I have no problem with trying to be authentic in my design/art direction. In fact, I encourage it. But where I do have a problem is where someone tries to fake said authenticity. Case and point, using a handwritten typeface.

Now, if it’s for a short headline with few words, then it may be considered passable and I have no problems with that whatsoever. But if you are writing a lengthy headline – or worse, a large amount of body copy – in a handwritten typeface, then that is where I have a problem.

Look at the above image. Notice the ‘a’. Notice the ‘y’. Imagine if this was for a large headline or for a chunk of body copy. It would lose all its rustic impact. It would stick out like a sore thumb and bring the rest of your design down with it. Simply put, it just wouldn’t look authentic.

So how do you combat this problem? Just write it out. Or find someone to write it out for you. It’s just that simple. Or go up into your glyphs palette and change the letter. There are many fonts that have multiple versions of every letter to help combat this worldwide design epidemic.

After all, there’s nothing worse than trying to fake authenticity. It’s sort of like a pretty girl with short hair.