Helvetic Film

I really enjoyed the Helvetica film and not just because I am studying design. I found it really interesting to see how the typeface developed, how it was created and for what purpose it was designed.

It was also interesting to see the initial sketches for a typeface and to see how people worked with metal type, creating typography work by hand before the use of computers. This method of working by hand really appeals to me and I would love to try it as it seems more limited to 'real' designers and people with skill, as now anyone who has a computer and some fonts at their disposal can create typography. As computers are now used for design and printing metal type has become old fashioned, and to people outside of the design industry so has typography, or at least the design of typography. One type designer talks about being asked what he does for a living and receiving a response of 'really I thought all the type designers were dead', which I found quite funny.

Although as David Carson said in the film, just because you have the latest computer program doesn’t mean you will be able to create good work with it, if you don’t have skill and an eye for design, you will be able to produce type with a computer but it wont be any good.'

The film really opened my eyes as to how often Helvetica is used and how oblivious I have been to its use. Helvetica has almost become common due to it wide use, but to say so seems 'wrong'. The typeface is so versatile that it can be moulded to different uses and still be appropriate. Helvetica was designed to be a neutral typeface, as the designers thought that feeling should come from the content of the text and not the typeface it is printed in. it was said in the film that would can say 'I love you' and 'I hate you' in Helvetica and both would work with the correct impact and meaning. It is so difficult to explain the feeling when you know have chosen the correct typeface, you are not quite sure why exactly it works well but it just gives you the feeling that it 'fits'. Helvetica 'fits' for so many uses, but in a way its versatility has become its defining attribute. Neville Brody talks about how he thinks Helvetica now conveys the ordinary and suggests a safeness. Brody spoke about Helvetica as though it has now become boring due to its wide use despite its adaptability.

I am only recently aware of Helvetica despite having grown up with it around me. Now that I have seen the film and know about the origins of the typeface I really appreciate how successful and skillful a design it is. Also now that I have been asked the question I would say I am pro-Helvetica and after watching the film I would be more inclined to use it in the future. I disagree with Brody as I think that although it has become 'common' it is successful in most of its uses, due to its great versatility allowing it to moulded to different designs, which stops it from being boring and makes it a great timeless typeface.

That Font Sure is Saucy

Transport

Although legibility and communication is very important in graphic design used for transport, I don't think it should diminish the importance of the appearance and beauty.

Please ignore my terrible photo.

I have chosen to analysis my bus pass. Its primary functions are to identify the correct holder (by use of a passport type photo) to inform what type of bus pass it is, how far the holder can travel with it and when it expires. It also states the holders matriculation number (as it is a student bus pass) and the holders details if they wish to write them on the pass.

 The majority of the text is sans serif and is a mixture of all capitals and capitals with lower case. The sans serif typeface has many similarities to the 'Transport' typeface designed by Margaret Calvert for the road signs of the United Kingdom. It has very basic form and has a consistent line thickness and weight making it very legible, and is very noticeable on the yellow background.

The only serif used on the page is for the expiry date which has been stamped onto the pass. It only uses as serif for the abbreviated NVB for November, the numbers for the day and year are both sans serif. As it has been stamped on it is less dense than the printed text and so is less readable, although the typefaces are both still legible.

The typefaces used are both very generic and basic making them legible but also suggesting professionalism as the First Bus logo also does. It could also be describe as regimented and precise which could perhaps convey the bus service, although I doubt this much thought would have been put into the typography on the bus pass. Although this idea may have been part of the design for the First Bus logo.

The hierarchy used on the bus pass is very unclear. The text which states how many zones the pass is valid for is slightly larger and darker than the other text, but it is positioned off to the side of the pass. The text which states that it is a student bus pass which I feel is less important as the colour of the pass (yellow) and a short abbreviation YP/S for young person/ student, conveys this. Also the expiry date is lighter (due to being stamped on) but is also less readable as it is overlapping other information on the pass. Finally the First Bus logo is very small compared to the rest of the information and is right up in to top corner of the pass, when there is a lot of wasted space on the left hand side of the pass.

The hierarchy is therefore confusing the placement of the text overrules the weight of it and also the style, so that it becomes very unclear what is most important and what it to be read first.

The main user of the bus pass are bus drivers. They need to be able to clearly see the information on the bus pass, in a short space of time, when the is a queue of people waiting to get onto the bus or when the bus is on a tight schedule. The information isn’t easy to read especially at a distance and in a short space of time. The pass fulfils its purpose to convey the necessary information but it doesn’t do so in an easy to read way. I assume that bus drivers are only able to read the information as they are used to how the pass is laid out and they know where to look for the information.

Below is my design to improve the First Bus pass.

Grid Exercise

Ampersand 'Coming Together'

The ampersand I have chosen from the 'Coming Together' font is humanist and has a hand-drawn script style. The line weight is uneven throughout the design, which emphasises the script style. The bottom part of the ampersand resembles a common ampersand making clear the shape of the E. The crossbar extends upwards and become the stem of a capital T finished at the top by the T's crossbar. On closer inspection of the ampersand it is clear that at the bottom of the T's stem which could be seen as a simple ampersand could also be seen as a lower case e which has a capital T sprouting from its top.

The designer has made clear the combination of the letters e and t from the 'et' which make up the ampersand, but has created an interesting contrast using a capital T and lower-case e. The contrast along with the hand-drawn script style makes the ampersand look very expressive.

The contrast between upper and lower-case letters conveys to me a kind of protection. To me the lower-case e looks as though it is 'hugging' the stem of the T, which gives me the idea that the T is protecting or comforting the e.

Also the way the stem (which seems a very appropriate name) of the T is growing from the e -which could be seen as a seed - suggest regrowth and new life, which mirrors the situation in Haiti for which this font was designed, by the Society of Typographic Aficionados. This also conveys the work done by aid workers in Haiti working to regrow communities.