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Introduction - P4

The Origins Of Helvetica - P5

The Beauty of Helvetica - P6 - 9

The Beast of Helvetica - P12 - 15

Beauty or Beast - P16

This Book Was - P17

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This publication is the culmination of one years study in the Context of Practice module of BA(Hons) Graphic Design at Leeds College of Art by Greg Ball.It will stand to pose the questions on wether Helvetica is the Beauty or the Beast of Graphic Design. Loved by many, revered by others, despised by the few. This book will draw a conclusion to wether it is the most ubiquitous typeface ever or wether it is the most overused and generic typeface, it will see wether its allows for beautiful graphic design; or for the masses to think they are graphic designers by using it making it the beast of graphic design. Using the opinions of experts, my experiences of Helvetica and various works, we will see wether Helvetica is the beauty or the beast of graphic design.

Helvetica: Beauty or Beast? Let’s See.

Introduction

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a b cHelvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann. Developed at the Haas’sche S c h r i f t g i e s s e r e i (Haas type foundry) of Munchenstein, Switzerland. Haas set out to design a new sans-serif typeface that could compete with the successful Akzidenz-Grotesk in the Swiss

market. Orginally called Neue Haas Grotesk, its design was based on Schelter-Grotesk and Haas’ Normal Grotesk. The aim of the new typeface was to create a neutral typeface that had great clarity, no intrinsic meaning in its form and could bemused on a wide variety of signage.

In 1960 Neue Haas Grotesk was renamed Helvetica (latin for

Swiss), a clever marketing ploy, for it ended up becoming synonymous with “Swiss Design”. The prompt adaptation of non-Latin typefaces to the aesthetics of Helvetica and the wide range of language specific lettering and accents turned Helvetica into the ultimate corporate typeface of the 60s and 70s.

The Origins of Helvetica

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“During the late 60’s and 70’s, Helvetica wasnt just a typeface, it was a lifestyle”

- Michael Vanderbyl

What makes Helvetica the most beautiful font in the world? What makes it this ubiquitous thing in our lives? Why is it renowned? Why do people thing it is invisible? I will tell you all these answers now, as i explain how

and why Helvetica is the most beautiful and useful typeface in a designers armoury. If Helvetica was a girl it would be that girl that all the men are after, the office sweetheart, if you will. Except in a graphic designers

head, you either love or hate Helvetica, the marmite of the design world. Personally, i love Helvetica, as you can tell otherwise i wouldn’t be making this book; the way the characters sit perfectly with each other, the simple linearity in the

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make up of each letter. The fact you can kern it and have the letters touching and it still reads as legible text, you can do almost anything with it and it will work. Of course on the other hand it has to be used in the right

context, otherwise you have no meaning to using it.

The design of the Haas Neue Grotesk or Helvetica, what its all about is the interrelationship of the negative space, the

figure ground relationship, the shapes between characters and within characters so that the counters and the space between characters just hold the letters. Its a letter that lives in a powerful matrix of surrounding space.

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The great leap in technological development and the introduction of the personal computer revolutionised the world of design: it “democratised” the accessibility of design tools. The effect on typography was

obvious, since the late 1980’s the scene has been dominated by rampant growth and stylistic chaos - every designer having his own style with particular use of one typeface.But Helvetica was always among the

choices of typeface they would use because of its versatility and class. Even those old-fashioned designers who would solve any problem with a handful of typefaces, Helvetica was always among them.

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UseHelvetica

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UseHelvetica

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“Don’t confuse legibility with communication. Just because something is legible doesn’t mean it

communicates and, more importantly, doesn’t mean it communicates the right thing.” - David Carson

Helvetica is one of the most visible sans-serif typefaces in print and advertising.For most designers, that’s a testimony to its versatility and value. But it’s also a reason not to use it too much.Helvetica has become

so overused that it has lost its distinction. When you want to grab attention or emphasise a bit of content, Helvetica is no longer your answer.

The problem with Helvetica is that it allows non-designers to think that they are now the next Muller-Brockmann or Wim Crowel, because by just being able to slap some text on a page and create a poster,

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without any informed decision or concept about what they are doing is all too easy. This is what gets me irate as a designer, people now think that they can just become designers by slapping Helvetica

all over things, they have no appreciation of the relationship between the letters, the surrounding space; or how to kern or set the type on a page. And then they produce what they see as work of design which in truth

is an insult to Graphic Designers.

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Helvetica is the beast of design purely because it is a really, really, well designed typeface, it works for most aspects of design. Its uniform, its no nonsense and that is why it brings problems.

“It’s air, you know. It’s

just there. There’s no choice. You have to breathe, so you have to use Helvetica.” - Erik Spiekermann

This is why people don’t like it because they feel they are forced to use Helvetica and they fight against this hugely

effective typeface to the point where they feel enraged by it. This culminates in them produced less effective design because they have used the most out there typeface because they believe because its more complicated and different, its better.

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beautiful

In my opinion Helvetica is beautiful and is the beauty of design, for me its what graphic design is about. The ability to create something so simple, beautiful and most of all completely effective, if done properly. Most of my work is heavily inspired by Swiss graphic design and Helvetica and other sans-serif typefaces are big parts of Swiss graphic design, and

something i want to discover and explore and i think others should most definitely follow suit. The people that don’t like Helvetica for whatever reason i think should give it a chance and just see how good it can be, its all very well following certain design trends whether they be using the most “hipster” typeface or knocking out type and placing it over photographs.

There is nothing wrong with incorporating these trends into designs but to use them as your basis, but i prefer to instead have a solid, effective and time tested starting point and then incorporate certain trends into my design to keep it current and change it up now and again.

Overall, Helvetica Is...

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Information Sourcing, Layout, Some Words, Production by Greg Ball

Images Sourced From:DesignspirationGoogle ImagesAndFarAway

Words: Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface (Lars Muller)Wim CrowelErik SpiekermannDavid CarsonMichael VanderbylHelvetica: The FilmGreg BallEye

TypothequeWikipedia

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“It’s... oh, it’s brilliant when it’s done well.”

- Mike Parker