One of the major hindrances in the progress of typography for digital displays, such as monitors or handheld devices, has been the attempt to force screen fonts to look and act like traditional print fonts. A recent example of this tendency is Microsoft's ClearType technology. ClearType tries to make typefaces on the screen as smooth and graceful as their print counterparts by using an advanced form of anti-aliasing. Anti-aliasing involves adding shades of gray to the characters to make the shapes smoother. This process makes the shape more pleasing to the eye. However, it also decreases the amount of contrast, which in turn decreases legibility. The problem with this approach is that it places visual aesthetics over practical functionality.

The alternative is using a screen font that is harmonious with the display—the pixel font. Pixel fonts use pixels, the smallest unit of any display, to build the characters. When you are developing content for display on a monitor or handheld device, the advantages of using pixel fonts specifically built for the screen are increased type legibility and screen economy. The only disadvantage of pixel fonts is their inability to create smooth transitions because the pixel is inherently square. This shape can be made less noticeable by carefully designing the letterforms (the shape of the letters) to use the viewer's less-than-perfect perception to round out the shape.

Legibility is increased when using pixel fonts because there is no anti-aliasing of the characters. Pixel characters are sharp and distinct, standing out on a screen. This degree of contrast is vital to readily identifying characters, which is essential to increased legibility. For example, using small type (8 points or less) when anti-aliasing makes the characters extremely difficult to see.

Greater screen economy occurs when using pixel fonts because you are able to fit more characters on a display in the same amount of screen real estate. With the expansion of mobile devices, from mobile phones to Pocket PCs, there is an unprecedented need for typefaces that are both easy to read and space efficient.

For instance, until recently one of the biggest challenges for developers building projects in Macromedia Flash was the unavoidable anti-aliasing of text, without using device fonts. Device fonts limit the amount of visual control a designer has on any project by relying on whatever fonts the end user has installed on their machine. For this reason I made it a personal mission to create pixel fonts that would allow more creative freedom in Macromedia Flash.

Regardless of their primitive origins—the time when computers lacked the processing power to render type in more detail—the need for pixel fonts remains. The trend in technology is to create smaller and more portable devices, and those devices require small, legible type. For any developer, large or small screen, the incorporation of aliased fonts in Macromedia Flash content gives you the power to express your message clearly and dynamically to your intended audience. Once you see the difference between aliased and anti-aliased text, you will be convinced. Pixel fonts are not a trend; they are a necessity.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Craig is one of the four principals of Fourm Design Studio. His personal Web site features Macromedia Flash friendly vector-based pixel fonts that are ideal for most screen applications, large or small. His most recent creation is Ceriph 07. Craig received his BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where he is now teaching Typography on a part-time basis.

Feel free to send comments to craig@miniml.com.

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