Fonts for Creative People

We asked each of the 2018 Adobe Creative Residents to choose a font they’ve enjoyed working with. Here’s what they had to say.

Aaron Bernstein on Rift Soft Bold

This font is bold yet refined, tall yet not too thin, and geometric yet smooth—all the things I aspire my work to be. I love how versatile it is in use, whether it’s to highlight smaller text or to stand out in titling. No matter how quiet or loud, I use Rift Soft Bold to make a statement.

Temi Coker on CarlMarx Bold

This font has a playful feel to it and is visually pleasing to me. It’s almost as if the person who made it loved to just have fun. I used this font for my 20 Day Poster Challenge and just loved how it came out. Even the name sounds unique. I use this font to make a statement in my pieces and I love how curvy and bubbly (kind of) the corners are. Using this font has definitely influenced how I work and reminds me to always have fun when designing. I don’t use this font a lot, however, there’s definitely a time and place for it.

Anna Daviscourt on Balloon URW

I’m working on a children’s book, which heavily relies on text as well as illustrations. My work could be described as handmade, so I always search for fonts that appear handwritten without compromising clarity. I found that Balloon URW hit that mark perfectly — complimenting my illustrations while keeping a professional look. Even the name of the font sounds fun and cute, just like my book!

Andrea Hock on Aktiv Grotesque Bold

My residency focuses on automation and how internet-connected objects can improve the human experience. I love designing at the intersection between design and technology, and Aktiv Grotesque is the perfect mix between aesthetic but also functional. I design for various devices and user needs, and this font can span across many different devices and cultures. When interacting with my designs, I want users to feel that their data is secure and private, and Aktiv Grotesque conveys a solid, confident feel.

Nadine Kolodziey on Clone Rounded PE Bold

As an illustrator it is tempting to use my own handwriting for text, especially for presentations or talks. The capital letters of Clone Rounded Bold are the closest to my handwriting. I would recommend using Adobe’s font search to find the font closest to your natural lettering for all formats where you want to say something or give a personal touch to your work.

Isabel Lea on Monotype Grotesque

My projects focus on how typography can visualize language and culture, particularly in the UK. I’m interested in how fonts can be used to playfully visualize language sentiment — what we’re saying and how we’re saying it. For one of my projects I’m looking at how we can re-interpret British industrial grotesque fonts in the context of the modern day through variable font techniques and augmented reality. Monotype Grotesque heavily influences my project as it shows how much variety and how many different ways of expression there can be within one related family.

Laura Zalenga on Gill Sans Nova UltraLight

First of all, Gill Sans Nova UltraLight is simply visually pleasing to me. I almost feel like you can sense that the creator of the original font was a sculptor: Well-balanced, subtle, but confident. For my documentary photo-project about age it will complement portraits with eye-catching quotes, as well as easy to read, clear paragraphs.