Gary from Oxford sent this in. Simple question, is this the worst kerning you've ever seen?
Post a comment
Your Information
(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
« PIZZA & LOVE | Main | Beautiful? Nope. Useful? Nope. »
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Your Information
(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
Probably a cost saving exercise. One size is cheaper than two!
'Fuck clarity of message, we got ourselves a bargain!'
Posted by: Blair Thomson | Sep 16, 2008 at 12:55
'sign writers - The kings of compromise'
Posted by: Thomas Tordoff | Sep 16, 2008 at 13:38
I don't think so. Sure it's tight, amateur and unpretty. But I think you're overlooking the thoughtful graphic IDEA to shift the baseline— adding legibility to what would otherwise be an illegible, even tighter tracked line.
Posted by: Sal | Sep 16, 2008 at 14:32
Actually, I've seen worse: http://www.perezfox.com/2007/05/08/k-ernin-g-ny-c/
But that was a little different. This has a certain audacity that is almost admirable in its awfulness.
Posted by: Prescott Perez-Fox | Sep 16, 2008 at 14:34
wow, I can't decide if it's the worst kerning, leading or baseline shift I've ever seen. Top marks in all three!
Posted by: Nick | Sep 16, 2008 at 14:44
It should really be Final Week, shouldn't it? These do-gooders think they can get away with all sort of laxity.
Posted by: John | Sep 16, 2008 at 16:54
I've seen worse. I'll see if I can find it...
Posted by: Richard | Sep 16, 2008 at 17:11
For some reason I just can't help but keep staring at it. It's like it's gone full circle and become good again.
Posted by: Dave | Sep 17, 2008 at 09:55
It must have inspired these people:
http://www.dhub.org/blog/wp-content/dhub/FrostABCModel.jpg
Posted by: Jam | Sep 17, 2008 at 10:02
Can we get the brightest design minds on this?
One (fixed size) font. One big red (fixed size) board. One arrow. No payment.
Posted by: Andrew | Sep 17, 2008 at 10:55
That is awful kerning imo. So whats happening 'this week'?
Posted by: Danielle | Sep 17, 2008 at 11:32
Sure is bad that R should be moved to the right, but it is a solution to the problem – too much copy too little space. The CH pair does avoid the pitfall of aligning the open counter with the vertical to make a d shape and the I is obviously positioned to preserve the basic legibility of the character and the dual baseline is just enough to keep the integrity of the counters while still linking the two lines. The alternatives seem to be a diagonal, a curve, a tracking traincrash or txt.spk
Posted by: Tim | Sep 18, 2008 at 13:53
I agree. The Exclamation mark is so unneccessary and out of kilter with the 'last week' message.
Posted by: markgorman | Sep 19, 2008 at 08:38
How cool!
Posted by: YB | Oct 07, 2008 at 11:11
It's not the kerning so much as the vertical alignment.
At first glance to me it says "hrt caiy"
Posted by: Dan | Oct 10, 2008 at 11:41
Apropos of Dan's comment, I'm left wondering if maybe the charity involved has something to do with HRT?
Maybe there's more here than meets the eye...g,d&r
Posted by: NotACat | Oct 13, 2008 at 16:38