The state of hipster typography

mediocre — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:20:25 -0800

Ever since Napoleon Dynamite became a surprise hit in the summer of 2003, and the subsequent rise of Judd Apatow a trend in sentimental but cynical film comedy was born. But this post isn't about the comedy.. Napoleon Dynamite was a film dominated by artwork, specifically the pencil sketches of the protagonist. The child-like scrawlings meant to incite the memories of unbridled enthusiasm that youth brings. Moreso then any other specific typography, the words in the film were either a crude script of dubious penmanship or something akin to Action Jackson. Variants are seen, but it is most often seen as a hand-drawn, blocky font, often shadowed for added awesome. Soon, more movies with similarly quirky characters started coming out. The colored-pencil scrawl style has become a means of pandering to a specific demographic. The hip ster. When your movie poster needs to convey a youthful romanticism, go for Action Jackson. When you need to appeal to the ironic sentimentality of your late teenage years, Action Jackson is where it's at. It doesn't stop at movies and television either. Are you a comedian and need to convey cynicism but with a childlike wink and a nod? Go for Action Jackson. Or just write it poorly, possibly with the wrong hand. What does the future of Action Jackson hold? Only time will tell..

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The state of hipster typography