Answer :
Final answer:
The main difference between screen fonts and print fonts is that screen fonts are optimized for digital displays with lower resolutions and simpler shapes, while print fonts have finer details appropriate for the high resolution of print media.
Explanation:
The one big difference between screen fonts and print fonts is their optimization for their respective mediums. Screen fonts are designed to be legible at lower resolutions, which are common for digital displays. This means they are often sans serif and have larger, clearer, simpler shapes that render well even on screens with fewer pixels.
In contrast, print fonts are typically higher resolution and can include fine details such as serifs, which research suggests make them easier to read on paper.
Furthermore, typography for print must take into account the actual printing process, where ink spreads slightly on paper (known as ink spread or dot gain), affecting how type is designed. In digital typography, designers must consider factors like pixel density and anti-aliasing, which affects how smoothly fonts appear on screens.
Best practices in typography also recommend limiting the number of different fonts used in a single document to maintain legibility and aesthetic coherence, and considering the audience when choosing type size and style, such as larger fonts for older readers or serif fonts for long reading sessions on paper.