There is nothing good about Gill Sans. It has no character. I think the last time I used it was when I worked for a newspaper that used it as its default sans serif. *Shudder* Optima manages to add a hint of sensuous curve to a sans serif, but Zapf is a genius. Papyrus has its uses as a display type, but was quite frightening on that original clip.
I am fond of Goudy Old Style; Stone Informal and Serif; Novarese; and Caslon. The latter probably gives a warm fuzzy feeling because of its familiarity, plus its quite readable. Helvetica is probably my one true sans serif. There was an era when Souvenir was so overused that I can no longer see it without shuddering.
Oh, I like Stone a lot as well.
I really like Europa as a sans serif font.
I know! I am LOVING this font conversation. LOVING the geekiness of the Buffistas and font choices. *sniff* My people!
ooo Novarese
Bodoni & Futura are also faves for me, with Univers in there. Caslon also. but that's more a 'grow where I was planted' thing. Gill Sans is the product of way too many creative directors loving the stuff.
Helvetica and I had a bad fight a couple years back and don't speak regularly anymore. I am flighty with my sans-serifs now. In moments of panic, I'll look at Century Gothic and think, I _could_ make it work. I know I could.
Then I go to FontFont and play with the text viewer, which is better/faster than Adobe's most days. Makes me feel better. [link] (eta: fixy link)
I am Charlie Brown in all this.
carry on.
Bodoni & Futura are also faves for me
Oooh, Bodoni. Definitely. I like Futura, too.
I used to love Frutiger, mostly for the roundedness of the lower-case "round" characters (a, o, g, etc.), but we used it for a book project that took THREE YEARS, and I got a little sick of it, which is a shame, because it really does have a nice clean, elegant look.
I love when we start a new book project here, because our journals never change primary font; continuity is very important. Plus there's not a lot of room for madcap font fun with scientific journals. But we have more leeway with the books, and so Chatty!Co-worker and I will sit for hours and debate the merits of different fonts.
lower-case "round" characters (a, o, g, etc.),
ok - so we're on visual-fetish letters? Mine are 'g' and 'W' I can hate a font if its 'g' doesn't swing me. And the W can't suck either. Yours?
