One of the most common requests we get here at FontShop goes something like this: “I’m using such-and-such text face and I need a companion font for captions, headlines, callouts, and the like. Which sans will work best?” The answer isn’t easy. Combining typefaces is more of an art than a science, but there are many aspects to keep in mind to avoid an unholy union — proportion, x-height, weight, and pedigree, to name a few.

So what’s the best way to ensure compatibility? Take advantage of a full-featured family with serif and sans versions tailored by the type designer to work together. Here are a few of our favorites, each communicating a bit of Robert Bringhurst’s wisdom from The Elements of Typographic Style.

FF Absara™ from FontFont®

Freight™ from GarageFonts®

FF Nexus™ from FontFont®

Thesis™ Family: TheSerif™ and TheSans™ from LucasFonts®

FF Celeste™ from FontFont®

FF Quadraat™ from FontFont®

FF Eureka™ from FontFont®

Versa™ from OurType®

ITC Legacy™ from ITC®

Charlotte™ from ITC®

Fedra™ from Typotheque®

FontShop 2006 Calendar: July

Did you guess the mystery font from the June calendar?
It’s FF Sanuk™. See it in all its glory: download the July calendar now.

Free Font of the Month: URW Grotesk™ Extra Light Extra Wide

One of Hermann Zapf’s least known fonts is also one of his most extensive. There are 59 styles of URW Grotesk at FontShop.

Free offer no longer available but you can still test and purchase URW Grotesk .

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Fonts used in title graphic: Freight™ Sans and Serif.

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