Honest-feeling typefaces tend to be primarily neutral in their style. Sans
serifs, in general, convey a sense of honesty because of their neutral
character—but handle them with care. Too austere a sans serif, and the
viewer—especially if younger and less mainstream—is apt to associate
them with corporate culture, immediately distrusting the communication
and considering it slick or potentially false. Sans serifs whose proportions
vary a little more and whose details are a little quirky, such as Gill Sans,
may have a more honest feeling than a squared-off, rigorously proportioned
face such as Univers. Perpendicular cutoffs of terminals connote a certain
kind of directness, as does a generally medium or regular width. If the
sans serif’s terminals are slightly rounded, or its x-heights slightly smaller,
a viewer may sense an innocent naïveté, possibly because of the childlike
quality that these details impart. Neutral serifs with slightly exaggerated
ductus and soft terminals will also feel as though they have some character
while retaining the straightforward quality of their conventional structure.
Oddly enough, some typefaces that are highly stylized may come across
as honest in feeling, especially faces whose strokes are drawn to resemble
brush strokes, or whose counters or widths seem to change irregularly—as
though the typeface is so honest it’s letting the viewer see it for what it is.
Like a good friend whose advice, though sometimes challenging, is direct
and sincere, honest-feeling typography and color eschew artifice and
contrivance. When design is honest—authentic, reliable in its clarity—it
transmits messages easily and with an offhand ease, resulting from the
confidence that it’s telling the truth and doing its job.
Print Collateral Promotion
top, and detail, bottom
Motive Design Research
Michael Connors, Kari Strand,
Peter Anderson, Tom Connors
Seattle USA
Honest
Moods
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7 Seconds Regular
Stylized Sans Serif | Slightly
Erratic Posture Changes |
Light Weight |
T.26 Digital Type Foundry
www.t26.com
888.T26.FONT
Avenir
TM
55 Roman
Sans Serif | Medium Weight |
Uniform Strokes |
Linotype Library GmbH
www.linotype.com
info@linotype.com
+49 (0) 6172 484.418
VectoraTM
55
Roman
Sans Serif | Condensed |
Extremely Large x-Height |
Linotype Library GmbH
www.linotype.com
info@linotype.com
+49 (0) 6172 484.418
MVB Calliope
Stylized Sans Serif |
Italic Posture |
MVB Fonts
www.mvbfonts.com
info@mvbfonts.com
510.525.4288
Auto 1 Light
Sans Serif | Uniform Weight |
Abrupt Joints |
Underware
www.underware.nl
info@underware.nl
31 (0)70.42.78.117
Naomi
Stylized Sans Serif |
Moderately Extended |
Garage Fonts Type Foundry
www.garagefonts.com
info@garagefonts.com
800.681.9375
Type Style Finder
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Moods Honest
Revalo Modern Bold
Sans Serif | Condensed |
Medium Weight |
T.26 Digital Type Foundry
www.t26.com
888.T26.FONT
Vinyl Regular
Sans Serif | Condensed |
Medium Weight |
T.26 Digital Type Foundry
www.t26.com
888.T26.FONT
Adrianna Extended Light
Sans Serif | Uniform Weight |
The Chank Company
www.chank.com
friendlyf[email protected]
877.GO.CHANK
Aaux Office Bold
Slab Serif | Uniform Weight |
Condensed |
T.26 Digital Type Foundry
www.t26.com
888.T26.FONT
P22 Hiromina Latin
Stylized Sans Serif |
Ultra Light Weight |
P22 Type Foundry
www.p22.com
p22@p22.com
800.P22.5080
P22 Stanyan Regular
Serif | Condensed |
Medium Weight |
P22 Type Foundry
www.p22.com
p22@p22.com
800.P22.5080
42
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Sample Color Combinations
Type Style Finder
Honest Color
Somewhat related to the ideas of reliability and trustworthiness,
honesty in color makes use of blue as a primary component in its
palette. The particular shade of blue is important: it must be devoid
of red, a medium or lighter value, and brilliant in saturation—in
short, a “pure” blue, akin to the base primary component of refracted
light. Blue that clearly has no violet overtone prevents it from
feeling compromising. Too dark, such as navy, and it takes on an
authoritarian quality, although still “dependable” in nature. A medium
to light value suggests a certain kind of comfort, and a more satu-
rated blue with these characteristics avoids the ambiguity that
might be associated with smokier, less saturated versions. Similarly,
pure, less “mixed” colors—the secondary colors orange and green,
as well as brighter violets toward the red end of the spectrum—
reinforce the reliability of blue, add their own respective notes of
openness, safety, and energy, and act as a foil for blue’s calming
quality. A slightly greener blue introduces the safe and clean quality
of that color. Rounding out the palette, a rich, woody brown also
feels sincere.
82 C
10 M
0 Y
0 K
>
55 C
0 M
0 Y
0 K
>
57 C
0 M
10 Y
0 K
>
76 C
0 M
78 Y
0 K
>
0 C
66 M
100 Y
0 K
>
26 C
100 M
0 Y
0 K
>
85 C
13 M
24 Y
0 K
>
50 C
80 M
95 Y
20 K
>
100 C
40 M
0 Y
31 K
>
100 C
25 M
0 Y
0 K
>
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