I discovered some new designers from the film like Massimo Vignelli who was all about creating order. He invented the grid and other tools for creating order. He states 'Creating order is typography'. Matthew Carter is a designer who learned to make type by hand by following in his father's footsteps who was a type designer. Erik Spiekerman has a different take on Helvetica, he believes it has been over used as it is everywhere you look and it is a default for so many things, he is very passionate about type but not about Helvetica. Another graphic designer featured in the film is Nevel Brody who speaks about the different messages a typeface can portray. David Carson also speaks about the message typefaces portray, he talks about legibility, he says that even if something is legible it may still not communicate the correct message, the message could be lost due to the typeface, he states how there is a fine line between simple, clean and boring.
I would say i am pro Helvetica, i like the typeface it is clear, legible and versatile. I think the fact the film showed the extent Helvetica is used all over the world emphasizes this point. My relationship with Helvetica is to be honest something i am only recently aware of however i can see myself using it more now that i have learned more about it.Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Helvetica
I actually quite enjoyed the Helvetica film. It was much more interesting than i first anticipated. It surprised me in a few ways also, i was shocked at how much Helvetica is used all over the world and how i have never realised it before. I learned quite a lot that i did not know before like how Helvetica’s original name 'neue hass grotesk', also how Helvetica is Latin for 'the Swiss typeface', also that Helvetica is owned by 'Lingotype' in Germany.
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As soul-crushing as it is to hear that you'd never heard of people you were taught about last year and/or your classmates' presented on last week, your observations are good.
ReplyDeleteSomething students struggle with and is apparent here is deciphering what is said and picking out points of interest then adding your insight to it. You want to avoid reiterating what was said and instead reflect on it. Like, 'David Carson said this and I can see what he means because...' This is more about how you were touched by this experience, how it affected your previous knowledge and how it may affect your future work. You need to insert you into this equation. This perhaps goes against how you were taught in school and is a tough habit to break. Try not to take things at face value - dig a bit and mull it over before repeating it back again. (I will no doubt be saying this to everyone).