There is a rule of thumb that a writer should avoid
clichés like the plague. But rules were meant to be
broken, and this writer, like the designers featured
here, has always been one to go against the grain.
Kidding aside, there is a place in the world for
rules, laws and standard conventions. A rule is a
directive intended to influence or guide behavior. In
the U.S., we drive on the right. Guests rise when the
bride walks down the aisle. Athletes are disqualified
for using steroids. But sometimes the rules change.
Although no one is required to sit in the back of the
bus anymore, you can’t get on an airplane without an
ID. The old social taboo about wearing black attire
to a wedding has been relaxed. And while drug use
will still result in an athlete being sanctioned, sports
eligibility rules change all the time.
There are rules in the design world as well, and
it seems the vast majority of them deal with the use
of type: Don’t use more than two fonts in a print ad.
Use centered type sparingly. Eliminate widows and
orphans. Choose serif type over sans serif for optimal
readability. Do not use all capital letters for text.
Today’s savvy designer can successfully disregard certain
type norms by taking a few items into account.
The medium is the message
In every situation where type is used, the technique
should be appropriate to the means. A headline treatment that works for a magazine spread
might not be effective on a poster, for example.
Letterspacing in a book can be tight, and the words
will still be readable because a book or periodical
is typically viewed from a direct angle and at arm’s
length. On a highway sign, however, improper—or
just plain bad—kerning could cause a missed exit.
The choice of a font or technique used in
arranging type is affected by a variety of factors.
From the ink holdout of the substrate to the finished
size of a piece, each element of the medium being
used should be taken into account.
Design for delivery via a computer monitor
presents its own set of issues. The elastic nature of
a web page—one that has to work across different
computer platforms and screen sizes—makes the
odds for success more difficult to calculate. A saving
grace of a digital medium is, of course, that it is correctable,
and even retractable. One complaint about
illegibility, and a remedy can be executed immediately,
often at little or no cost.
Get off on the right foot
The choice of a font and the way it is used presents
an immediate “first impression” to the audience.
In most instances the reader may not consciously
notice the letterforms—particularly if a conventional
typeface is used—but the viewer nonetheless will be influenced by the font. For example, a
simple invitation set entirely in a classic script such
as Zapfino that is centered line for line can quickly
set the expectation that an event or presentation is
going to be formal. But take the exact same text,
set it in Futura or American Typewriter, and the
personality of the occasion suddenly takes on a different
feel. There are, of course, degrees of formality
and informality—just as there are varying measures
that factor in, like quality or urgency. The trick is in
finding just the right delivery vehicle to convey the
message as you intend it.
Don’t be a fish out of water
A private event invitation is a whole different animal
from a consumer packaging campaign. Type used on
a menu is bound by a different set of criteria than the
font you select for a neon sign. Likewise, you may be
guided by different considerations when you’re trying
to sell something, rather than merely entertain.
If your message is the only one the receiver is dealing
with at a given time, you can take a different stance
than you might in a crowded message marketplace.
Take care to ensure that your techniques or font
choices are suitable for the environment in which
they’ll be appearing.
Don’t bark up the wrong tree
An audience’s perception is colored by demographics,
experience and—as we’ve seen above—milieu.
For example, a memorable font—such as Baby
Teeth, designed by Milton Glaser in 1968—may
seem nostalgic and familiar to a Baby Boomer, while
someone born in the 1980s might deem the same
font retro, or simply find it dated. A frenetic layout
comprised of a large number of mismatched typefaces
will appeal more to one crowd than another.
Some audiences are perfectly willing to “work” to receive a message about something that holds their
interest, while others will be gone in a flash if you’re
not immediately forthcoming with your offer or
clear with your communication.
Here today, gone tomorrow
The anticipated shelf life of a piece is often a consideration
in font selection. Certain projects are
ephemeral: They are of and for the moment, and
their fleeting nature often means they are bound
by fewer constraints. An example of this would be
a promotion for a concert. In such an instance, the
audience is specific, highly motivated and the message
is succinct. Communication developed within
this context can be a little more unconventional.
Send up a trial balloon
When you are taking a design risk—especially one
involving type and readability—it is often a good
idea to test-drive your design. Ask someone who is
unfamiliar with your project and whose judgment
you trust for an objective assessment. Be prepared to
ask specific questions such as “can you read this?” or
“what feeling do you walk away from this with?” If
you’re designing a menu that will be used in a lowlight
situation, take a prototype to a dark restaurant
and see for yourself what adjustments might be
needed to ensure a successful end result.
What’s wrong with this picture?
It is a pretty safe bet that every designer has made
missteps involving typography and font selection
at some point. Common mistakes are using a toosmall
point size, choosing a light ink color for the
body copy, selecting an overly elaborate and hardto-
read font. The trick is in learning from your
mistakes (or better yet, the mistakes of others) and
not repeating them. A post mortem is always a good
idea at the end of a project; it can help you head off
future type transgressions.
At the end of the day …
The most important question to ask is whether the
typography—along with all the other elements of a
design—comes together to enhance or detract from
the message. Some rules were made to be broken,
but a little advance work will help you avoid crying
over spilled milk.
