HELP!!! Do you have problems with clients choosing their own font for a project?
onegirlcreative (1092 points) | Wed, 2007-02-21 21:35Hi Designers!
My problem is this—unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. Maybe it's me, maybe it's my choice of typography, I don't know. But I'm getting really, really frustrated. I am currently working on a project for a client to design and format a book she's created. It's a baby organizer for new moms. Anyway, I am in the process of designing the cover, and she is already coming up with all of these suggestions for different fonts. Of course, since she isn't on a Mac, she is choosing fonts from Microsoft Word. OMG—Microsoft Word???? Ok, the fact that it's a Windows' font tells me it isn't the best font choice.
I have over 2,600 fonts installed on my computer and I have to believe there is something that I could find. Now, don't get me wrong, this particular client is a sweetheart and a gem to work with. However, this is not the first time a client has suggested this sort of thing to me.
Am I the only lame designer that this is happening to??? Isn't that what they're paying us for in the first place? I realize that there will be times when they won't like a specific font that we choose, and that's fine. They can recommend the type of font they're desiring (i.e. more modern, more playful, more kid-like, etc.) but when they're actually finding fonts for me, then I get a little upset. Should I not be upset about this?
HELP!!! Any advice would be appreciated on how to handle such a situation.
Thanks!
P.S. I actually had a client requesting me to use Papyrus—I lied and said I didn't have it installed on my computer. ;-D I just couldn't bring myself to utilize it in my design.
--------
"I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint." ~ Frida Kahlo
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
Ever had a client actually SEND you a font? OR in lieu of that SEND you a LAYOUT with instructions on what font to use where? We had a client that also had their own in-house artist, so that makes it MUCH MUCH worse! So count your blessings that 'shes a gem' because it could be worse. lol About Papyrus, interesting. . . I personally see nothing wrong with it, just that its VERY overused (had a client send me a brochure with that font used that their art department did) and I found it misplaced with that particular execution. . . what exactly do you hate about it?
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
It's like Comic Sans, it's overused and with thousands of fonts out there, I find it hard to believe that designers still choose it. Obviously, I can see why a client would choose it, they don't typically know any better, but when I see a designer use it, that frustrates me. I recently designed a brochure for a client whose logo was designed in Papyrus—she simply had a text-only logo (I did not design this logo). It was a challenge to design around that, especially for a brochure, so I just used a sans-serif font throughout so it wouldn't compete. It turned out great.
As far as why I don't like it? Well, where to begin...I guess I don't like it because of how most of the time, it's not used correctly. I think if it was used as a header, and not for the body text, it would look ok. But I do have to admit, I do like the loop on the lowercase "g". Looks pretty cool. But that's really the only thing I like about it. Sorry!
suzanne maestri-walters :: graphic designer
--------
"I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint." ~ Frida Kahlo
www.onegirlcreative.com
I hate freestyle script myself! ESPECIALLY IN ALL CAPS! lol That crawls my blood and grinds my teeth! But I have seen Papyrus ONLY used in headlines, but as I said B4 it is rather over used. :) So I agree with your taste! I actually don't really have a problem with comic sans though. . . again its over used and thats what I have a problem with. :) Fonts all have their own 'character' and personality, so you've got to love ALL of them, even the bastard ones!
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Unfortunately we all have to swallow our pride when dealing with clients, to a lesser or greater degree. This just happens to be one of the worst ones. ;)
Try to convince her you are the designer, and you have experience and your expertise should be trusted. Would this client tell her auto mechanic how to change her transmission?!
Show her this great article on AIGA.org called 'How to work with a designer':
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=workingwithadesigner
----
"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling
is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side." - James Baldwin
----
Dirt and Rust