Fonts

I look back at old design projects.

I am amazed by the font choices I made. How did anyone ever let me get away with using these overdecorated, overcomplicated things? They’re like Todd Solondz movies. They can’t stop smashing you over the head with “HERE! Here is the idea which I am intended to express! Let me spell it out for you! Again!” They overexplain. And give away the game in the process.

These days I instead catch myself searching for type that will be as quiet and as inexpressive as possible, platonic letterforms that will let me put the words on the page without their shape and history intruding with their own message. These days I use a lot of Helvetica. (But these days Helvetica is its own Todd Solondz movie.)

Is this experience? Or just age?