justify type choice
- Started
- Last post
- 17 Responses
- jimbojones
I have a client, a CD without a C. I make a new layout where I was promised all the freedom I can get. One of the first decisions on my side was to substitute Interstate with something else, finally I settled on FF Kievit.
Problem: the client (who is a "designer", so I can talk him into the it looks nicer stuff) says that the layman wouldn't see the difference anyway, so why change it. If I say something like "a layman wouldn't notice the difference between Myriad and Interstate either, so why bother?" it would make further argumentation difficult... I don't want to push the aesthetics issue because he obviously likes Interstate (as a text face). Please help!
- version30
http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/fon…
ask him what this layout has to do with traffic
- i admit this was a smart ass answer, just an opportunity to link the comparison font in questionversion3
- huh?jimbojones
- was didn't mean the traffic thing, i was just posting Kievitversion3
- jimbojones0
well it's not like fonts are only bound to only one possible field... Also I don't want to come off cocky, I'd rather have a few solid constructive arguments.
- identity0
what is the product the layout is for? Interstate is a very masculine face - where Kievit seems more gender neutral. I would maybe try this - claiming that subconsciensly this will appeal to a broader audience.
- version30
jimbo, i have a link for you, t'was based on your suggestion, wait here, i'll be right back :D
- okjimbojones
- http://www.blurb.com…version3
- not one chick that I posted? fuck you!jimbojones
- um the book is 32 pages, that shows 15version3
- :Dversion3
- all those are what downthemall was able to scour from the 1st 20 pagesversion3
- how did all the chicks fit into 32 pages? or will you do 790 volumes?jimbojones
- "all those are what downthemall was able to scour from the 1st 20 pages"version3
- hence the "Vol I"version3
- ok, did you make $1 million already?jimbojones
- nope, not one sold, i think i have a distribution problem, or the overhead is killing me ;)version3
- post a link at QBN, those guys are hornyjimbojones
- copyright infringement?version3
- do you care?jimbojones
- i just wonder if blurb would even print it say one were orderedversion3
- order one :)jimbojones
- jimbojones0
Another problem is that he think he did a high quality layout for 4 years already, and the client is happy and all. So "obviously" his choice works. I think that Interstate is neither a good choice there, nor a good text face, but I believe he's immune to things like "this typeface has a masculine touch" and all...
- Mau0
last year I had an argue about something like this...
I can´t call him a client anymore ;(- what did you say to him?jimbojones
- something like: lets take the font I suggested or GFYMau
- he took the GFYMau
- but I would do it againMau
- howard roark! lolidentity
- yeah, but I like to think that there is something above personal preference...jimbojones
- Howard who?Mau
- sure but my case was a bit more extreme... like Impact for headlinesMau
- but Impact works for headlines, why change?jimbojones
- sorry - He's a character from the Fountainhead - i just got done reading it...identity
- LOLOMau
- jimbojones0
Also I think it is generally a complicated issue, if you assume that a layman can't tell Myriad from any other sans face, why bother at all? Myriad is a great face, comes free with Adobe stuff... I'm talking about text faces, where a distinguished look isn't really required.
- identity0
yeah - it sounds more like psychology than a type argument - by you suggesting you have a better way than the way he came up with, and has been using to the client's approval for the last 4 years, you're questioning his design choices and ultimately his abilities. Now, OBVIOUSLY you are just putting your two cents in as to a better way to do things, but to him no matter how you coat it, this may just come off as insulting. GOOD creative directors are able to take criticism - but from what you've said about him already, this is very much an ego-game with him.
I'm not sure what to do here, sorry... :-(
- jimbojones0
he (well, the agency) hired me to redesign the crap.
- in THAT case - pull out that trump card when he refuses to listen to anything. Be nice - but when thats over - be honest.identity
- he's the one who can send me home any time. complicated hierarchy...jimbojones
- Corvo20
Maybe you could say that your font choice will integrate better with web text and readability (Kievit is not for from Verdana, for instance). Sounds like a good reason to me.
- for=farCorvo2
- it's a print projectjimbojones
- But what if the client later decides to expand the same campaign to the web?Corvo2
- Verdana all the wayjimbojones
- Scotch_Roman0
Tell him that Interstate as a text face calls too much attention to itself, because it's an homage to Highway signage. Kievit is more legible in paragraph settings. You might also mention that the lowercase letters in Kievit are more gracefully drawn; Interstate's lowercase is incongruous with the uppercase. The ascenders and descenders are too short, because again, it was based off of highway signage. What you need is a text sans face, and Kievit is more suitable for text.
- jimbojones0
Thanks Matt, but I have a feeling he'd just say "well I can read it just fine, and the client too". It's a sort of a dead end...
- jimbojones0
trust me, it's not. Scotch described very well why Kievit for instance is superior. As for the battles, I dunno if it's worth it without solid arguments, if I can't convince him, I'll just take my money and go home, no big deal. But I would like to be able to address this issue (explaining stuff about good type to designers, not clients) better in the future.
- johndiggity0
any brand standards you can refer to? anything that written for the company or organization that can inform any of your decisions? if so, and they support your choice, you can argue that kievit is a better choice in keeping with the attitude of the brand. if not, here's an opportunity to have a legitimate discussion with the client to develop some sort to of visual guidelines to inform the successive work (this gives you the chance to sit down with him work through the possibilities, all while keeping him involved and making him feel a part of the process.)
- jimbojones0
that CD is between me and the client. no brand standards or anything. they know (well, they should at least) the brand better than I do, but simply put: Interstate sucks as a text face. and it's not even a matter of my personal preference of Kievit, even Myriad would do a better job. and so we come to the important question: if a layman can't differ between Myriad and Kievit, why not go for Myriad?
- johndiggity0
this sounds like more of a political question than a design question. you have to decide whether it's worth your time and effort to fight this battle or to just treat it as a job and get it done. if it's a client you enjoy working with and want to build a relationship, try to do so. if not, just do what they asked and focus your energies somewhere will it will be better served and appreciated. you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. good luck.