Me: I asked the teachers what to do about my type problem.

N: Sure. Do you think it is taste or technical?

Me: That’s a fine question. I think it’s the attention to detail. I’m terrible at font combinations. Is that both?

N: So don’t combine them. Might be both, but I think you have the attention to detail, you might just not know what to look for.

Me: Yeah. That sounds about right. I think a lot of it is a choice I make not to worry about it so much. I think that a lot of the projects we do in school are important, but there’s too many of them to really know what to focus on. Type for me is always the last consideration.

N: This is going to sound hokey but I see the design and specifically type as a costume or role I’m adopting. So with the type I can put on the gaudiest suit ever and speak in a generic foreign accent, or I can really define this “person” with details that convince people. So start by asking questions and personifying the concept and it makes it easier. At least for me.

Me: Sounds great. I’m going to make a typographic poster out of that tomorrow. I’m going to misquote you too.

N: Nice. Sounds good.