Typography Make News

 I've noticed that recently typography has made the news more than once. Okay not the big headline stuff but it seems that the general public are starting to have an appreciation for (or are just simply baffled by) typography and its importance.

The first article from BBC news looked at do typefaces matter to the Average Joe? Personally, I hadn't really considered the intricacies of typography before I was introduced to the discipline at university but that said, I certainly knew different fonts had different 'feels' - as simple as serifs were for formal stuff and sans serif to look cool and script to look personal. But after university, I've realised that type is more important, has a lot more depth and I've grown to like it (not love it, but I see the importance of getting to grips with it). That said, essentially, it's about what the person on the other end of you poster, or website, or film sees or feels which matters; just because you as a graphic designer or typographer can see the small and subtle details, others who you are targeting will maybe see it another way; the key lies in seeing your work in the eyes of the target market and communicating to them on their level. The article can be read here.

The second article my dad handed to me in the G2 section of the Guardian; an amusing take on Comic Sans, its lovers, and its haters. As someone who, shall we say, doesn't appreciate the font, I found it interesting to hear about what the journalist had to say about the positives Comic Sans. Cory Holms, I think, sums it up brilliantly;

"Comic Sans is proof positive that design works, the public gets it and understands that type means more than just words."

What was more amusing in the article was the monologue referenced, written in the first person perspective of 'Comic Sans' by Timothy McSweeny; definitely worth a read! The article can be read here and the monologue here.

It seems, typography is becoming more accessible to the general public and the small details, I thought were often overlooked (not that the public don't notice fonts more they don't realise probably what a painstaking process has gone into choosing exactly the right font) are starting to be recognised. Graphic designers sometimes get caught up in their own creative worlds, when what needs to be considered is what the consumer or viewer sees; maybe Comic Sans might be the right type for the job, even if it makes you vom a little bit.