Design Essay Example: Helvetica Font

The Helvetica font is neural and precise. Due to its precise quality, it can be used for different communication needs ranging from corporate to logotypes. As seen in the feature film, Helvetica (2007) by Gary Huswit, typographers can send great messages efficiently in banners, street names, graffiti and posters using Helvetica. Its association with neutrality and precision means messages are dependable, conservative and pleasing to the viewers. The neutrality of Helvetic also means that it can be made to work in all situations and communication needs. It fits in different applications and communication medium since it is balanced and neutral. Neutrality also means stat Helvetic can be used for various needs and in diverse manners like most typefaces. While most fonts that are neural tend to be dull and appear uneven, Helvetica avoids those limitations.

Additionally, the Helvetic typeface has a simplistic appeal. As seen in the feature film, this font is a sans serif with a beautiful appeal. Like most san serifs, Helvetic is looking dull, authentic and modern. It generates a good environment to learn the meaning passed by the typographer. The benefit of using sans-serif is evident in that it is simple and easy to read. The Helvetica 20007 film shows that the san serif has an aesthetic appeal when to come to design. Unlike serifs which are better used in the context of reading, sans-serif typeface, like Helvetica, are better regarding design since it easily grabs attention in a simplistic way. Its ability to fit different backgrounds makes it a handy tool for designers who not only want to ensure precision but also make well-drawn types. Additionally, Helvetica looks simple and plain since it is not excessively decorated. This adds to its neutrality advantage and ensures that it does not bring or impact any extra meaning beyond the words it creates.

Although Helvetica stands out as neutral, there is no typeface that is fully neutral. Thus, the objectivity of Helvetica font and neutral is a myth. This myth has nonetheless ensured that Helvetica remains one of the most used typefaces across the world. It would, therefore, be hard to speak of the neutrality myth of Helvetica while it is capable of creating its reality. Thus neutrality is self-fulfilled and allows both graphic designers and viewers to pay particular attention to design as a whole and neutral typography layer as a means of keeping the idea of a clear and readable font. To satisfy this need, the film notes that Helvetic become increasingly used in different settings, and as a result, it was misused. The unavailability of a neutral alternative and the association of Helvetica with many things prompted the resistance to what appeared as conformity to a dull and same Helvetica font.

The belief that Helvetica is a ubiquitous font has well been confirmed in the video. The font has for a long time been associated with corporate dominance and conformity t brands. The video has proved that Helvetica font is still the choice of many typographers despite recent rejection of its strength. The interviewees in the Helvetic video agree that Helvetica is a default font for many applications. It is also known that Helvetica is the option font type or desktop computers and a practical choice for corporations. Its use is close to that of tie news Romans. Additionally, Helvetica is believed to be a popular font partly due to extensive options for weight and width. However, the use of Helvetica as seen in the video shows that its not s superior typeface to other alternatives like Gothic or Myriad. Currently, graphic designers have stated running away from the use of Helvetica partly due to its commonness. The usual assumption that Helvetica the dominant and superior font is not necessarily correct.

There is a close relationship between Helvetia and modernism beliefs. The film by Gary Huswit reveals that the most sans serf font is a product of the modernism beliefs. It captures the preferences of modernism ideas and preferences of both simplicity and clarity. As a result, Helvetica is the key option for representing great ideas of modernism. However, the widespread application of Helvetica in all aspects of communication has created boredom ad lack of uniqueness among graphic designers. With the onset of postmodernism, the subjective nature of the notion of modernism that helped shape Helvetic has been challenged. Post modernism has washed away most the reasons that gave modernistic designers good reasons to choose Helvetica over other face options.

The film, while touching on the strengths of Helvetica, has not sufficiently resolved the issue of its lasting modernistic impacts. The strong persuasive power of Helvetic has not been explained by the designers interviewed by Gary Huswit. It feels reasonable to argue that Helvetica is both a neutral, appealing and straightforward font type but one that lacks the artistic appeal of postmodernism. When viewers and message communicated using Helvetic font, there is a feeling of neutrality and affirmation. In the modernism, Helvetica palsy a metaphorical role. However, this function has not been sufficiently elaborated.

Gary Huswit documentary gives a comparison between Helvetica type and its impacts on the design of classic brands. This analogy in the film has been provided by Beirut, who states that the relationship between Helvetica and graphic design is linked to the revolution of the profession of typography. The documentary further notes that Helvetica refers to the graphic design it and reflect the ideology of graphic design. More specially, Helvetic represents the fundamental notion of modernism. The reasons why this issue has not been resolved is due to its differing interpretations. Some of the designers in the film claim that Helvetica depicts capitalist ideology while others insist that it portrays socialism. However, its agreed that Helvetica upholds the modernism approaches to life with its ability to pass messages about various human experiences. This is achieved through its perceived neutrality. Designers belie Helvetica has the secret to keeping meaning clear and concise and give designers a way of ensuring quality art solutions.

One of the cultures of design is the coorporate design, which is the visual language of corporations. In the late 20th century, the Helvetic typeface was the font of corporate design. To some viewers, the link between capitalism and Helvetica has a moral dimension especially on matters of the Vietnam War. A lot of the corporate organisations that Helvetica represented towards the end of the 20th century were capitalist. Their support for view aware could make viewers associate the font with the aggressive characteristic of capitalist and support. Gary Huswit film does not fully resolve the capitalist aspect of Helvetica and does not address in detail the moral aspect of suing fonts that have a symbolic meaning.

Reference

Gary Huswit (2007). Helvetica. https://www.youtube.com/watch=chXbq2tTIi0