Serifed faced are all those typefaces that use serifs as part of their design. Since the 15th century, when the printer Nicolas Johnson (1430-1480) cut type based on roman letterforms, Serifed faced have been widely used.
There is an argument which claims that for lengthy amounts if reading a Serifed face is more helpful to the eye – the serifs leading the eye form one letter to the next. Against this, some contemporary research suggest that the brain does not “read” the characters in a word sequentially, instead processing words complete, almost like taking a snapshot in order to gain the meaning of the word.
I think it is true to say that the use if Serifed faced in stationary give it a more traditional feel. But that is not to say that are all alike.
SANS SERIF
“Sans Serif” type is quite literally type “without serifs”. The first sans serif typeface was designed by William Caslon IV in 1816.
The visual appearance of the sans serif face is simpler than its Serifed counterpart, and can be employed to great effect: used large for newspaper headlines and posters, it makes a dramatic impression; used small for running text, many sans serif faced are considered more readable than similar point sized, as is shown below:
In the above example, the first sentence is written in “Serif” and the second sentence is written in “Sans Serif”. As you can see from the two sentences, “Sans Serif” is clearer and more readable than “Serif” font. Therefore, for small appearances, it is better to use the “Sans Serif” font. If your design or document will be used for faxing or photocopying then it is preferable to use “Sans Serif” font for better readability.
