Script fonts are fonts that are designed to look like handwriting. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including wedding invitations, logos, and signage. There are many different types of script fonts, each with its own unique style. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most popular script fonts, as well as some tips on how to use them effectively in your designs!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only suggest products I use and love.
What is a script font?
A script font is a typeface that mimics cursive handwriting. Script fonts and typefaces are often referred to as “cursive fonts,” “handwriting fonts,” or “calligraphy fonts.” Script fonts can range from formal and elegant, to casual and playful. No matter what your design need is, there is most likely a script typeface to suit your need!
Script fonts are often a go-to for graphic designers when creating font pairings for a design project. You can recognize a script font by its connected letters and cursive look. Oftentimes, script fonts will have fancy swirls coming off of ending letters known as swashes. Let’s dive into the elements of script fonts and the different kinds of script fonts!
The two main different styles of script fonts include:
– Formal scripts, which have a more traditional and elegant appearance
– Casual scripts, which are often more fluid and less structured
What is the difference between a script font and a script typeface?
A font is a specific weight and style within a typeface (for example, Helvetica Bold or Times New Roman Italic). A typeface refers to the overall design of the font, including all of its varying styles and weights (such as Helvetica or Times New Roman).
In terms of script fonts and script typefaces, the same rules apply. A script font is a specific weight and style within a script typeface, while the script typeface includes all of its varying styles and weights.
So, if you were using the “Great Vibes” script font in your design project, “Great Vibes” would be the specific script font, and the overall script typeface would be the collection of all the weights and styles available for “Great Vibes.”
Why You Should Use Script Fonts?
Script fonts are a beautiful way to add a sense of sophistication and flair to any design project. Script fonts can add a personalized touch and make designs stand out. Script fonts are also a go-to for font pairings due to their versatility and how well they complement and contrast other fonts.
How to Use Script Fonts in Design
There are many design “rules” when it comes to using script fonts in your designs and how to use script fonts correctly. If you are wanting to familiarize yourself with script fonts and start using them in your designs, I suggest reading these tips for how to use script fonts and saving these script font rules to refer back to.
Script fonts can add a unique, elegant touch to any design. They can be used in headlines or as body text for invitations, branding, and more. When using script fonts, be sure to follow these tips for how to use a script font below!
Script Fonts Must Be Legible
When selecting a script font for your design, it is important that the font remains legible and easy to read. This can be achieved by making sure there is enough spacing between letters and avoiding overly ornate or complicated script fonts, especially if the design or text is small.
Remember to keep script fonts as legible as possible by not over-styling them with swashes and flourishes, especially in smaller font sizes.
Don’t Use More Than One Script Font
When using script fonts, less is more. It’s best not to use more than one script font in one design because multiple script fonts can overwhelming and difficult to read. It’s also important to choose a legible script font that is easy to read in different sizes if your design will be sized up or down.
Pair Script Fonts with a Less-Busy Font
Script fonts work well when paired with most sans-serif fonts, especially if you pair a light script font with a bold sans-serif font, creating an interesting contrast between the two fonts. Play around with different combinations of script and sans-serif fonts until you find the font pairing that works best for your design.
You can also pair script fonts with serif fonts, but you want to make sure you are not choosing a bold or elaborate serif font. If you have an interesting and elaborate script font, choose a more basic serif font to pair with it and vice versa.
Don’t Use Script Fonts in All Caps
Script fonts are meant to be used in lowercase letters, as all caps will not give the same effect as cursive handwriting. Script fonts in all caps are also much harder to read because script fonts are not created to be used in all caps.
The biggest “no-no” with script fonts is to use them as a title in all caps. It completely defeats the purpose of a script font, and frankly, it will just look bad.
Play Around with Contrast and Size
Script fonts can add a touch of elegance to designs, but are often seen as more feminine due to their cursive nature. To counter this, try playing around with size and contrast. Use script fonts in a larger size and pair them with bold sans-serif fonts to add a bit of masculinity.
When should you not use script fonts?
Script fonts should not be used for body text in long paragraphs or blocks of text. Using script fonts for body text will make the text difficult to read and strain the eyes. Script fonts are better suited for shorter phrases, titles, and headings.
Don’t Overcrowd Script Fonts
When using script fonts, it’s important not to overcrowd the design with too much text or other elements. Script fonts are often more ornate and intricate, so too much going on in a design can be overwhelming for viewers.
Make sure there is enough negative space and that the script font is the focus of the design.
Script Font Swashes
Many script fonts come with swashes and alternates, which can add a unique touch to your designs. Swashes are the extra flourishes and extensions added to letters that add an extra flair or squiggle design, usually on the first or last letter of a word.
However, it’s important not to overdo it with swashes and alternates as it can make the text harder to read and distract from the overall design. Use swashes sparingly for added flair, but still keep legibility in mind.
Script Font Ligatures
Some script fonts include ligatures, which are two letters that are combined to create one fluid and connected glyph, for example, an “oo” or “ae”. In some cases, using ligatures can make the text appear more elegant and cohesive.
Ligatures are used especially in handwriting fonts to make the font feel like it was handwritten and not automated by computer software.
For the most part, using ligatures will make a script text more legible, but depending on the style of ligature, it’s important to not overuse them in a design if they affect legibility.
Script Font Styles and Examples
There are many different styles of script fonts, each with its own unique design and feel. Here are the different types of script typefaces in graphic design:
Formal Script Fonts
Formal script typefaces have elegant and often traditional designs, with flourishes and swashes. They are often used in formal or elegant designs such as wedding invitations or professional branding.
White Garden Calligraphy Logo Font is an extraordinary example of a formal script font.
Get this script font here!
Casual Script Fonts
Casual script typefaces have a more casual and handwritten feel to them. They can add a playful touch to designs while still maintaining legibility.
California Dreamer | Font Duo + SVG is a beautiful example of a casual script font.
Get this script font here!
Calligraphic Script Fonts
Calligraphic script typefaces often have a bold and dramatic look, with thick brushstrokes and dramatic flourishes. They are often used for eye-catching titles or headlines.
Get this script font here!
Hand-lettered Script Fonts
Hand-lettered script typefaces are unique in that they mimic the actual handwriting and lettering of a person, often with variations in the thickness and thinness of the strokes. These typefaces add a personal touch to designs and are often used for quotes or phrases.
Tuesday Script is a fun example of a hand-lettered script font.
Get this script font here!
Modern Script Fonts
Modern script typefaces have a sleek and contemporary feel, often with minimal flourishes. These typefaces are great for adding sophistication to designs without being too flashy.
Milkshake Modern Handwritten Script is a popular modern script font.
Get this script font here!
Novelty Script Fonts
Novelty script typefaces have unique and fun designs, often with creative lettering or a theme in minds such as vintage or retro styles. These typefaces are best used sparingly in designs, as they can be overwhelming if used for large blocks of text.
Heritage Display is a fun novelty script font.
Get this script font here!
Brush Script Fonts
Brush script typefaces mimic the design and movement of brush lettering, often with varied thicknesses in the strokes and a more fluid feel. These typefaces are great for adding a handmade touch to designs.
Northwell Script Font is a great example of a brush script font.
Get this script font here!
Custom-Designed Lettering
Some script typefaces are custom-designed, often by a professional lettering artist or calligrapher. These typefaces can have a truly unique and personal feel, but they tend to be more expensive as they are not widely available like other fonts on the market.
If you are interested in custom-designed lettering or a custom script font, reach out to me here!
Popular Script Font Types
Some of the most popular script fonts include brush script, modern script, and casual script. Formal scripts are often used for formal invitations and stationery while casual scripts add a more relaxed, handwritten feel to designs. Handlettered fonts offer a personal touch and novelty scripts can be used for fun, playful designs.
List of the Most Popular Script Fonts
Now that we have covered what a script font is and why you should use them, let’s take a look at some of the most popular script fonts currently trending. Here is a list of some of the most popular script fonts that are trending right now:
Santorini // Luxury Signature Font
Get this script font here!
Moonstone | Handwritten Script Font
G this script font here!
Salty Sand Handwritten Script Font
Get this script font here!
Blackstone// Casual Chic Font
Get this script font here!
Sentania | Handwriting Font
Get this script font here!
Chin Up Buttercup! Font Duo & Extras
Get this script font here!
Ballpen
Get this script font here!
Blancha | Casual Handwritten Font
Get this script font here!
Mallicot Script
Get this script font here!
Festive | Handwritten Script Font
Get this script font here!
Oh Darling | Ethereal Script Font
Get this script font here!
Well Known Brand with Script Font Logos
In addition to using script fonts in designs, they are also popular for creating logos. Many well-known and household name brands use script font logos including the following brands:
Ray-Ban
Coca-Cola
Kleenex
Sharpie
Vimeo
Fender
Kellogg’s
What are the best script fonts in Canva?
I’m so glad you asked! I wrote an entire post highlighting the 60 Best Canva Script and Cursive Fonts: Handwriting, Script & Cursive Fonts in Canva. I also created a Canva template of the 60 best Canva script fonts! You can grab the free Canva template here.
Research a Script Font Before Using It
As with any font, it’s important to research and make sure you are using the script font for its intended purpose. Some script fonts may have certain licenses and usage restrictions, so make sure you are familiar with those before using them in your designs.
When choosing a script font for your design, consider the overall aesthetic and feel you want to convey. Are you going for a more elegant or playful look? Would a formal or casual script font work better?
Also think about how legible the font is, as well as any licenses or usage restrictions that may apply. Ultimately, choose a script font that fits well with the overall design and aligns with your brand or message. Happy designing!
What’s your favorite script font?
Let us know in the comments below!
Free Resources:
- 60 Best Canva Script Fonts
- 45 Best Canva Font Pairings Template
- 25 Best Free Canva Fonts List Canva Template
- Free Stripe Pattern Procreate Brushes
Related Posts:
- 25 Best Free Fonts in Canva [in 2022] A Guide for Designers
- 60 Best Canva Script and Cursive Fonts: Handwriting, Script & Cursive Fonts in Canva
- Top Graphic Design Trends in 2023: What’s Coming in 2023 + Expert Tips
- 45 Best Canva Font Pairings and Combinations for Eye-Catching Designs: A Guide for Designers [2022]
- How to Upload Fonts to Canva: Step by Step Tutorial [VIDEO]
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