and a font is only the tip of the iceberg in regards to the complexity of title design. For example, the Futura typeface was designed by Paul Renner in 1927 and has a font family consisting of different weights and styles (bold, medium, italic), each one of those being a different font Get it?When designing a title, doing something as simple as changing the font of a typeface can communicate a very different feel to an audience. A typeface is actually a family of fonts, often times from the same designer. Perhaps to the surprise of many, these two terms are not entirely interchangeable. While I used the term “sci-fi fonts” in the title of this article, I think it would’ve been better to go with “futuristic typefaces.” That didn’t seem to flow off the tongue as nicely, however, so I went with the former. These fonts work well as opening titles, lower thirds, computer readouts, intertitles, or even as logos of futuristic fictional companies. Even if that audience is strictly AI robots we created that eventually took over the world and killed all of us. Something that will still look futuristic to an audience 30 years from now. Designs that give a clean and modern look. While all science fiction stories are obviously not based in the future, I wanted to focus on recommending fonts that provide a timeless feel. Star Trek: The Next Generation just wouldn’t have felt the same if the designers used Papyrus. Especially in a science fiction film, where you’re trying to get the audience to buy in to the time, place, and concept of the world. A typeface that doesn’t fit can quickly jolt an audience out of a fictional world. Using the wrong typeface can throw off the mood of a project faster than Spock beaming up to the Enterprise from an exploding planet Vulcan. The typeface, font, and formatting of a title all play a part in the overall success or failure of a particular design. Particularly when that world is Sci-Fi and the fonts need to match. Title design is a dynamic and interesting subset of the graphic design world.

Modern futuristic fonts