Fonts are a definitive part of what we do as Graphic Artists. Unfortunately (as with most other professions), those outside the circle don’t really know how they work…or at least how we work with them, I should say.
It’s happened to all of us; you’re working on a design that’s not based on or designed around a particular typeface but your client wants to have a very specific font in their design. They send you a link to where they’ve seen it on the net or, in worse cases, simply give you a name for it. “Oh my God…here we go again.”
A quick online search will show you there are literally tens of thousands of fonts out there for us to choose from with new fonts being created and made available on a daily basis. Simply “perusing” through a database this large would be consuming in and of itself. That’s not to mention the fact that this database exists in the “cloud” of the World Wide Web! We’ve all done this before so it’s not that big of a deal. It’s the fact that we’re on the clock now so the time spent doing this has to be accounted for.
Let’s assume you found the font they want, which is the case most of the time. So there you are, a handful of time spent looking for a font outside of your own (and your friends’) personal library and you’re forced to spend the ridiculous amount of money the font costs. There goes a little bit more of your margin. Bummer, huh? Of course it is, especially if your margin is already low in order to win your bid in this economic climate.
Now what do we do?
Some would argue that you might need that font in the future so eating the cost of it at this point in time will be remedied when you use it again (and again and again and again). Not always the case, right? Right. Simple solution…charge your client for it.
If you go to buy a car and want an upgrade, you get charged for it. If you decide to add certain condiments to your food, they charge you for it, right? What’s the difference in our arena?
Outside of addressing the issue with your client, as you should have in the first place, you’re going to have to make up the cost of the font somewhere. In my experience, being up front about it when the problem arises is the best way to handle such a situation. Of course, this is where your communication skills as a Designer come into play. You have to be savvy enough to let your client know that the font they’re specifically requesting isn’t something that’s as readily available as pickles on a burger. It’s more like adding leather to your car’s interior.
Fonts are considered artwork by many and without getting into the discussion (or argument, depending on how you look at it) about typefaces and the such, let’s simply agree to agree upon the fact that just as it takes you time to do your work, it takes a “Font Maker” time to do theirs. Time is money and no matter which way you look at it, someone’s going to have to pay for the font. Why let it be you as the Designer?
If your mechanic needs a part to fix your car, they’re certainly not going to pay for it. You are!
Without letting this entry get any more winded than it already is, I’ll end it with this final thought. It doesn’t make sense for you as a Designer to offer your client a completely rational alternative font (out of the thousands of fonts you have on-hand) that’s insanely close to the one they’ve requested, have it denied and then eat the cost for the one they truly want. It’s simply irrational.
Hand them the cost and don’t feel bad or unprofessional about doing so. When they see the price of it, I guarantee you they will heavily reconsider your most courteous offering of an alternative. If not, then they got what they wanted anyway and everyone wins…so long as you didn’t pay for the font.
**Note to the above.
As with anything, every situation is unique. Please don’t read this and let a new gig or possible blossoming business relationship go because of a font discrepancy. That would be more irrational than your client’s font demands! Weigh out all the variables to determine your best course of action.
Keep designing and making the world a more beautiful place! In the meantime, here are two of my favorite free font sites.
http://www.dafont.com
http://www.urbanfonts.com
Tags: design, fonts, free fonts
