• Printed words have specific typefaces.fonts image by Andrzej Solnica from Fotolia.com
  
  A typeface is a particular design of type and comes in many different styles. A typeface can convey a certain look and feeling: Some fonts convey a classic image, while others invoke playfulness or whimsy. Typefaces vary in height, visual weight and other decorative characteristics such as italics and bold.
  
  

Serif

• Serif typefaces include what are known as little feet, or finishing strokes, on the ends of certain letters, including T, I and S. Serif fonts are among the oldest; many ancient Roman fonts fall within the serif category. The first printing press made use of serif fonts in the late 1440s. The Renaissance era, according to PBS' Independent Lens, saw the introduction of typefaces such as Old English, Gothic and Antiqua--based upon ancient Roman typefaces. Newspapers often use serif fonts, especially in headlines for stories. Common modern serif fonts include Times Roman, New Century Schoolbook and Courier.
  
  

Sans Serif

• Sans serif typeface excludes the finishing stroke of serif fonts. The first sans serif font was developed in 1816 by a British printer named William Caslon IV, according to the Independent Lens. This typeface was rejected due to the unfamiliar look of a font without end strokes. Sans serif fonts came into vogue later in the 18th century and in the early 20th century. The first popular sans serif font, Bauhaus, was first used in Germany in the early 1900s. Sans serif then became an acceptable typeface, with many people choosing sans serif fonts because of their legibility. Modern sans serif fonts in use today include Helvetica, Arial and Calibri.
  
  

Decorative

• Typefaces that don't quite fit the serif or sans serif categorizations are considered decorative typefaces. Grantastic Designs describes many script fonts as belonging to this category. Decorative fonts should be used sparingly, as many of them are harder to read than serif or sans serif fonts. Advertising displays, birthday party invitations and garage sale posters are a few choice vehicles for these special fonts. Brush Script, Zaph Chancery and Broadway are among the decorative typefaces that are used frequently.