Typography and font choices are essential elements of visual design, but they can also be subjective and challenging to evaluate. How can you give constructive and respectful feedback to visual artists on their typographic decisions? Here are some effective ways to approach this task and improve your collaboration and communication skills.
Before you comment on the typography and font choices of a visual artist, make sure you understand the context and purpose of their work. What is the message, tone, and audience of the design? What are the constraints and requirements of the medium and format? How does the typography align with the overall brand identity and style guide? Asking these questions will help you frame your feedback in a relevant and meaningful way.
It's like having a conversation with a fellow storyteller and it starts by appreciating the unique narrative they're weaving and acknowledge the distinct personality each font brings to the visual tale. The conversation isn't just about letters; it's about creating an immersive experience, like characters in a book – each font has a role to play. Embrace the artistic journey together, fostering an environment where every stroke of a letter contributes to a collaborative masterpiece.#DesignDialogues #TypographyTales #ArtisticCollaboration
Giving feedback to artists about their font choices is like helping a friend pick an outfit. Start with something nice, like how the font's color looks good. Then, say what could be better. Maybe the font is hard to read or doesn't fit the mood. Suggest a few different fonts they could try, like suggesting a different shirt. Remind them what the font is for. A fun party invite can have a fun font, but a serious report needs something simpler. Lastly, tell them it's okay to try different fonts. It's like trying on different clothes to see what looks best. Your advice should be friendly, like giving a tip, not like telling them what to do.
The best suited typography and font will only come up if you clarify your goal to the T. For example, "The readers are mostly right brained, in their 40s, they'll want to read faster, absorb better" would work better as a feedback than leaving at just "Make it formal"
Constructive feedback for visual artists on typography and font choices can include specific points on legibility, consistency, and alignment. Highlight the readability of the chosen fonts, suggesting adjustments for better clarity. Emphasize maintaining consistency in font styles throughout the piece to ensure visual harmony. Address issues related to spacing, kerning, and alignment for a polished look. Encourage artists to consider the overall aesthetic and thematic alignment of the fonts with the artwork. Providing specific examples and offering praise for successful elements can enhance the feedback process, fostering improvement while acknowledging the artist's strengths.
A fiction publisher must position their book on retail sites so that it visually appeals to the largest number of potential readers as much or more than other books. If I'm publishing a fantasy, the art and font must work together to convey that to readers. Check how the top-selling books look. Are the covers dark colors with unusual fonts meant to spark interest? Does the font of the title show clearly in a thumbnail? I like to send my artist links to a few books that are selling well to jumpstart a discussion about what might work for my story. A book about dragons won't use the same font as a non-fiction book about gardening. Branding is also important. I brand by series, but do try to repeat colors and the font for my author name.
Avoid vague and general terms like "nice", "bad", "too small", or "too busy" when giving feedback on typography and font choices. Instead, use specific and descriptive language that refers to the typographic principles and elements, such as contrast, hierarchy, alignment, spacing, legibility, readability, mood, and personality. For example, you could say "The font size and weight create a clear contrast between the headline and the body text", or "The kerning between the letters is too tight and makes the word hard to read".
Fostering an open dialogue with the visual artist allows them to ask questions, seek clarification, and discuss their design choices.
In the publishing industry, the visual artists I encounter already understand good artistic practices for book covers, trailers, and other media representations of a story. They understand that readability is crucial for books, so they're not going to warp a font with a too-tight kerning setting that overlaps the letters. The greater challenge is capturing the mood of a story title and finding the perfect font to illustrate it graphically. The font of a book title is one of the most important decisions made in a book's life and is best chosen collaboratively. The right font on the cover can make a book look amazing or mundane.
Context is extremely important when giving feedback. But it is important to understand that context can be different for the artist and you. Both may be looking at the same piece from entirely different perspectives. In such cases, the goal becomes significant. The POV that aligns best with the goal wins.
Yes, the language should be descriptive enough to convey the proper meaning of what you mean to say. Vague terms would actually say something but be understood as something different.
This is such a pet peeve of mine—I've seen this happen not just in visual design but also in content writing. Telling your visual artist that the design "doesn't work" does not help them or point them in the right direction—you might as well have not said anything. If your goal is to be inefficient and waste everyone's time, sure—fire away with those shallow and vapid feedback. But if you want to get a project moving, you need to use specific and descriptive language that tells the visual artist what works and what doesn't. Instead of saying: "the color doesn't look good." Try: "The color does not work with the brand and tone we are trying to achieve. We are looking for something that looks more serious and professional."
Sometimes, words are not enough to convey your feedback on typography and font choices. You can also provide examples and suggestions that illustrate your point and offer alternative solutions. For example, you could show how a different font family, style, or color would affect the design, or how adjusting the line height, margin, or padding would improve the layout. You can use tools like Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, or Canva to explore and compare different typographic options.
Examples certainly add the element of clarity in communication to the visual creator who is bound to understand better if a visual example is provided.It usually paves way for more open communication and deliberation since there is a clear visual to start with.
Provide specific examples of what you are looking for. If you don't have a background in typography, it can be difficult to describe what you're envisioning, using words specific enough for your designer to understand. (Descriptions like "Open" or "Flowy" could mean different things to different people.) Being able to provide examples that are similar to what you want helps your designer to have a well-defined goal. That way, you can describe specifically what you like best about the provided sample, and how you would change it to make it suit your brand or project. Just be sure to leave room for the designer to make suggestions, too. Collaborative projects build stronger outcomes!
It takes effort to explain but it is clearer for the artist when you show visual examples. Search samples of the design that you prefer. If it is a long term project, create a style guide so that they can refer to it as a key reference point.
Can't agree more. Sometimes you see a website/image/font and you want something similar, but are unable to explain it with just words. I feel it's always better to show references to avoid reworking and going back and forth.
Adding references is the best way to put across what and how you imagine your illustration/imagery to come out. From icons, logos, and elements to typography and concepts, sharing reference can be a good starting point.
When giving feedback on typography and font choices, don't focus on your personal preferences or opinions, but on the impact and the goal of the design. How does the typography affect the message, the emotion, and the action that the design intends to communicate? How does it support or hinder the user experience and the conversion rate? How does it fit or stand out from the competition and the industry standards? By focusing on the impact and the goal, you can give feedback that is objective and actionable.
If the project is part of a brand, ensure that the typography aligns with existing brand guidelines. Consistency is key for brand identity, so make sure the chosen fonts complement the established brand style.
Leave your ego at the door when providing feedback on projects. Your preferences don't need to be part of the equation. The only question that you should be trying to answer is: Does this element align with our goals?
Mí opinión es, que si afecta totalmente al mensaje y la tipografía elegida. De eso depende la calidad del mensaje y la cantidad de personas que capten el mensaje.
Evaluate typography choices based on their ability to enhance the overall design, communicate key messages, and achieve the desired visual hierarchy. Discuss how specific font selections contribute to or detract from the project's goals, branding, and user experience.
Finally, remember that giving feedback on typography and font choices is not a critique or a judgment, but a dialogue and a collaboration. Be respectful and supportive of the visual artist's work and creativity, and acknowledge their strengths and achievements. Don't use harsh or negative language, but be polite and constructive. Don't impose your views or solutions, but ask questions and listen to their perspectives. Don't assume or guess, but clarify and confirm. By being respectful and supportive, you can build trust and rapport with the visual artist and foster a positive and productive relationship.
Because art is subjective, I find it’s most useful for everyone involved if you ask the creator to talk through the design decisions. There is a whole language of art they can teach you. It can be super hard to explain a response you are having to the art, so as they tell you their reasoning, you have an opportunity to say something like “I am having a reaction to X, and I am not sure why”. I have found it really empowering for both parties to be able to collaboratively find the language together and find the fix so that everyone loves the process, the edits and the final result.
Remember the visual artist is the expert. Both of you are working to create the best output for the reader. Hence, it's imperative to understand why the visual artist has used a particular style. At the same time, the visual artist should be explained why this may not gel with the audience.
Frame your feedback as a collaboration, expressing your desire to work together to achieve the best possible outcome. This fosters a positive working relationship.
Siempre el respeto es importante a la hora de comunicar tu opinión o pensamiento de cómo se debería hacer el trabajo, ya que el artista suele tener en su mente una idea objetiva y una razón de su forma de comunicarse.
Collaboration is the key. Giving half baked ideas will never give you the desired outcome. Having a clear idea about what the end result should look like is crucial. Relying fully on the visual artists does not always help. Remember, they are capable of visualising your thoughts and not creating one.
Understanding the context is the first step towards developing the right font and deciding on the typography. Making your design readable and legible is also important. Overall a professional approach is a must to make your content effective and meaningful.
All of the above. But you won't get far if you don't have a clear idea of what you are aiming for, from the start. So often, working with decision-makers, I have found they don't know what they want until they see what they don't want. And as a designer, that's not always easy to take. Be clear with expectations. Have some examples you do like. Yeah. All of the above.
If the design will be used in digital or responsive formats, consider how the typography responds to different screen sizes. Ensure that font choices maintain readability across various devices.
No hay que olvidar un tema importante como son las licencias. Algo que ocurre mucho al principio cuando empiezas a experimentar en el dise?o es que, nos queremos "comer al mundo" con las tipografías. Y cuando brindamos un servicio nos olvidamos que, hay que pagar las licencias y entonces la creatividad se frena por un momento.
Collaboration: Foster open communication with the visual artist, encouraging them to ask questions, seek clarification. Iterative approach: Typography choices may evolve over multiple iterations. Provide feedback iteratively as the project progresses. Cultural/aesthetic considerations: Consider cultural norms, design trends, and aesthetic preferences. Ensure feedback is culturally sensitive and relevant. Accessibility: Take into account accessibility considerations such as legibility, contrast, and readability for users with diverse visual abilities. Flexibility: Remain open to alternative interpretations and creative solutions, recognizing that there may be multiple valid approaches within the context of the project.