There are a lot of terrible fonts out there. Unfortunately, some of them are among the most used fonts. I’m certainly not alone in this observation as many, many blog posts have been written on the subject. Regardless, I thought I would put in my two cents.

1. Comic Sans

What can I say about Comic Sans that hasn’t already been said? Without a doubt, this is the most overused and incorrectly used font out there. Initially, comic sans was created to mimic the lettering in comic books. If used for that purpose, it is definitely suitable, but that is where its usefulness ends. Comic Sans is often used to convey a playful or cute feel to the text. It’s commonly used in things such as toddler birthday invites or as the favorite instant messaging or email font of twelve year old girls everywhere. There is even an entire website devoted to banning comic sans. If you want to be taken seriously as a designer, you can start by not using Comic Sans. Stay away.

2. Papyrus

You’ve all seen it, and many of you may even like it. Papyrus tends to be the default font for any product that wants an “earthy” feel to it, any religious design work, or anyone that wants what they would consider an interesting font without delving into more ornate hand-written scripts or “cute” fonts (which I will most certainly visit later). Papyrus was created some time in the 1980s by Chris Costello. Costello reportedly spent over six months hand-drawing the font with a calligraphy pen and textured paper. He probably did not realize or intend for it to become one of the most overused and most hated fonts by the design community.

3. Copperplate Gothic

I’ll admit it, before I became a designer, I loved Copperplate Gothic. I even went as far as using Copperplate Gothic in the credits for a student film I made in high school. Now, it’s typically seen in do-it-yourself logos for small businesses. Copperplate Gothic was created in 1901 and initially was used primarily in stationary and letterhead as well as acid etching for glass doors. As the font aged, it began to show its age. Now over 100 years old, it looks tired and heavy-handed.

4. Vivaldi

The main problem with Vivaldi and other fonts meant to look like handwriting is that, like handwriting, many of them are nearly illegible. If you’re a designer, one of your main focuses should be getting the message across. It’s incredibly difficult to do so when the fonts have so many extraneous flourishes. That’s not to say there are no uses for handwritten calligraphic font. This type of font often works well for wedding invitations or save-the-date letters. However, problems arise when used on a broader scale.

5. Curlz

Please, don’t use Curlz.

Learning which fonts to use and when to use them can mean the difference between a great piece of design and poor design or the difference between a great designer and a poor designer. So, what are your least favorite fonts?