Good Type + Bad Layout = Bad Desgin | Good Layout + Bad Type = ?

One can get away with a bad type choice if their layout ends up being awesome. The key word to that sentence is can; it can work, not it will work. I don't think any layout would mend the horrors of Papyrus or Comic Sans. Typefaces like Arial or Gill Sans are two typefaces that can work if using a killer layout. But you have to think if someone could think of a great layout would they know about the type they are using? I know that some people may have an inner knack with eye pleasing layout but either only have the typefaces that came on their computer. I'm not sure what the problem is but we may be able to look past a horrid typeface choice if the layout is great, but of course it would be much better with a firm typeface choice.

On the other hand bad layout will not look great even if using Futura or Helvetica. Type gurus will see the design and all they will get out of it is the fact that they can say, "Hey, that's Futura." but it doesn't go any further than that. I've seen Helvetica used in the most horrible ways even though I love the typeface I can't get across the bad design esthetics and most likely bad kerning, leading, or tracking. These designs were probably done when Helvetica was a default on PC and if those same designers did that design today they would use Arial or Tahoma.

Good designers, please watch the type you use to push your designs to an extra level. Bad designers, please stop centering everything; kern once and a while. Oh, and kerning and tracking are not the same thing.