I have a million fonts. I can't find what I want. I can't use this wealth of resources effectively.
What if I did ALL of my design work with, say, 6 or 8 fonts?
What fonts would those be?
Papyrus, Arial and Comic Sans, sure. They go without saying. But what are the other 3-5? [safetysmiley]
[/safetysmiley]
to start with: helvetica neue (or some other full set of classic sans-serif - ie. Franklin Gothic )
a full set of either caslon or garamond
either cooper black or marker felt - both are frighteningly versatile. And you'll always have to do garage sale signs. (it's a weird universal designer law... )
and of course, illustrator, so you can break those into outlines, and mash the fuck out of them until they look like anything else you might need.
Helvetica - check Helvetica Neue - check Cooper Black - check Marker Felt - nope. Caslon - nope. Garamond - I've got a few OpenType Garamond fonts, but not a whole set.
I saw that. I 
XKCD
helve neue is the bee's knees. adobe garamond set with the small caps. works great for lawyers and ambercrombie & fitch types. cooper is versatile but i only use it when i'm trying to be ironic.
r_d always knows his stuff.
Sans-serif 'classics': Helvetica Neue, Futura, and Myriad Pro.
Serif 'classics: Garamond, Times New Roman, URW Imperial
you'll need some headline classics (Impact, Cooper)
and some fun and funky (Eurostile, Bauhaus, Broadway)
and finally, you'll need one good Script font.
Designing with Myriad? C'mon, that's a default Mac font. That's like doing page layout with Arial. And seriously, Times New Roman? Are we designing websites without no css or font tags here? Impact needs to die, why you insist on the default Windows fonts is beyond me...
r_d's choices are good though I'd go for caslon over garamond as garamond's a bit overused, I would like to add:
sans: officina sans, lucida sans serif: palatino, century decorative: lapland, bodoni egyptian script: edwardian itc, porcelain
I agree with poss that cooper's a bit ironic, and rapidly becoming too ubiquitous to use any other way. It seems like it's the cool kids version of comic sans these days. Brush script also has a bit of that vibe but is more versatile IMO especially if you're doing anything evoking old grocery store or sports event vibes.
fonts to avoid at all costs (besides all the standard windows fonts) - copperplate gothic - curlz mt - bank gothic
See...here you're just an ass. There's nothing wrong with Arial or Myriad Pro in many situations especially where you guarantee everyone sees the same thing (such as web). I stand by that choice as a good one for times when you're passing things around for some secretary to change when she needs or whatever.
Keep in mind since I'm working with .NET fellers in a corporate environment, these are not my PRINT design choices I was giving examples of the STYLES that mc should have. He should get a couple good classic sans, a couple of good serifs, a couple of headliners, and a good script. You've really got to stop thinking certain people are idiots ari. You really come across as an ass in situations like that. I never wrote YOU MUST HAVE IMPACT. I said Impact was a Headline font that's why it's in parentheses.
Uh oh, flamewar senses tingling... BRING IT, BITCH :domokun:
Arial or Myriad pro are OK if you're talking about online copy or dynamic text, but impact? you shouldn't be using decorative fonts in your copy anyhow, if you're talking about headers use a freaking jpg already, and at least recommend Haettenschweiler instead of the POS that is Impact. I don't care if you're designing for the web or print, you really have no defense for bringing that weak shit to the hoop.
Next you're going to tell him to rock courier.
Sure, I used to work mostly in graphic design for print & garment (I left that area over a year ago now), but I also have over 10 years experience in web design & I now work in a corporate web dev & design setting too (Analyst, Web Usability & Interaction Design). Any web design mockup crossing my desk (let alone my manager's) using a standard windows font for anything other than body text or dynamic text would be sent right back, and beyond that, any of the decorative windows fonts are just a plague upon the senses. It's not just print vs web, mon ami, it's about attention to detail. Don't design with system fonts. Just don't. It broadcasts that you aren't making enough effort.
You think I'm being an ass? That kind of font usage will (seriously) get you fired in some agency settings - for an outside contractor to submit work using those fonts is a quick move to getting delisted. I'd go so far as to say that designing with system fonts for anything other than a website's body copy is generally an indicator that there isn't an experienced designer on the project. Seriously.
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!!
Sometimes I think in your self-proclaimed "BRILLIANCE" and "INTELLIGENCE" that you forget how to communicate ari.
I'll say it one more time so you can comprehend it this time. I was in NO WAY saying IMPACT was the "go to" headline font. By using a simple bracket-type of communication system versus the list-type communication system I thought it would be clear that those were examples and not a list of items as per the list of HN, Fut, and MP. I didn't think it required an (eg. EG. EXAMPLE ONLY DUMBASS!! Impact, Cooper).
In case you still don't get it.....
Sans-serif 'classics': Helvetica Neue, Futura, and Myriad Pro.
This is a LIST. I like HN. I like Futura, and I DO like Myriad Pro in certain situations when I need to have someone else be able to work on something.
you'll need some headline classics (Impact, Cooper)
These are EXAMPLES.
Translation: You'll need some headline classics. Examples of those would be Impact or Cooper. I don't care what you like or dislike but I can assume you know what I mean as a thicker more BOLD type of font. Find a good headline font you like and use it.
If I was suggesting Impact and Cooper I would have listed them in the same format....eg:
Headline 'classics': Impact and Cooper.
Understand the differences in the type of communication now?
Why would I write it in brackets if I wanted to represent it exactly the same as Helvetica Neue? I would have listed it exactly the same as the two lists above it.
This is a situation where you chose to ignore the differences (sorry I didn't use (eg. blah blah) now and really get that eg. in there for you) and try to say "I, Ian of Extreme Intelligence and Design Godness, only see a technical list so I must assume someone else is retarded (as most people are compared to me because I am so brilliant) so I must point out their retardedness."
When in reality, you just purely missed what I was trying to say.
I like AND USE Helvetica Neue, Futura, and Myriad Pro. I like AND USE Garamond, Times New Roman, and Imperial.
But these are not the ones I design everything with. In fact I hate serif'ed fonts so I don't consider any of them as "go to fonts" because when I choose to use serif'ed fonts they are for a specific purpose and I choose a specific one. And since I don't have ANY good fonts at work (because Honda isn't buying my Type 1 or OpenType fonts), I chose ones I can remember.
Everyone needs a headline font. Since MC is a 3D guy I wrote in 2 that I knew he'd HAVE on his computer so he'd know what I was talking about by a Headline font. Arial Black would be another example.
Everyone needs a script font. I couldn't think of any as an example but I thought 'script font' was more self-explanatory than 'headline font' and needed no examples.
"Don't design with system fonts. Just don't. It broadcasts that you aren't making enough effort."
What? Am I an idiot? You want to think I am. I've been a designer for 13 years now.....since 1996 working in print and web. I sure as hell know not to use a system screen font as the basic of my designs. Fuggin' hell ari. Who do you really think I am?
I could go home open up my computer at home, list some of the Type 1 or OpenType fonts I use more than others, but why would I tell MC what fonts to use? I tried to explain 'concepts' not specifics and I used examples for ones I know that MC will have. I gave MC the credit that he would understand I am NOT telling him: use HN, F, and MP, and TNR, Gara, and Impact, and Brush Script.....et voila...you are NOW a designer because you used my list! I listed serif and san-serif fonts I actually like. Times versus Times New Roman I get confused on though. One is Type 1 and one isn't. But I differentiated the others as examples to explain to MC to find a good headline font, a fun funky font, and a script. I'm sorry I didn't use (eg. for the literal technical thinkers).
If I designed with system fonts I might as well quit now because I agree with you.
religion doesn't start wars, fonts start wars...
Blows them all to helvetica.
I give you a little diss and you call me an ass, when it's clearly your fault?
Storm, that's just fucking retarded. No offense to retards.
How do brackets serve to indicate that you mean to use the included fonts as a generic example of font "types" as opposed to those specific fonts?
Let's say you told a designer," I want this page laid out in a decorative font (papyrus)". Tell me, brainiac, what font you think that layout would come back to you in - and whose fault that would be.
Here, read these statements, they say the same thing:
I want food (hamburgers / pizza) I want food: hamburgers / pizza I want hamburgers / pizza
You will get hamburgers and/or pizza.
Why not just say "headline fonts" and leave out "(impact, cooper)"? Giving examples does not help you explain if you do not mention that you do not mean those actual fonts... at least make the disclaimer, "not those actual fonts but ones like them - but without teh_suck".
Don't project the frustration and anger you obviously harbour regarding your poor communication skills onto me.
Besides, Impact still isn't an example of anything but shit - I still say you should have suggested Haettenschweiler.
I'm only designing in Haettenschweiler from now on.
Your statements SAY the same thing but are different concepts in the WRITTEN language because speech has limitations.
I know my communication is faulty but I try to get better. My brain doesn't function 'normally' or along common 'assumptions' and I don't think in specifics very well. It's something I know very well about myself. I understand things conceptually and the original question is to me still a conceptual question.
Haettenschweilers out of here.
I love that the design forum is livelier than WFG for a change.
i fuckin love this thread, i printed it a thousand times and made bed sheets from it
Don't Haettenschweiller the playah, Haettenschweiller the game
I don't know how many fucking times I have to say this to you r'tards.....
You CAN'T make bed sheets from Haettenschweiller threads!! FUCK
Fuck you douchebag I'm laying in them as I type!!!!! I'm gonna make underwear outta the comic sans thread too fucker
yeah I got no response for that. 
Originally posted by: arigato Don't Haettenschweiller the playah, Haettenschweiller the game
Haettenschweiler only has one 'l'.
Retards.
Originally posted by: mclarkson
Haettenschweiler only has one 'l'.
Retards.
Pfft. That's true of most latin typefaces. Unless you count capitals and diacritics.
I see what you did there.
Fuck myriad, comic, felt, and that other shit font... I don't even care to remember the name.
Get a hold of the DIN family & FUTURA has been coming back for a while. now it's almost too trendy to use, but I still like it. and if you wanna get classy on their ass and not use copperplate BAUER BODONI then there is the DIDOT family other goodies... AVANT GARDE FRANKLIN GOTHIC UNIVERS UTOPIA
my guess is, that MC you don't have a font managing program, _extensis, suitcase fusion 2 _or something like that? that shit is good for managing fonts. you can shuttle thru them quickly, and only activate the ones you needs so you don't slow down your software or machine.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: never squish or squash the fonts, leave the width at 100% and the height at 100% if you want change the leading or kerning do it! *
i like what veer does with the fonts that they sell aesthetic and palette is close to mine, they pick good fontshttp://www.veer.com/products/type/