Serif? Sans? Script? Text? Display? Need input. [0_0]

- Lex

i would like to use AVENIR as a font in a magazine.. body text and headlines.. need a font to compliment it for subheads and one possilby as display font

Avenir as body text in an entire magazine, eeek! I think your readers will get tired and/or suffer massive headaches ... would like to see how it goes though.

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Paul Ducco
Graphic Design, Melbourne
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Little Mischief

I'd say Avenir has too small of an x-height to work as text, but then again, I've never tried setting text in Avenir.

Anyway, how about something like the bold weight of Iridium also by Adrian Frutiger?

In the sans-serif category, Mostra by Mark Simonson or the Titling weight of Neutraface might work, depending on how bold your Avenir headings are.

- Lex

If your magazine has long articles, stick with a good serif family (Freight Text, among many other options) for text, and use Avenir instead for the sidebars, etc.

It's ok to use Avenir for longer text matter, I think. At least, I have done that a few times ; ). Mind that you use a fair amount of leading and that you check the basic kerning (the lighter faces need more than is built–in…).

BTW You can't go wrong if you combine it with a Frutigerdesigned serif. There is something very consistent in Mr F's designs. That may have to do with his exeptional drawing skills and his great knowledge of signs (he wrote about signs — a fascinating book: Der Mensch und seine Zeichen).

In a magazine I laid out late in the Summer of 2005, I combined Avenir headlines with Caecillia for text. On occasion, I would swap the two for variety, or use the sans (Avenir) for sidebar articles.

Lex -- I hadn't seen Iridium before. I like it!

I hadn't either, but I always look at fonts from the same designer first when finding complements. It looked like it would pair well.

To Steve (the original poster):
What is the subject matter of the magazine? We might be going in a completely wrong direction for what you need.

- Lex