Monday, January 21, 2008

See also: Papyrus.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

OMG you're brilliant. Both fonts are horrid!

LotharBot said...

Neither font is horrid. They both look good in the right circumstances.

The problem with Papyrus is people see it and think "wow, that looks cool, my work will really stand out if I use that!" So it gets used not just in the circumstances where it really fits, but all over the place (I even have a Bible that uses it for book headings!) And it's so distinctive that you just can't miss it. It becomes a distraction, rather than a subtle enhancement.

Comic Sans is cartoony. Great for cartoons. Awful for most other things.

Fonts like Arial and Tahoma are almost universally good. There are a few circumstances where they look bad, but not very many.

Anonymous said...

And here I thought my typography made up the adjective "Horsey"

Damn you corroborative evidence!

Jars said...

actually i don't think Comic Sans is great for cartoons.

the thing with those two fonts is, they're both tacky and horridly overused, just like how Helvetica was hated during the Grunge Era. but now Helvetica is one of the best, if not the best font in the world.

(although i doubt Comic Sans would ever reach Helvetica status. ever.)

Unknown said...

or an Arby's sandwich

Unknown said...

Bah, I defend both for general use in private (such as changing windows text).

But yeah, use on work documents would be a very silly idea.

Anonymous said...

Hey, what happened to "tacky"? As always, great work! (btw, what does "horsey" mean for typefaces anyway?)

Victoria said...

Awww...I like Papyrus. I use it in graphics. Comic Sans is pretty awful though. Love your site.

Anonymous said...

you're just funny..

Anonymous said...

I just received a document from a supplier... using Comic Sans. I almost emailed him this post.
I'd rather be smug though.

Anonymous said...

My graphic-designer-wannabe son has educated me about the overuse of these two fonts. Even though I am dorky enough to like them both, I restrain myself.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant, Jessica. :) Death to Comic Sans!

Also, death to Arial and long live Helvetica... though I really do prefer serifs myself, Helvetica is pretty awesome.

Kelsey said...

Oh my. I recently saw a business sign that used Comic Sans to vomit-inducing effect. There are just some fonts that do not know their place.

Or some people who don't know how to use them.

Unknown said...

I only have this to say:

CENTURY GOTHIC FOREVER!

It's different, it's dead uncommon, and it's easy on the eyes. Nuff said.

Annie said...

Finally, someone out there...understands!

Yes, both fonts are horribly overused in the wrong circumstances (which is 99% of circumstances in which you could use them). Try working in the religious industry and reading church newsletters comprised of nothing BUT those two fonts (or worse, 20 different fonts).

 
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