Font Rant !!!!

[gabagoo]

OK, is it me or has the entire sign world gone Arial crazy.
On my drive to and from the office I always look at vehicle lettering or store front signage and I am flabergasted at the amount of use that this font gets.
I have never liked the look of it and the kerning always looks like chit. I use it only when I have to reproduce it.

Are designers at fault for this? Starts with an "A" therefore it is fast to access? Why the sudden increase in it's use? yuck, I cant stand the freakin font

 

[signmeup]

It's about the first sans seriff bold font that comes loaded on your PC. The capital R's are better than Helvetica's.

 

[TheSnowman]

It's because "customers" design their own stuff and bring it in most of the time. That's why we have to use it from time to time. I personally generally only use anything out of my signfonts.com collection.

 

[gabagoo]

It's about the first sans seriff bold font that comes loaded on your PC. The capital R's are better than Helvetica's.

NOT!!!! never...... well maybe for carving I guess lol

 

[zmatalucci]

While I don't use Arial, I have become lazy in my "designs". I've become frustrated by customers hacking my ideas, so I just give them the basic concept.

 

[signmeup]

NOT!!!! never...... well maybe for carving I guess lol

Helvetica's capital R is hideous.

 

[David Wright]

Starts with "A" at the top of the list. Why look farther.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

too many amateur or lazy designers

Just to add. I am constantly typesetting lettering in artwork and I would say 50% of the logos/art I trace use fonts from the default font set from Windows, Office and Mac.

 

[signmeup]

Most people wouldn't have a clue how to (or even that you could) install a font on a computer. They use what they have. Also, most people couldn't tell a nice font from an ugly one.

 

[Bigdawg]

<ducking so when I get flamed for this I don't get burned>

I hate Arial.

I love Helvetica... prefer it's R over Arial...

Dr. Cas once asked my what I thought of Helvetica... my "test" I think LOL... In a spirited defense of Helvetica, I told him I thought it was a much-maligned font that had it's place. I love the extended versions of Helvetica Neue...

but when I use Helvetica it's because it's appropriate to the layout. Don't use it often, but when I do... it's a conscious decision.

 

[oldgoatroper]

OK, is it me or has the entire sign world gone Arial crazy.
On my drive to and from the office I always look at vehicle lettering or store front signage and I am flabergasted at the amount of use that this font gets.
I have never liked the look of it and the kerning always looks like chit. I use it only when I have to reproduce it.

Are designers at fault for this? Starts with an "A" therefore it is fast to access? Why the sudden increase in it's use? yuck, I cant stand the freakin font

Since Arial is a drop-in replacement for Helvetica, its kerning is identical.

Many of you have probably seen this little article on Arial, but for those that haven't -- The Scourge of Arial <-- clicky

 

[signmeup]

I like Comic Sans. There..... I said it.

Helveticas capital R sucks bollocks. I refuse to look directly at it.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

what don't you like about the R?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I personally think the helvetica R is superior to arial's...more refined IMO than just a leg sticking out...

 

[RVSG-THOM]

Since Arial is a drop-in replacement for Helvetica, its kerning is identical.

Many of you have probably seen this little article on Arial, but for those that haven't -- The Scourge of Arial <-- clicky

Awesome explanation. I get the "Let's use Arial for this that and the other" all the time, and i just feel that the customer is cheating themselves. Even after i try and present other just as readable and better looking font choices.

 

[Bigdawg]

How could you like that yucky ole' R on Arial over the svelte curves of Helvetica????

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Typical Microsoft

"When Microsoft made TrueType the standard font format for Windows 3.1, they opted to go with Arial rather than Helvetica, probably because it was cheaper and they knew most people wouldn’t know (or even care about) the difference"

 

[signmeup]

My eyes! My eyes!! You're just evil!! Arrrrrrrrg!!!!!!!! Curse you Stacey!






(it's that icky curve that just gives me the willies! Icky, ichy! (.....shudder.....cringe.....wince...)

 

[signage]

I think Signmeup likes Ariel better because it is easier to hand carve:Big Laugh:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

 

[gabagoo]

Since Arial is a drop-in replacement for Helvetica, its kerning is identical.

Many of you have probably seen this little article on Arial, but for those that haven't -- The Scourge of Arial <-- clicky

I guess I should rephrase the kerning issue. The numbers of arial kern awful!!!! I have seen so many 2010 dates with the "1" way out of whack. I am constantly fixing so called designers files as I just cant stomach printing or cutting that awful look.