A couple weeks ago I was designing a pseudo press release and needed some new fonts to make it look more legitimate. Once I figured out how to download and install new fonts on my computer, which is surprisingly simple, I was blown away by the copious quantities of typeface freely available online and promptly wandered the internet’s vast resources like an elated kid in a candy store.
Today I share a selection of spoils from my treasure hunt. (Look for an upcoming post in which I share my favorite new fonts.) First you’ll need to know:
How to Download and Install New Fonts
- Find a font you like from a typeface library such as FontSpace, Dafont, or 1001 Free Fonts. (Hint: there are many more. Google “download free fonts” and the world is your playground.)
- Click “Download”. If given the choice, click “Save File”.
- Bring up your internet browser’s Downloads page. The file you downloaded should be recorded as a .zip file. Right-click the zip file and click “Open containing folder”.
- Right-click the zip file therein and select “Extract All”. If another box pops up, hit “Extract” to proceed.
- Copy the extracted files and paste them into your “Fonts” folder. The fonts folder (in Windows 7 at least) is found under Computer > C Drive > Windows > Fonts.
- Voilà! The next time you use any Windows application (Word, Photoshop, etc.) your new font will be there!
Now– perhaps you need some convincing? If my fictional press release didn’t do it, consider the following:
Reasons to Install New Fonts
- There’s a wide, wide world beyond Times New Roman and Comic Sans.
- Fonts, which you only need to install once, can forevermore add personality, authenticity, and aesthetics to any word document, image, or project.
- Apple guru and all-around innovator Steve Jobs had a particular fascination with typefaces in his early years. In fact, some of the aesthetic innovation for Macintosh was inspired by a calligraphy class he took at Reed College. If it’s good enough for an artistic genius like him…
- All the cool kids are doing it. Perhaps literally.
- New fonts enable better mocuments, parodies, and other mischief.
- LOOK WHAT I CAN DO
Julie Israel 