Font combination suggestions for standard PC fonts (name badges)?

[meanjean]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

I am trying to revamp a standard PC word template that is used for name badges. Currently, the font combination used is Times New Roman italic for participant titles and institutions (smaller type), while the name is in a larger Verdana bold. (Name legibility is the most important feature. Does anyone have any other classic font combinations that would be compatible with standard PC fonts? (It has to be standard PC fonts because the computers used are basic rentals every year, in a different city, and the template has to be accessible by all conference employees. It's very limiting, but any suggestions would be helpful!

Thanks

[Theunis de Jong]

"PC" -- you are talking about Windows fonts.

Personally, I wouldn't combine a serif italic font with a sans bold font. You could try a small Regular and larger Bold combo. Try Georgia, for example.
For a sans, if you can be relatively sure Vista is on the machines, Calibri would look nice I guess.

[meanjean]

yes, sorry--i mean windows fonts (i am totally nil when it comes to pcs/windows). thanks!

[John Hudson]

Perhaps if you post an image of your current badge design, and provide current font sizes, you'll get some suggestions for appropriate replacements and perhaps refinements. It is difficult to recommend typefaces without having a sense of the typical layout, amount of information, etc.

[meanjean]

Here are a couple versions of what I'm talking about:

--the original badge is the all-centered version with Times New Roman italics and the bold, larger name in Verdana.

--the left-justified version has been converted to a standard windows vista (i think) sans serif (in this case, Franklin Gothic--which does not match the interstate font used in logo, but just looks nicer than, say, arial). the logo has been reduced a bit, as it's not necessary to have such a large logo on the badge. i think the left-justified version in all sans is easier to read.

by the way, the original file generator is a microsoft word badge insert template (3" x 4" badges). all the info is pulled from a general master list created in excel, through word's data merge manager. this is the only efficient way to prepare the badges as participant lists are not finalized until perhaps the day before, and new badges have to be created on the spot by anyone on staff (thus, microsoft word, windows platform...)

the smaller type is 16 pt; the bold names are 22 pt.

what do you think? i'm now looking for a standard windows sans serif font that will match the logo font, which is interstate light. ideas? thanks!

 

[meanjean]

ps: the blue/color bar at the bottom of the badge is just an indicator of what level participant one is...it needs to be there for security/identification reasons.

[John Hudson]

I don't think you'll find a super close match for Interstate Light among the MS fonts, but I would generally avoid using exactly the same typeface as in the logo text. Logo text should be distinct from information text.

If you are using Windows Vista or have Office 2007 installed, consider Corbel for the smaller information text. It is a relatively light sans, so will look okay with the Interstate Light and also provide good contrast with the bolder name text.

For the names, give Candara Bold a try. It might be too informal for your purpose. On the other hand, it is more personable than most sans, so may be appropriate for names.