Monday, April 13, 2009

Okay, so here I was pondering...


Okay, so here I was pondering a seminar I attended, about the wonderful history of the font Arial, a while back. Yeah, really.

Anyway, like I was saying, I was pondering the seminar and what struck me most was the speakers trite remarks, as an "experienced designer", how certain font choices automatically told him that the designer was either experienced or a student straight out of the gate.

It bothered me, as these things sometimes do, that maybe this "experienced designer" needed to take a step back and look at what works with a fresh view instead of a tired eye trying desperately to come up with something fresh. I know I use some of the fonts he talked about, even now. If they work, they work.

In the middle this "pondering" I started watching one of my podcasts of Photoshop TV and had a blog entry brought to my attention. Now you may be saying to yourself right about now, what the F@*! is Derek going on about.

Well I suggest you watch the video on this blog, that caught my attention, I'll give you the link in a moment. It all sort of lead me to understand what we do when others judge us on their standards.

We tend to start judging ourselves on what others think of us and our work instead of just moving forward, learning, growing and creating. Maybe we should use something like a font or technique that a student would use from time to time. After-all if an uncluttered, fresh mind says it works and explains the message easily then why not use it. Hey if it speaks the message we're trying to express then it's right, right?

Hey, maybe I'm reading more in all this then needed. It has been a long winter.

Just watch the video on the Blog [ LINK ] by Zack Arias on Scott Kelby's site and tell me what you think.

until next time, Derek