New School?

[Artildawn]

Ok I have a customer that wants a design done. Said he wanted to use the "Brooklyn Kid" font for his business name. It's a horrible font but that's neither here nor there. When showed the proof to his partners, they said it was too "old school" and that it need to more "new school."

So what would a "new school" font be? Sorry but I think I may be a bit too long in the tooth to get what he wants.

If I ever rename my company it'll be Jurassic Graphic.

 

[DrCAS]

Boy, that's a tough one... "New School"... Geez, just when we were really getting used to hearing "old school" without cringing and making funny faces...


.

 

[B Snyder]

Clients like these I refer to 1001fonts. Tell them to find a font they like and get back to you.

 

[Allied Digital]

old school - new school

I have recently developed a "I am the expert, here" attitude where I say - "I would recommend..." Apparently, it comes out in such a way that folks generally go with it. Go figure?

 

[Fred Weiss]

A couple of tales that may or may not help you in your search ...

A few years ago the director of a local art museum instructed me to select some "edgy" fonts for a layout we had been contracted to create. After a complete rejection of a few layouts using what I thought were edgy fonts, I asked him (as I should have up front) to point me at something edgy that he liked. The font turned out to be Futura ... which is about as far from edgy as I can imagine.

We used to keep a type book on our front counter to have something to grab to show a client what we were thinking of using when they expressed an interest. 99% of the time, they would quickly gravitate to the boldest, most pronounced font on the page and announce that that font was what they wanted.

My suggestion: Show him one bold san serif font like Futura Bold; one bold serif font like Aachen Bold; and one bold script font of your choosing.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

 

[Techman]

ya never ever show them a font book. IF you do ,,, it will take hours for them to decide..
And then they will have almost 12 of those on their bizz card.

 

[Rick]

There are quite a few right here, http://www.graffitifonts.net/fonts.htm

...but drawing it out by hand usually goes together better.

 

[Artildawn]

Well he's to pick up the revised proofs tomorrow. If he still doesn't like, he's being referred to a font site.

Interesting side rick, but is that "wild style" graffiti on the old side too? I tried tagging when I was a youngin' but it didn't take.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

That was beautiful ...Fred ... don't know if I should cry or laugh ...... that was so true, in so many like cases ...

 

[rjpjr]

funny, interpretation is everything.

Old school...new school. I immediately thought of current design trends that I see in advertising. I remember reading on another thread where somebody was discussing that they believed that the trends were veering towards cleaner, sleeker, less edgy designs. I agree with that opinion at least from the view point of corporate design. Tropicana changed their packaging and went with the cleaner look only to dump it and return to what they already had due to customer outrage. There are a few fonts that fit the within the new cleaner, sleeker look. I have noticed Apex Sans, Interstate and Avenir. I believe Apex Sans is what CBS is using in their self promotional commercials. Apex, Interstate and Avenir are worlds apart from the "Edgy" or "Graffiti" fonts mentioned earlier.

I would be more comfortable showing them Industry magazines instead of Individual fonts. By doing so, they pick out a particular style rather than just a font.

Let us know what they tell yea. I am curious to see what they consider to be "New School".

 

[Gino]

I'm not sure if this will help, but when I think of new school themes... I think of what I see on the school grounds these days and what statement these kids today are making.....ya know, with their low floppy shorts where their butts stick out and the crotch is around their ankles..... and enough jewelry on to make Mr T jealous. That alone makes me think of some bold brash lettering that is non-recognizable. Hearing how the kids of today talk and the big emphasis on 'E'bonics and other guttural sounds emitted from their mouths I would think of an another hard to understand style that blends together like...... Curls or Jokerman. Seeing the level at which these kids are graduating.... I would think if you have a digital printer that can print nice pictures... that would be the ticket. Let the alphabets out of it altogether. Heck, these kids can't read much past the third grade level and what they do recognize are pictures.... not words.


Yeah, draw a stick figure of kids at the playground at recess in front of a school and make that the universal picture for schools and you have a winner. :Oops:

 

[Malkin]

When I read "New School" I interpreted it as meaning the sleaker simpler styles also. Try a google search on Web 2.0 designs. Simple, light, bright colors, lotsa negative space etc..