You knew I couldn’t wait too long before sharing one of my favorite fonts of the modern era. Say hello to Archer. Designed in 2001 by Tobias Frere-Jones and Jonathan Hoefler for use in Martha Stewart Living magazine, this neo-grotesque slab serif font has shown up everywhere from the promotional poster for the Grand Budapest Hotel to US Postage stamps to the scrapbook pages of yours truly.
It comes in more weights that you can shake a slab serif at—I know, I crack myself up—and it’s basically typographic perfection. It’s friendly, with just enough character to feel sweet, yet not an in-your-face preciousness. It’s clean and modern and it’s about the most readable font in my collection. It’s nearly appropriate for everything. Scratch that. It IS appropriate for everything. And oh, baby, have I put it to good use over the years.
Here are a few pages featuring Archer:
USAGE: Title and journaling. Oh, font harmony, I adore you. When you use one font, you create such a sense of unity on the page. (Layout template here.)
USAGE: Title and journaling. Again, a very simple way to create cohesive journaling on a page. Here, I used one letter, the letter ‘l’, in italic to create a bit of interest in the single word title. (Find template here.)
USAGE: Title and journaling. Another example of having a really big story to tell and going to Archer as the font to tell that story. It’s so readable and pleasing to the eye. It’s perfect for long stories. (Find template here.)
USAGE: Title and journaling. Because you know I’m all about that bee, ’bout that bee (and Archer!)
Archer is not cheap and that is because the time and craftsmanship that went into this font is just unparalleled. It is, however, the best money I ever spent. Amen!
So that’s my Font Fave, and now for a fun and free font find. Say hello to Grand Hotel.
Grand Hotel is a fun little script font that I found on FontSquirrel.com, a great resource for free fonts. I love how straight up and down the letter forms are. There’s no slant to this script, which makes is so much more interesting to my designer eye. It’s still playful and sweet, but it’s also got a heft to it that lends itself to page titles or sub titles.
USAGE: Title. I created this page and just used it for the end words of a page title. I probably don’t have to tell you not to use this font for journaling, right? Scripts are not good choices for journaling, unless your journaling is one or two super short lines. (Find template here.)
Here’s to great typography on scrapbook pages. And beyond.
Just a reminder that every one of my templates and paper packs is on sale for 40% off through the end of the week as part of the Designer Digitals annual Template and Paper Pack Sale.
Juli says
i also love Archer….but haven’t bought it.
I do have Grand Hotel and have used it with my Cameo and LOVE it!
Tracey says
Okay, archer’s awesomeness aside, Dan’s journaling in that first layout is just perfection…not to mention that he is reminding me of David Bowie with his handsomeness.
Tracey says
and you Bee awesome, too!!
Cathy Zielske says
Oh he’ll love that! 😉
bdaiss says
Stop. It. Stop it right now. The last thing I need in my life are MORE fonts! I mean really. When you have to start considering a digital font organizer/catalog, you probably have a problem. But still….off to download Grand Hotel.
Marilyn says
I learned to love fonts when I took your ’10 Tips for Type’ class way back when, and anything you say on the subject is worth hearing. I especially like your emphasis on ‘less is more’ when it comes to font variety on a page, and using classic fonts. Glad you are adding fonts to your blogging line-up! GO CATHY!
Katie Jones says
I *totally* see Cole in that first pic of Dan! Such a cute page! Thanks for sharing, I’m loving the pages as much as the font tips and inspiration.
Good thing you warned us about not using Grand Hotel for journalling, as it would have been tempting – and then I bet I would have wondered why my text looked bad!
Missus Wookie says
Thanks for the reminder I picked up a couple of templates, I’m going to have to try grand hotel with my cameo.
Christine (A&M Momma) says
Great blog post! Thoroughly enjoying learning more about fonts. You write about fonts as if they are alive and I just love that! Thank you for sharing your type knowledge. I always learn so much from you. 🙂
Beth says
I’m loving these font posts! May I make a request 🙂
I know beautiful fonts when I see them, but I’m positively atrocious at putting together lovely constructs myself. Would you consider a font/typography 101 post(s) for us ignoramuses?
Cathy Zielske says
Well it just so happens I am going to be releasing a new, updating version of a class I taught few years back called “10 Tips for Better Type” and I will be covering font combos in that class! Hope to have it ready in the next 30 days!
Paige says
My favorite thing about this blog post? The picture of the bee drinking coffee on the steps. I don’t know why, but that just tickles my funny bone.
I’m excited about your new business venture with classes. You’re my favorite teacher.
All the best to you.
-Paige
ARC says
I love, love, love all your layouts. There is something so clean and fresh about them. I also love Grand Hotel *so* much, and love the peek of the layout you did with it. Thanks for sharing! I want to scrap like you when I grow up 🙂
Tink says
I’m a slab addict. I admit it, there’s no denying the fact.
I love Typography as a whole, it was my major in art school, but I fell in love with slab. I think I live it so much because it’s balanced. In Europe, at least in my part they are call Egyptiennes and not slab-serifs.
When we moved to the USA I was flabbergasted. These people never heard of my beloved Egyptiennes. It took a while before I realized that your slab-serif and my Egyptienne were the same. It’s really an old type, it stems from the time Napoleon went to Egypt and came home with the Egypt craze, still it took a few years before they put it into print and named them Egyptiennes. Later in 1956 Frutiger developed a Font family he called Egyptienne but had nothing to do with the classification of type, the Egyptiennes.
I always find these things so funny and interesting. At one point there must have been an American who said to hell with that unpronounceable Egyptiennes, let’s call them slab-serifs from now on! Everyone was happy and the partied for at least 3 days:-)
Because of the Napoleon era I have learned to use for size the European Didot-point and the Anglosaksian Pica-point. Because as usual people cound not agree on one measurement and still can’t. 🙂
Heather V says
I love this series! I’m always looking for new great fonts.
Jenny B. says
I feel like I need to whisper this because maybe it’s not legit, or maybe it’s not the real deal, but… Shh… I found Archer for free. Here’s the link: http://www.cufonfonts.com/en/font/13323/archer-book