Why is Papyrus a Bad Font?
Papyrus is a digital font that was created by Chris Costello in 1982 and has gained a reputation for being one of the most overused, misused, and most hated fonts. The story of Papyrus is unique, and it’s astonishing to see how a once-novelty font went from being an interesting solution to a serious design disaster.
A Brief History of Papyrus
Prior to the invention of Adobe Photoshop, font designers mainly focused on serif and sans-serif fonts for body texts. The market was pretty saturated, and it required something new to stand out. Chris Costello, with his background in fine art and design, decided to create a font that had a more rustic, antiquated feel. The result was Papyrus, a digitally created font with an undeniable Egyptian flair. The word "Papyrus" seemed fitting, considering the artistic inspiration behind the font’s design.
The Evolution of Papyrus
In 1982, Papyrus was released and gained swift popularity. Design enthusiasts and professionals appreciated its whimsical, elegant appearance and its ability to add creative flair to design projects. As computer technology developed, Papyrus continued to evolve, adapting to diverse design applications and platforms.
The Problems with Papyrus
By the dawn of the 21st century, Papyrus had become overused. It became a trendy font, not only on the internet but also among graphic designers. The irony is that a font aiming to be creative and imaginative became a symbol for laziness. Individuals began using Papyrus primarily because it was “cool” and not out of genuine consideration for what it could offer.
Fast forward to the present moment, and we find:
• 95% of designers dislike Papyrus
• 85% of professionals use Sans-Serif fonts (Like Helvetica, Arial, & Calibri)
• Designers recommits using the font "Comic Sans"
Comparison of Papyrus to Common Fonts
| Papyrus | Helvetica |
|---|---|
| • Dull, plain | Well-balanced |
| • Simple, easy | Simple |
| • Unimaginative design | Innovative |
Some of the reasons for the immense dislike of Papyrus
• Laziness: Overuse because it’s popular, which leads to it becoming tiresome
• Informal, too casual : Not professional, nor suitable for business documents (e.g., reports
• The same "look" is too old: Papyrus’s layout and design elements become mundane
• Unstable : Consistency does not guarantee its appearance can be adjusted.
Typography and Dyslexia Compatibility
In reality, experts suggest that a font with fewer repeating patterns such as Comic Sans or fonts with unique typography can potentially aid in easier reading, especially for people with learning disabilities like dyslexia. Papyrus is sometimes used for accessibility, such as in school projects focused on learning tools, helping individuals with visual or phonological processing deficits.
Conversely, it still has shortcomings within the context of readability since it is considered an imbalanced font due to limited legibility, particularly its letter spacing. Papyrus’ letter-spacing design should be more deliberate to maximize readability.
In conclusion
Papyrus’s reputation isn’t justifiable, partly due to its ubiquity and laziness being used in too many wrong contexts. In these cases, design enthusiasts ought to choose the correct lettering to cater to particular situations. There is ample evidence to conclude that these choices have far-reaching psychological and aesthetic repercussions. Overall, the "bad luck" of the Papyrus font stems primarily from incorrect usage, so let ‘s avoid that by doing it right next time!