Helvetica



               Helvetica is a documentary that might be like a “deep cut” or “B side” song from an album of a band you really like.  This is not the documentary that I would suggest someone go out and sees if they are going to watch only one documentary.  However, this is a really well made documentary, and to those who appreciate the genera of the documentary an excellent look at the world of graphic arts.  Helvetica is a type face that is known as a sansarif and is the type face that is looked at as the greatest type face of the modern movement.  Just like art, type and graphic arts have followed different movements and times.  During the 60’s and 70’s the modern movement came about and recently it has had resurgence.  The documentary really does an excellent job of going around and talking to different graphic artist and getting their thoughts on Helvetica.  You quickly see there are two camps that form, the Helvetica lovers and the Helvetica haters.   Some think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.



Sliced Bread that advertises with Helvetica 



 While others would say, “why would you mess up something as nice as sliced bread with something as terrible as Helvetica”.  The core of the argument is really over creativity.  When designing: are you looking for your design to be a classic truth tested design that is clean sharp and accepted by the masses, or are you looking for your type to say something more than the words you are putting on the page?  The artist would say that anyone can design something that looks decent in Helvetica, but it truly takes a creative mind to not have to use Helvetica.  That then poses the question: if everyone can make it look good in Helvetica is Helvetica the perfect typeface?  This movie will make you notice the logos that are placed in the world around you and make you think when you have to design something next time.  If you have to send out an invitation, a flyer, or a memo you will now start to think about your typeface.  If you scrapbook, blog, or have to design anything you will now see that the world of typefaces are almost endless, some good ones and some terrible ones.  The documentary is worth watching and is shot beautifully.  I think this documentary does a wonderful job of making its audience learn something new on an area that most people have probably not thought about and allows them to make their own decision as to what they think about the subject.  

 since most of the world does not think of things like the typeface that they use I though it would be funny to put a couple of collgege humor Youtube clips up that talk about typeface.

The next clip is actually from the film Helvetica.

                (I personally like the clean cut style of Helvetica and my logo at the top of the blog is done in Helvetica and was a small nod to this documentary.)



For proof of how prevelant Helvetica is in our lives I am posting this picture.  I wrote this blog from a hotel room.  I walked into the bathroom and found this set up that is all Helvetica.