Faces: A Dingbats Typeface for Editorial and Design Projects
I was sitting with a stack of layout proofs for a lifestyle publication redesign, searching for a cover font that could bridge whimsy and sophistication. The deadline was tight, the mood board was pinned with half-formed ideas, and nothing in my font library felt right. Then I opened Faces, a dingbats font with a sketch-style character, and something clicked. It wasn't a conventional typeface in the way I expected, but it brought a warmth and creative energy that immediately felt at home in editorial work.
Faces is a premium dingbats font built around expressive, hand-drawn motifs. Every glyph carries the texture and imperfection of a pencil sketch, which gives it a personality that feels both deliberate and spontaneous. For anyone who works in publishing, blogging, or content design, this is not a font you use for body copy, but it is one you reach for when you want to inject visual interest, narrative tone, and a sense of handcrafted detail into your layouts. It is a creative font that rewards thoughtful placement.
The Visual Character of Faces
What struck me first about Faces was its rhythm. The sketches are not uniform or mechanical; each character has its own weight, line thickness, and expressive tilt. This gives the font a natural, organic feel that pairs well with modern typography and clean editorial grids. The dingbats include a range of facial expressions, motifs, and decorative elements that can function as standalone illustrations or as accents beside text.
In the context of editorial design, Faces works beautifully for cover text, section headings, pull quotes, and chapter openers. I tested it on a recipe ebook cover, and the hand-drawn quality of the font softened the layout, making the book feel approachable and personal. For a wedding guide project, the same font added a layer of charm without tipping into overly ornamental territory. The key is that Faces does not scream for attention; it invites the reader in with its quiet, sketch-like presence.
Because Faces is a dingbats font, it does not include the full alphanumeric set of a standard typeface. Instead, it offers a library of pictographic and decorative glyphs that can be used as design accents. This makes it ideal for branding elements, logo design, social media graphics, and printable materials where a unique visual signature matters. In editorial work, I have used it for bullet points, divider lines, and small illustrative details that break up text heavy pages without overwhelming the reader.
Supporting Editorial Mood and Publication Identity
One of the quiet challenges in publishing is maintaining a consistent mood across a publication. A font like Faces, with its sketch style and creative theme, helps establish a tone that feels handmade, thoughtful, and slightly unconventional. I used it in a newsletter series for a small coaching practice, and the dingbats became a recognizable part of the brand identity. Readers began to associate the hand-drawn style with the personal, reflective nature of the content.
For a digital magazine layout, I placed Faces in the title treatment of a feature article about creative process. The sketchy lines echoed the article's theme of imperfect, evolving work. This is where Faces excels: it is not just decorative, it is communicative. It reinforces the editorial mood without needing extra illustration or photography.
In blog design, Faces works well for headers and subheadings when paired with a clean sans serif font for body text. For a lifestyle blog redesign, I used Faces for the main blog title and for decorative elements in the sidebar. The result felt cohesive but not rigid. The font added a layer of texture that made the blog feel more like a publication and less like a template.
Readability, Hierarchy, and Practical Use in Layouts
Faces is not a font for long-form reading. Its sketch style, while charming, reduces legibility at small sizes and in dense paragraphs. This is true of most expressive dingbats fonts. I would not recommend it for body copy, captions under 12 points, or formal reports where clarity is paramount. However, for titles, pull quotes, section headings, and cover text, it performs beautifully. The key is to use it sparingly and intentionally.
When building visual hierarchy in a layout, Faces can serve as the entry point: the element that first catches the reader attention. From there, a clean serif font or a neutral sans serif font can carry the reading experience. I have tested this in a printable planner and a course PDF. In both cases, Faces was used for the main title and for decorative accents, while a simple serif font handled the instructional text. The contrast between the expressive dingbats and the restrained body type created a clear, inviting structure.
For screen reading and mobile layouts, Faces renders well at medium to large sizes. I exported test pages for a digital guide and viewed them on a phone and a tablet. The sketch lines remained crisp and did not blur or pixelate, which is a credit to the font's design. For print materials, the font holds up in PDF exports and in physical printing, though I recommend testing it on your specific printer or print service to confirm the line weights reproduce as expected.
Font Pairing and Editorial Flexibility
Pairing Faces with the right body font is essential for a balanced editorial look. I have found that a clean serif font with moderate contrast works well for long-form reading, especially in ebook layouts and print guides. The serif font grounds the page, while Faces adds the decorative punch. For digital newsletters or blog headers, a sans serif font with generous spacing complements Faces without competing for attention.
I have also used Faces alongside a handwritten font for a more casual, artisanal feel. This combination works for wedding invitations, DIY craft guides, and personal branding projects. However, for editorial work where readability is a priority, I stick with a neutral serif or sans serif font for the body and reserve Faces for the moments that need emphasis.
The font also plays well with design assets like logos, brand marks, and social media graphics. Since Faces is a dingbats font, its glyphs can be used as standalone icons or as part of a larger composition. For a small business owner creating their own printables, this is a valuable asset. It reduces the need for custom illustration while still delivering a unique visual identity.
Practical Considerations Before You Use Faces
Before integrating Faces into any publication, it is important to check the included styles, alternates, ligatures, and weights. Not all dingbats fonts come with multiple styles, and knowing what is available will save time during layout. I also recommend reviewing the multilingual support if your content includes accented characters or non-English text. Faces, like many creative fonts, may have limited language coverage, so test it early in your workflow.
File formats matter as well. Most premium fonts are available in OTF and TTF formats, and Faces should work across major design software. For web use, check whether the font license covers embedding in digital publications, newsletters, or PDF exports. Commercial font licensing is not standardized, so read the terms carefully if you plan to use Faces in ebooks, templates, printables, paid newsletters, client publications, or digital downloads. Some licenses restrict the number of users or the type of projects allowed.
For content creators who sell digital products, such as planners, worksheets, or course materials, confirm that the license permits distribution within those files. Many independent font designers offer clear licensing tiers, and it is worth investing in the correct tier from the start. This protects both your work and the designer's rights.
Faces is not a font I would reach for every project. It is too expressive for formal corporate reports or academic papers. But for the magazines, blogs, guides, and creative publications that thrive on personality and visual storytelling, it is a wonderful addition to the toolkit. It supports editorial identity, enhances visual hierarchy, and brings a handcrafted warmth that readers notice. When used with intention, it elevates a layout from functional to memorable.
