Monday Rant #7 - Faking Authenticity
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.
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December 8th, 2005 at 5:34 am
Couldn’t agree more. I really is that simple. Write it out! And if there’s errors, retouch or leave and increase authenticity factor.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:13 pm
I like pretty girls with short hair.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
i second that ben
December 8th, 2005 at 2:01 pm
Kenny, I actually liked this rant, but when i read your last paragraph it kind of lost all of it’s meaning. In order for me to take you serious you gotta stop posting stupid little comments like that or people will just think you are an idiot.
December 8th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
yeah I’ve actually helped develop a font for a client where we made alternate letters for common glyphs like double oo’s and ee’s and t’s worked out a charm.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:59 pm
Hallelujah.
December 8th, 2005 at 11:23 pm
I can’t stand seeing “handwritten” fonts for the exact reason you mention. There was a font I used in the early 90s called Penpal One that had eight different variations, so you could mix and match characters to create something that didn’t look much like a font. Of course, it was slow and trdious, but most things were in PageMaker 4 on a Mac IIcx
And you know my thoughts on the pretty girls with short hair situation!!!!! (for the record, I’m with ben and freddy)
pretty girl + short hair = hot
Jonathan
December 9th, 2005 at 4:20 am
Yeah, revealing yourself to be a misogynist loser who likes his “pretty girls” just so = authentically retarded.