Why are there so many fonts?

[binki]

Why are there so many fonts? I remember back in the days of DOS and Word Perfect I purchased a font pack of 50 fonts but now there are so many fonts there is no way someone could use them all or even try. As for customers I can't show them 10,000 fonts and ask them to chose.

What compels someone to make a new font? Are there not enough already? Is there any money in fonts? I see so many ripped off on free sites.

Number 1 font I see on signage is Brush Script. Times New Roman, Arial, Ballon and Cooper round out the rest. Other than those, do we need any more fonts? It seems those are the only ones used in most applications.

We offer about 50 fonts to for the first round of looking to the average customer, 25 script and 25 block that give a fair representation of styles of what is out there. Beyond that, if they want something else we narrow it down by having them pick a style and then we look up the 1000's we can choose from.

If the customer has a font in mind then it is easy, we use that one. Otherwise I don't know why there are so many and why anyone would take the time to make a new one.

Not trying to be a jerk on this, I just don't understand the concept.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

if those are the only fonts you think we need, you need a lesson in typography and design....sure there are a lot of crap fonts out there, but hey, whatever floats yer boat..you wanna make a font, who am i to stop you...

should some of them be burned never to see the light of day again, yes....should more still be created? yes....

i'm constantly acquiring new fonts and putting older ones to rest....hell i just went through my laptop the other night and got rid of about 150 fonts, only to install 40 or so new ones....

 

[Rodi]

TypeFace, each one has a distinct use.

So you give 50 fonts and not one is a serif?

What I suggest people do when they know nothing about fonts is simple, buy Deneba Canvas used on Ebay, and look for Bitstream 500 set and buy a used version of Illustrator that comes with a bunch of fonts. These are all hi-grade fonts and you can probably get them all for under 100 bux.

Binki, think of it by project too. What if a customer wants a wanted poster/sign? Are you going to use Times or some script or a western font?

What if a fashion store comes to you, are you going to give them Brush Script or would Bodoni, which lends itself to fashion for use?

Not trying to be a jerk, but you have at relatively low cost, an arsenal of tools in fonts that can expand your business and you are not getting it.

 

[James Burke]

I love fonts and can't get enough of them...the more the merrier. I retain the right to choose from the thousands for my own projects, and as stated above, I greatly limit my customer's options.

When a customer gives me the liberty to use my own judgement, I use that opportunity to try new things.

JB

 

[Pat Whatley]

I've got 16 fonts displayed and RARELY use any of them. I learned a long time ago one of the biggest time wasters in the shop is letting the customer pick fonts and clip art. We used to have a catalog of a couple of thousand fonts printed out. I literally had people spend an hour flipping through it then inevitably want to see their layout in the 16 different fonts they'd selected.

Picking fonts is part of the design process. The design process is my job. I don't need their help to do my job.

 

[binki]

When I said block I meant non-script, so yes, serif fonts as well.

Some of our customers know what they want and have the font name and we use that but most do not and the 50 are a start point. Most of those stop right there, only a few go on.

Our original intent was to use the 50 to find a style they liked and go from there.

I would say 10% pick a style and let us do the design and then we send a proof. Everyone else is their own designer. We don't stand in their way. It all pays the same.

... one of the biggest time wasters in the shop is letting the customer pick fonts and clip art. ...

Agreed.

 

[Rodi]

Binki, that makes it a little more clear now!!

 

[oldgoatroper]

Binki, with all due respect, if your definition of a block font is is simply a font that is not a script font, then I would say your typeface education is only just beginning. Good luck...

 

[Steve C.]

What compels someone to make a new font? Are there not enough already? Is there any money in fonts?

I simply enjoy creating fonts. My real pleasure comes in seeing creative work
by designers using my fonts. Is there any money in it? Not much. I couldn't
live on what I make with font alone. Lately font sales have been extremely slow.
As well as sign sales.

 

[signmeup]

You shouldn't really let the customer pick the fonts.

 

[binki]

You shouldn't really let the customer pick the fonts.

Every customer is a designer. I would rather they pick the font than send me a 1 inch 72dpi jpg to make into a 10 inch design.

 

[Gino]

Why is there air... everyone needs it.

Everyone needs a font to call their own.

 

[Steve C.]

I have a display panel on the wall with about 60 of my favorite fonts for
sign design. I used to have a Letraset catalog out on the counter, but, like
Pat said, that's a bad idea. I don't let any one look through my clip art either.
I tell them I will offer several choices for their design approval.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

Everyone needs a font to call their own.

which one's yours? antsypants...