If its a HTML based website you are / may be pretty limited in choosing typefaces for the body copy. You have to rely on those that come pre installed on most computers. To try and compare the most common types for web, you may want to check the fabulous typetester.maratz.com.

As for the navigation / menus, you may want to consider types that stay legible and ’clean’, even when used / presented very small, and on screen. ( Like one of those greyscale bitmap / pixel fonts. )

Dav

Hi Dav

Im actually a flash web artist, so Im juggling trying to bring more “flavor” into the typography.

Definitely, even with css, conventional web design would limit me much greater.

If you are using Flash that IS of course something different. But, What is the company using now, typeface wise, for their printed materials? Dont they have any ’corporate types’ or just typefaces they use regularly for all their communication, advertising and what else?

( There were several threads / discussions about typefaces suitable for on screen usage and display, on Typophile, in the past, so you may find something within those. For example: I recommended ’( New ) Critter’, from LettError, previously. A typeface originally designed for MTV as their on air display type. )

> www.typophile.com/node/19411
> www.typophile.com/node/3413

Dav

I’ll continue to search on the forum threads... in the meanwhile here is a scan of some of their brochure copy.

http://www.curtbydesign.com/samplecopy.jpg

As you can see, I am pretty much open to inspiration. ;-)

Thx

But, That isnt too bad, me thinks. :)
( And if they are using, for example, ’Futura’ throughout their printed matter, you may want to consider using it on screen as well. If its part of their current ’Corporate Design’, you should sure think about it. )

Dav

Point well taken.

I think I do have a bit more leverage as they “really, really” want to kill the old look of their pr brochure pieces.

I am definitely looking to see if I can find another pair of typefaces to bring into the mix, or start anew.

But, as you mentioned, Futura isn’t a bad choice... sans serif, web friendly.
Hmmm, I am still up to the challenge to find some alternatives.

:-)

wnf, IMHO the first thing you have to make sure here is that you’re not crossing a rebranding border. I’m not sure the client would like such turns, even though a web site is completely different media than print brochures.

Futura is really quite adequate here, considering one of your introductory sentences: “They are starting to ramp up their web-to-print abilities, but work conventional commercial printing with great success”.

Last, but not least, a flash web site is not what you/they/anybody should aim for these days.