Myth of Helvetica

Myth of Helvetica
VLADANA KREKLOVA
BA Graphic Design
Prague College, School of Art & Design, 2011
1
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my tutor Simon Gray for great
leadership and guidance throughout the whole process
of writing my dissertation.
I would also like to thank Stephen Douglas for proofreading my dissertation and for correcting some
language errors and to my family for all of their support.
Vladana Kreklova
2
Contents
Introduction.........................................................................................................................5
The world before Helvetica
European avant-garde movements.......................................................................................6
Constructivism and Bauhaus......................................................................................... ......7
Helvetica’s timeline
After the Second World War.................................................................................................9
Post-modernists...............................................................................................................12
Helvetica now...................................................................................................................14
Design of Helvetica
Why Helvetica is considered well designed font...................................................................15
How Arial affects perceptions of Helvetica...................................................................... ....17
Is Helvetica a retro font?....................................................................................................18
Is there a routine in the use of Helvetica?............................................................................19
How Helvetica was used then and now...............................................................................19
How usage of Helvetica has changed and the importance of legibility....................................20
Conclusion........................................................................................................................21
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................22
List of Illustrations.............................................................................................................23
3
Introduction
Helvetica is one of the most commonly used typefaces.
It has been around for more than fifty years and it is still
very popular. Many people say it is so popular because
of its neutrality, but we have to realise that no typeface is
neutral. The neutrality of Helvetica is a myth and probably
that myth is one of the reasons that made Helvetica so
popular. Although Helvetica has been used many times
before in informational systems, airports, city signage
and many corporate identities as well as in works of art,
it has still kept its independence.
This work will explore the story of the typeface that has
been celebrated all around the world, but also hated by
some. Let’s have a look at the crucial time periods and
usage of the font that some could say is timeless. Why
was Helvetica designed in the first place and what is the
future of Helvetica?
4
The world before Helvetica
EUROPEAN AVANT-GARDE
MOVEMENTS
After the First World War in Europe, the avant-garde
movements such as Futurism and Dadaism emerged.
These movements wanted to create an international
aesthetic and were absolutely against national styles.
According to them, art should talk to all of society.
There were many exhibitions and manifestos that were
supposed to help people realise the important part in
life art could play. They wanted to show people that life
could be different with art. They used a lot of typography
in their manifestos and publicity. Because they realised
that reading affects not only what is being read, but
also how it is represented and visualised, they were
experimenting with typography and playing around
with letters and words. It was the Cubists who started
02
F.T. Marinetti, ‘Les mots en liberte futuristes’, 1919
to use type in their paintings by cutting out newspaper
signs and sticking them onto their canvases, but futurist
in their work. This experimentation was not done for
Fillipo Tomasso Marinetti was the one who made use
stylistic purposes but for intellectual reasons by artists
of words and type in a new radical way. Marinetti’s
that were influenced by the First World War.
idea was called “Words of Freedom” which was a big
Dada and all other avant-garde movements weren’t just
typographic experiment with single letters and words
art movements. They were a cultural movements within
and the Futurists and Dadaists were using this concept
literature and theatre as well. Dada artists wanted to go
away from the typical art’s aesthetics as was known
until then. Their ‘art’ was actually called ‘anti-art’. The
First World War affected them in a way that made them
cynical towards humanity after seeing what men could
do to each other. That’s why they wanted to be against
everything that was known before as art. They were
doing the exact opposite to what art was supposed
to represent. They were ignoring any aesthetics or
meanings of interpretation. It is an irony that Dada has
been a very influential movement in Modern Art as they
were basically against art. When we look at Marinetti’s
designs for his concept, we can see a great visual
01
F.T. Marinetti, ‘Les mots en liberte futuristes’, 1919
similarity with the designs of postmodernists, although
the reasons and contexts are different.
5
CONSTRUCTIVISM AND BAUHAUS
The year 1917 was crucial for Russian artists as that
was the time of the great Russian revolution. Russian
artists wanted to bring art into the new society as a
part of a reconstruction. Their style “constructivism”
showed the rejection of traditional materials and they
concentrated on photography, paper on board and
metal. As Richard Hollis says (2006), Constructivism was
for Russians more an ideology than a style. In Europe,
artists and designers were similar to Constructivist.
They were reducing the visual constructions by using
simple geometrical elements. All their projects were
relying purely on colour and the application of modern
technology. If we compare the avant-garde in Russia
and in Europe we can see that they were all influenced
by the political situation and that their ethos was in a
way similar. Constructivists and Dadaists were both
standing for the idea of destroying the old approaches
04
Bauhaus poster, Joost Schmidt, 1923
to art, but they were coming from different directions.
whereas
In 1919 a new design college was opened in Weimar in
Dadaists were anarchic and emphasised spontaneity
Germany. This new institution was known as the Bauhaus
and chance. Constructivism was popular outside of
and many Avant-garde artists such as Russian Wassily
the Soviet Union as well, especially in Germany, but it
Kandinsky and Swiss Paul Klee were teaching in that
became a style used all over Europe.
college. The early Bauhaus was inspired and affected
Constructivists
emphasised
rationality,
by the post-war political atmosphere in Germany. They
used elements of Cubism, Expressionism and Dadaism.
Richard Hollis (2006) states the fact, that after 1921, the
school’s Expressionist style gave way to Constructivism.
In that year, the leader of the Dutch De Stijl group
Theo van Doesburg moved to Weimar. De Stijl’s visual
philosophy was a very abstract and distinctive geometric
approach. All of their paintings, design and architecture
were relying on strong bold colour. Van Doesburg’s use
of typography was very geometrical and his style was the
start to a typographical revolution and Bauhaus design.
Constructivists and Dadists, including Van Doesburg,
founded the New Typography as a movement that
started to use a type in a new way. A former student
03
Collage of Constructivists designs
6
of the Bauhaus, Herbert Bayer, became one of the
most influential graphic artists of Bauhaus. In 1927 he
designed a typeface that combined capitals and lower
case into a single alphabet, which was called Universal
(Dodd,2006). From then on, all Bauhaus literature had
no capital letters. Another very important artist of that
period was Jan Tschichold, who wasn’t a member of
the Bauhaus, but was impressed by the school’s work.
He was a teacher of typography from Leipzig. When he
went to the first Bauhaus exhibition, he was fascinated
by the work and he was very much influenced by it. He
06
A spread from Jan Tschischold’s 1928 book Die Neue Typographie
wrote an article called Elementary Typography, where he
describes the approaches towards to a new typographic
design. This work was very popular and became a kind of
manifesto. After that, he wrote his most famous piece of
07
A spread from Jan Tschischold’s 1928 book Die Neue Typographie
work called The New Typography. It was a very detailed
guide on how to use modern typography. Tschichold
elaborated ten basic principles that were supposed to
be used in modern typography. (Hollis, 2005) We can
have a look at this spread, where Tschichold describes
one of his ideas on how to use typographical design.
Very soon after releasing the book, typographers and
printers started to work and design according to its
rules.
05
Jan Tschichold, ‘The woman without a name, part two”
Poster
7
Helvetica’s timeline
AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR
more open, democratic and optimistic. The designers
After all the horrors of the Second World War, people
“This is the period when we get the emergence of the
started to be idealistic. Again as with the First World War,
so called international typographic style or Swiss style”
the Second one both influenced and had a huge impact
(Poynor, Helvetica 2007). That’s when Helvetica comes
on artists. Many post-war architects were influenced
to the world. The rational typeface which can be applied
by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier, who developed a
to all kinds of information from city signage and science
system of dimensions and structures for buildings based
systems to corporate identities.
on the human body and classical proportions. American
Helvetica was designed in Switzerland in 1957. The
painters such as Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko
need for that typeface was obvious. All graphic design
were introduced to Europe and Pollock’s large multi-
and corporate identities were until then very illustrative,
layered drip paintings and Rothko’s rectangular colour
usage of fonts was random, mixed, hand drawn and
panels were an instant hit. All these influences were
very busy, almost childish. All different styles were used
something fresh for the Europe broken by the war. In
together with effects and materials, that made it look
the design world, in the early 1950s, designers wanted
almost home-made. Adverts and editorial designs from
to rebuild and reconstruct, to make new things, to be
Life magazine from the 1950s show all the habits that
felt responsible for the social impact they would make.
08
Adverts in Life Magazine in 1950s
8
were used in typography and graphic design then. In the
to make a modern version of Akzidenz Grotesk, which
1960s, there was a desire for more legibility and clarity.
was a traditional 19th century German sans serif. The
All graphic design as was known until then was replaced
typeface that Miedinger produced was released as Neue
by bright photographs and modern, bold, strong,
Haas Grotesk (Dodd, 2006). The original name was too
straightforward typeface, that delivers the message in
long and didn’t sound very good, especially because
a clean, crisp design, that catches the attention. It was
the font was aiming to be sold in America, so when
Helvetica. We can compare and contrast more adverts
they released the typeface in Germany in 1961, it was
from Life magazine, and see how different they are from
renamed as Helvetica, the Latin word for Switzerland.
the ones of the 1950s. Helvetica changed the graphic
It was a real step from the 19th century. Helvetica was
design of that era.
more neutral and machined. Designers of that period
09
Coca-cola advert in Life Magazine in 1950s
10
Coca-cola advert in Life Magazine in 1960s
As the economic situation was desperate after the war,
loved neutrality and believed, that typeface should not
it then improved in the 1950s, type-foundries started
have a meaning in itself. The meaning was supposed to
to come back to their full production. Type-foundries
be in the content of the text. Simon Loxley (2006) says,
were competing with each other by coming up with new
that Helvetica was popular because of two main factors.
typefaces. The growing demand for typefaces made the
It was a clean, representative Swiss style. But also, it has
Haas Foundry in Switzerland want to develop a new fresh
been said that Helvetica hasn’t got any distinguishing
typeface. In the mid 1950s directors Edouard and Alfred
features, so it couldn’t offend anything or anyone. It has
Hoffmann briefed their in-house designer Max Miedinger
a friendly feel.
9
Crouvel used the work of an artist, Theo van Doesburg,
and because the illustration was already from that
particular period, he decided to use the most neutral
typeface Helvetica. For all designers of that era,
neutrality was important and grids were a tool to create
an order, so their designs are clean, clear and readable.
Everything had to have its reasoning and be rational.
11
Univers typeface
There was another popular font release that year. It
was a typeface called Univers, produced in another
Typefoundry in Paris. Univers was less mechanical than
Helvetica, and it was more open line of type. According
to Richarch Hollis (2006) Univers was internationally
successful, but for Modernists it wasn’t as neutral, so
for large posters and the headings in books, the choice
was again Helvetica.
The style of that time was called Swiss formalism and
graphic designers were using that characteristic grid
structure in their work. For example, Karl Gerstner’s
poster from 1957 shows a kind of mechanism and
layering.
Wim Crouvel, one of the biggest designers of the
12
Karl Gerstner - poster 1957
modernist era, is actually called “gridnik” for his famous
use of grids. He says, “When I start to design, first I
invent a grid and then within the grid I play my game,”
(Helvetica, 2007). His work includes a logo for the city
of Rotterdam, a collection of postage stamps and a
famous calendar, that uses a type in a cut-like way. His
postage stamps are one of the examples of his usage
of Helvetica. The stamps were designed in The Stilj
Movement, which was a Dutch art movement.
13
Wim Crouwel,The Stijl stamps 1983
10
POST-MODERNISTS
It was Odermatt & Tissi in Switzerland, the home of the
International Style, that were one of the first that came
By 1979, especially in America, there was a reaction
with the New Wave. The designs they produced were
against Helvetica. “Designers wanted to get away
ignoring everything that has to do with the clarity and
from the orderly clean smooth surface of design. the
order that were the norm in Swiss design. They used
horrible sleekness of it all, as they saw it,” says Rick
bold letter-forms that overlapped each other in colourful
Poynor (Helvetica, 2007). A younger generation of
heaps and angled columns with coloured panels. In
graphic designers was questioning the perception of
Britain, it was Neville Brody, who started the rebellious
Modernism. Modernism and all the things that came
movement. When punk rock began to cause outrage in
from its idealism started to be routine and designers felt
the music industry, Brody started to design typefaces,
it needed a change. They realised the type should be
logotypes and record sleeves for Fetish Record in Dada
its own medium, that can speak. In the post-modern
and Futurist style (Dodd, 2006). Brody then started to
period, designers were breaking things up. They were
work for the magazine The Face. The design of the
going away from the clean, slick and smooth surface
magazine was very different from any other known
of design. They wanted to produce something that’s
designs before. First, it was just a big experiment and
more alive, something with energy and vitality. Designers
the design was shocking. Later on, Brody’s usage
wanted to express subjectivity and their own feelings
of typography was considered more playful and
about the world. They believed that the way something
adventurous and started to be very interesting and
is presented defines the way people react. When on a
wanted. He was then designing his own typefaces, that
design of a book cover, poster or leaflet is used three
were used in the magazine and The Face became a kind
different typefaces, the message could be read differently
of “style bible” (Loxley, 2006)
each time, because every typeface has its own style and
makes people feel differently about the way it looks.
14
Covers of The Face Magazine
15
‘Offset’ brochure - Rosemarie Tissi, 1981
11
Helvetica was absolutely a no-no for post-modernists.
As Paula Scher describes (Helvetica, 2007), Helvetica for
her was mainly the type for big corporations and at that
time, it looked a little fascistic to her for it’s sleekness. It
was her, who started to design diagrams, maps, charts
and all types of information, that one would usually
find in encyclopaedias, in a different, alternative way
(Poynor, 2003). Her design for the cover of AIGA annual
was about American graphic design. So she made an
illustration of the United States and filled the illustration
with information of how many percent of people use
Helvetica, which she based on the election for Reagan.
18
Cover of book with David Carson’s work
Neville Brody in the Helvetica film explains, why the
choice of typeface is so important. The way the message
is dressed is crucial especially in advertising. He gives
an example of an advert for a jeans. If it is written in a
grange font it will say that the product will be ripped
street wear. If it is written in Helvetica, the product will
be clean and the customers would feel safe, and they
16
Paula Scher, cover of magazine AIGA
wouldn’t stand out.
If we compare the time periods of art movements of
avant-garde and post-modernists, we can see a big
similarity. They all wanted to use type in a very expressive
and unusual way. Helvetica for them was that neutral
typeface without any expression, and that is why postmodern artists hated it and never used it. For Stephan
Seigmester, Helvetica and the whole of modernism was
17
One of Paula Scher’s maps - NYC Transit
disappointing and simply boring (Helvetica,2007).
Another great graphic designer David Carson explains,
that if you want to say some important message and
you write it in a boring typeface, the message could
get lost. If something is legible doesn’t mean that it
communicates. What is more important, is that it doesn’t
mean it communicates the right thing. All his work when
he was starting to do design was a big experiment.
He just did how he felt it was supposed to be. He has
never being formally trained as a designer and that’s is
probably why his work was so innovative and impulsive.
He realised much later, that there were some kind of
rules in the usage of type.
19
Stefan Sagmeister, poster
for Lou Reed’s “Set the
Twilight Reeling” (1996)
12
HELVETICA NOW
good and what is in the now style. The design studio
“Experimental Jetset” is a graphic design collective from
Helvetica is just as popular now as it was when it first
the Netherlands, who use Helvetica in most of their
appeared. It is difficult to say what is popular these days,
designs. Danny van den Dungen says that they use it
what is the trend. We all live in a free world and everyone
mainly because it takes a lot of energy to hunt for the
has a different style and different opinion on what looks
new typeface all the time. When they were students, they
were looking for a different font, then realised somebody
else had used it, so they had to search again. So they
use Helvetica, because everybody uses it and it is very
adaptable. They are not against experimenting that has
been done by post-modernists like David Carson. What
they do is just an extension of that. They experiment
with Helvetica. Because Helvetica is a reasonably old
typeface, it is sometimes used in a retro style. Some of
Experimental Jetset’s designs are like that, but some are
very modern. If we have a look at the work of Michael C
Place, we find different kinds of Helvetica use. What he
is trying to do is to make Helvetica speak in a different
way and he is definitely one of the designers that really
enjoy using the font. His poster Symbolism is a perfect
example of different ways of using Helvetica.
20
Experimental Jetset, Stedelijk Museum CS -Logotype
21
Experimental Jetset, Drum & Bassline flyers
22
Michael C. Place - Symbolism poster
13
Design of Helvetica
WHY IS HELVETICA CONSIDERED A
WELL DESIGNED FONT?
colours. Red and blue, so emblematic of America. Other
famous logos are for instance Jeep, The North Face or
BMW. What is interesting is that every logo evokes a
Helvetica has been used many times in free art as well
different mood although they all uses the same typeface.
as in many corporate identities. People don’t even
As Jonathan Hoefler (Helvetica, 2007) says: “American
realise that the most famous logos are designed with
Apparel uses Helvetica and it looks cheeky. American
Helvetica. For example, American Airlines was one of
Airlines uses Helvetica and it looks sober.” We can go
the first identities designed with Helvetica and it hasn’t
and examine each use of Helvetica and we realise that it
been changed since. The revolutionary thing about that
is the typeface that gives the designer a free hand to use
logo is that the name is written as one word in Helvetica
it in the way it needs to be used.
typeface and is just differentiated by two different
Leslie Savan, media writer (Helvetica, 2007) describes,
23
Collage of logos
14
So should we think that Helvetica is a perfect typeface?
If we have a look at all designs made from Helvetica,
it seems to be perfect. Many posters and corporate
identities are designed using Helvetica and the letters
are just right. Typographer Matthew Carter (Helvetica,
2007) admits that he is glad that nobody asked him
to redesign Helvetica, because he wouldn’t know
what to do. Helvetica is just right. There were some
“improvements” to Helvetica, but none of them was
actually any better
24
Massimo Vignelli
that governments and corporations love Helvetica
because on the one hand, it makes them seem neutral
and efficient, while the smoothness of the letters makes
them almost human. That is a quality they all want.
Helvetica has been used in IRS or EPA. Massimo Vignelli
designed New York City Transit Signage, but Helvetica
has been used all around the world at airports, for
subway signage and all the warnings and information
signs in streets. Although Helvetica is supposed to be
the neutral typeface, it is interesting that people, mostly
designers, notice when Helvetica is used somewhere. If
it was that neutral, shouldn’t it be invisible, unnoticeable?
25
Massimo Vignelli
26
Massimo Vignelli
15
HOW DOES ARIAL AFFECT THE
PERCEPTION OF HELVETICA?
new typeface. “Of course if you have a perfect typeface,
When Helvetica was created, it was used by many
says Eric Spiekerman (typefan101, 2009). Arial is a
designers at that time for either their free art or for
typeface that people probably know about a bit more
commercial purposes. Many corporations started to
than Helvetica. It is a fact that majority of people use
use the typeface for their identities. Helvetica became
Microsoft computers rather than Macintosh, so Arial is
even more popular when it was licensed by Apple and
more available to them. Designers spot Helvetica and
included with every Macintosh computer. Apple’s rival
know the difference immediately, so the fact that it
Microsoft needed something strong like Helvetica.
could be confused with Arial by the public doesn’t mean
Microsoft, which is a company without any taste as
that the perception of Helvetica could be damaged. In
Steve Jobs once said, didn’t want to pay Linotype any
the end it is the designers who use that typeface for
money, so they asked Monotype to design for them a
commercial purposes.
you can’t change it. It can’t go better, so it went worse,”
27
Arial vs Helvetica
16
IS HELVETICA A RETRO FONT?
still want to use it. It is still a very modern typeface, but
it has to be used right and it illustrates that Helvetica
Considering Helvetica was designed more than fifty
isn’t neutral.
years ago, it is still used a lot. We can see that many
If we have a look at the past and go through the phases of
companies are still trying to have a new identity and
the 1960s modernism and the 1970s post-modernism,
they are trying to use Helvetica as their new image.
we realise that Helvetica can be either loved or hated.
For example GAP with their famous logo in a serif font
Even designers of today are in these two groups.
were just trying to renew their brand by changing their
They either say, that Helvetica is a perfect, clean, clear
trademark. Their original logo was being used for over
typeface or that it is a boring, overused default type.
twenty years. The company felt that they needed a
As David Carson says (Helvetica, 2007), “there is a very
change, so they decided to re-brand themselves with
thin line between simple and clean and powerful, and
a logo in Helvetica and their famous blue box was just
between simple and clean and boring.” Famous designer
stuck in the corner of the sign. Immediately, customers
Eric Spiekerman (Helvetica, 2007) admits that Helvetica
started to give their opinion of the new image and in
was a very good typeface at the time. It answered the
the end, the company came back to their original logo.
demand and what was needed, but now it became one
It wasn’t a successful use of Helvetica at all, but it just
of those defaults, that are everywhere and people just
shows that Helvetica is still in fashion, because people
use it because it is just there.
28
Original GAP logo
29
Attempt for a re-brand
17
IS THERE A ROUTINE USE OF
HELVETICA?
HOW WAS HELVETICA USED THEN
AND NOW?
Numerous designers say that there is a routine use of
When Helvetica was used the first time, it was by the real
Helvetica. It is true that Helvetica has been used many
modernists such as Massimo Vignelli and Wim Crouwel.
times before; but of course it has, Helvetica is over fifty
It was the perfect tool they needed and wanted for their
years old. It can be called perfect typeface, because, if
work. And they obviously still use it, but maybe not in a
it is used well, it looks very good. But a designer has to
way it is being used now. Wim Crouwel’s motto is the
consider all Helvetica’s aspects. The typeface could be
basic modernist rule - pure, clean, clear design. He uses
very strong and feel heavy, so it needs a space around it.
grids all the time and tries to keep everything in order.
And of course, as it has been used many times before,
After the big boom, the post-modernist era came along
somebody could say why use Helvetica again, but there
- the era that just wanted to be against Helvetica. “They
is the challenge. That’s what makes a designer. To look
didn’t know what they were caring for. They only knew
for a different approach and try to be creative in a field or
what they were against and what they were against
area where everything has been done already.
was Helvetica,” says Massimo Vignelli (Helvetica,
2007). Designers now are trying to use Helvetica in
different ways. For example Experimental Jet studio
says (Rudy Vanderlans, 2003) they use Helvetica mainly
for the neutrality, but realise no typeface is neutral. The
objectivity of Helvetica is a myth, which turned the
typeface into one of the most widely used typefaces in
30
Helvetica tattoo
the first place. Because of the neutrality, whether real or
imagined, they can fully focus on the design itself and
keep the concept as clear and pure as possible. But
they don’t use Helvetica in the same way as the first
modernist designers. They experiment and try to use
this “neutral” typeface in a different way. We can debate
whether Helvetica is used now just because it was so
revolutionary at the time when it was first released or
because it is really such a good typeface. The fact is,
that this typeface became some kind of a cult. These
31
Helvetica chair
days, Helvetica is being used not only in an usual
graphic design industry. It is being used in ways to show
that Helvetica is a hero and some kind of a symbol that
represents a classical beliefs in graphic design. People
have tattoos made by using Helvetica, just to make a
statement, that Helvetica is something they believe in.
There are T-shirts, bags, necklaces even furniture or
biscuit cutters made by using that typeface. Helvetica
became a lifestyle. We could say, there is a community
32
Helvetica biscuit cutter
of people, who are just in love with the typeface.
18
HOW USAGE OF HELVETICA CHANGED
SINCE IT CAME OUT AND HOW
LEGIBILITY IS IMPORTANT.
spend extra time to read it. For example while scanning
pages, reading signs or skimming through catalogues
or lists. Ruari McLean says (1992) that for instance,
in newspapers, flyers and all advertising leaflets, the
Helvetica can be used the same way as it used to be
headlines should pop right off the page into a reader’s
and still look good. It might look like a retro style, but
brain. The same is with a table of contents or parts of
it doesn’t need to be. The thing about that typeface is,
lists, a reader should be able to absorb the names of the
that it gives a designer the opportunity to do whatever
parts while just sliding down the page.
they can. Which brings us to the question, is it neutral
According to Ruari McLean, the legibility of typeface
then? We should have a closer look at the art of legibility,
depends of course on the qualities of the typeface
because that is a very important part of type design. It
itself, but also on how it is used. If a good typeface is
could do a lot with the design and use of a type. It can
used badly, it could be actually less legible then a poor
change the mood and the style. We don’t realise it, but
typeface with a legibility that was properly done and the
we don’t read letter by letter. We see the whole word
typeface was used well.
and it goes straight to our brain, and then it is up to its
Helvetica is a typeface that is naturally legible, but as
legibility as to how long it takes to actually realise what
Erik Spiekerman says (Helvetica, 2007), it needs a lot
word we are reading. If the text isn’t perfectly legible, we
of white space around. Although it is considered as a
have to spend more time to read it. It could be only a
very legible typeface, it needs to be used very carefully.
second, but it could make a difference to the experience
He says that a real typeface needs rhythm and contrast
of reading.
as found in handwriting, and apparently Helvetica hasn’t
Text needs to be legible especially in situations where
got any of that. It is very heavy, so a designer needs
people need to only skim read information and recognise
to very carefully consider the spacing. The fact is, that
the important information immediately without having to
when Helvetica is used well, it is beautiful.
19
Conclusion
After exploring the background of Helvetica, the
development and impact of different art styles, it could
be easy to say that Helvetica is neutral. If we think about
the fact opinions are so divided, how could Helvetica
possibly be neutral? The fact that although people think
it is invisible and is the air of the city, how come that
everyone within the design industry notices it when they
see it? It seems to be efficient and clean, but still, maybe
that’s what distinguishes it so much that it is probably
even more visible and noticeable. If some people have
such strong feelings about its design, either positive
or negative, that leaves us with the conclusion that its
neutrality really is a myth.
20
Bibliography
Baines P. & Haslam A. (2005), Type&Typography. Laurence King Publishing
Computer Arts (2011) January, issue 183
Computer arts projects (2009) June, issue 124
Computer arts projects (2010) February, issue 133
Robin Dodd (2006) Form Gutenberg to Opentype. The Ilex Press Limited
Stephen Eskilson (2007) Graphic design: a new history. Laurence King
Helvetica (2007) Directed by Gary Hustwit [Film] USA: Swiss Dots Ltd.
Lars Muller (2008) Helvetica, Homage to a typeface. Lars Muller Publishers.
Steven Heller and Georgette Ballance (2001) Graphic design history. Allworth Press
Richard Hollis (2005) Graphic design, a concise history. Thames & Hudson Ltd.
Richard Hollis (2006) Swiss graphic design: the origins and growth of an international style, 1920-1965. Yale
University Press.
David Jury (2006) What is typography?. RotoVision
Simon Loxley (2006) Type: the secret history of letters. I.B.Tauris
Ruari McLean (1992) Manual of Typography. Thames & Hudson Ltd.
Jan Middendrop (2004) Dutch type. OIO Publishers
Pincas, S. and Loiseau, M. (2008) A History of Advertising. Taschen GmbH
Rick Poynor (2003) No more rules: graphic design and postmodernism. Laurence King Publishing
Typefan101 (2009) Erik Spiekermann - Extra Interview. Available at : http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=F691weEVpwc (Accessed: 1 November 2010)
Rudy Vanderlans (2003) ‘Helveticanism, interview with Experimental Jetset’, Emigre magazine, May 2003
Massimo Vignelli (2007) Vignelli from A to Z. The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd
Massimo Vignelli, Lella Vignelli (2004) Design Is One. The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd
Robin Williams (1998) The Non-Designer’s Type Book. Peachpit Press
21
List of illustrations
Front cover picture, http://ilovetypography.com/love/
01 (page 06) - F.T. Marinetti, ‘Les mots en liberte futuristes’, 1919; http://tia4310.blogspot.com/2008/09/
presentation-slides.html
02 (page 06) - F.T. Marinetti, ‘Les mots en liberte futuristes’, 1919; http://blog.semanticfoundry.
com/2009/01/25/from-heidegger-to-twitter-thoughts-on-self-interaction-design/
03 (page 07) Collage of Constructivist designs; http://dontcomehereomg.blogspot.com/2010/05/fromconstructivism-to-modernism.html
04 (page 07) Bauhaus poster, Joost Schmidt, 1923; Robin Dodd (2006) Form Gutenberg to Opentype. The Ilex
Press Limited
05 (page 08) Jan Tschichold, The woman without a name, part two” Poster; http://agcira.blogspot.
com/2009_08_01_archive.html
06 (page 08) A spread from Jan Tschischold’s 1928 book Die Neue Typographie; Robin Dodd (2006) Form
Gutenberg to Opentype. The Ilex Press Limited
07 (page 08) A spread from Jan Tschischold’s 1928 book Die Neue Typographie; Robin Dodd (2006) Form
Gutenberg to Opentype. The Ilex Press Limited
08 (page 09)Coca-cola adverts in Life Magazine in 1950s; http://oldbike.wordpress.com/vintage-bicycleadverts-1920s-1950s/; http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/04/21/celebration-of-vintage-and-retro-design/
09 (page 10) Coca-cola advert in Life Magazine from 1950s; http://www.adglitz.com/category/ad-folklore/
10 (page 10) Coca-cola advert in Life Magazine in 1960s; http://josh-in-reel-life.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_
archive.html
11 (page 11) Univers typeface; http://www.assertivemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/80-beautiful-fontstypefaces-for-professional-design/univers-std.gif
12 (page 11) Karl Gerstner - poster 1957; Robin Dodd (2006) Form Gutenberg to Opentype. The Ilex Press
Limited
13 (page 11) Wim Crouwel,The Stijl stamps, 1983; http://www.neshanmagazine.com/A%20package%20
from%20Europe-11.htm
14 (page 12) Covers of The Face Magazine; http://shapersofthe80s.com/
15 (page 12) ‘Offset’ brochure - Rosemarie Tissi, 1981; http://www.clearmag.com/assets/2010/06/p300Rosemarie-Tissi-brochure-1981-668x859.jpg
16 (page 13) Paula Scher’s design of cover for AIGA Magazine; http://blog.eyemagazine.com/?p=386
17 (page 13) NYC Transit by Paula Scher; http://joelaz.com/post/107337876/nyc-transit-by-paula-scher-detailview-artist
18 (page 13) Cover of book with David Carson’s work; http://pantagruel.typepad.com/devnull/2008/05/20design-remin.html
19 (page 13) Stefan Sagmeister, poster for Lou Reed’s “Set the Twilight Reeling” (1996); http://2143.tumblr.
com/post/24240434/stefan-sagmeister-poster-for-lou-reeds-set-the
20 (page 14) Stedelijk Museum CS - Logotype ;http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/
22
21 (page 14) Paradiso Amsterdam, Drum & Bassline - flyers; http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/
22 (page 14) Michael C. Place - poster; Computer arts projects (2009) June, issue 124
23 (page 15) Collage of logos; each logo downloaded from google.co.uk
24 (page 16) Massimo Vignelli, NYC Transit signage; http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/artwork/massimovignelli-updates-his-new-york-city-subway-diagram-048963
25 (page 16) Massimo Vignelli, NYC Transit signage; http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsostatic/3947688462/
26 (page 16)Massimo Vignelli, NYC Transit signage; http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/artwork/massimovignelli-updates-his-new-york-city-subway-diagram-048963
27 (page 17) Arial vs Helvetica, http://ilovetypography.com/2007/10/06/arial-versus-helvetica/
28 (page 18) Original GAP logo, http://pittsburghtrademarklawyer.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/gap-scraps-newlogo/
29 (page 18) Attempt for a re-brand, http://www.donniebelldesign.com/blog/?p=255
30 (page 19) Helvetica tattoo, http://ilovetypography.com/2009/01/05/to-a-typetastic-new-year/
31 (page 19)Helvetica chair, http://www.hastell.com/
32 (page 19) Helvetica biscuit cutters, http://laughingsquid.com/helvetica-cookie-cutters/
Number of words: 4905
23