Design Rules Are Meant to Be Bent (Sometimes)

There’s always been this unspoken divide in the design world—what’s “good design” and what’s definitely not. And honestly? I’m not here to convince anyone that my taste reigns supreme (even though, let’s be real, it does).

Take Helvetica, for example. Overused? Maybe. But used with purpose? Still a powerhouse. And yet, every designer has their own list of fonts that should be banished from existence. Somewhere near the top? Papyrus.

Which brings me to one of my favorite design-related pop culture moments: Ryan Gosling’s SNL skit about Avatar’s Papyrus logo. The man was shaken—and for good reason. A $5 billion franchise, years in the making, and someone just… scrolled through the default font list and said, "Yep, that’ll do."

But here’s the kicker—it worked. Try telling James Cameron and his billions that Papyrus was a bad design choice. I like to believe a rogue designer pulled off the ultimate inside joke, and honestly? I respect that.

So, are there rules to great design? Of course. But sometimes, breaking them leads to even bigger impact.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I’m going to enjoy my Helvetica in peace. Don’t @ me.