Happy 50th, Helvetica! :)

[2NinerNiner2]

Love it or hate it, Helvetica has been around for a while

http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/exhibitions.php?id=4506&ref=calendar

http://ca.entertainment.yahoo.com/s...official-typeface-20th-century-strong-50.html

http://www.helveticafilm.com/

Cheers!
29.92

 

[Jim Schneck]

Come on...she's not that bad...you just have to get to know her!!!!

 

[Richard Flint]

and I thought it was older than me!

 

[weaselboogie]

I've been camped in my tent out infront of walmart for weeks. Just waiting for the movie to come out directly to dvd.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

ohhhh WOW can't wait till the movie arrives in town ..hope I can get advanced tickets to aviod the rush
thank you n enjoy life

 

[weaselboogie]

watch the trailer. They're hilarious. The guy actually said that "some people like to look at booties. He likes to look at fonts"
I kid you not.

 

[Steve C.]

The documentary was here (in Dallas) last month. I did attend one
of the films at the AFI festival, but did not hear about Helvetica until a
week after it's last showing. Hope it comes back this way.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

Thanks, Steve C. ....I checked the schedule, and as it turns out, the film is being shown, literally, across the street from me, at Concordia University, in May!

And to all that may poke fun at or otherwise deride this endeavor, perhaps a review of some of the recent threads here regarding design ability, or lack thereof, would indicate that any and all information (in this case 'free' - admission to the film is by donation to a local charity) in this area would be a great place to learn and maybe assist in breaking down that "I can't design one for myself" barrier

Cheers!
Lyle

 

[Geary]

I think that Helvetica is one of the most beautiful type faces ever created. The subtle "thicks and thins" of the forms are absolutely perfect. The curves of the rounds and that "R" was ground breaking in it's design. All making for one of the most readable and clean sans serif type styles ever. Many have come into "font design" to add or take away bits to call it many other names...but, there's nothing like looking and working with the real thing. The "bastards" just don't cut it.

And for those who think it's "just a block letter". Try hand lettering it and see how easy it is. LOL

~Gear

 

[Richard Flint]

Your right there 'ol Gear! It one one of the first typestyles my mentor had me master while learning hand lettering. A very effective letter for readability!

 

[weaselboogie]

I love fonts, but I'll wait for the sequel.

 

[Geary]

I remember seeing it spring up in every airport over here after it hit really big in the UK. Oh, remember the arrows that came out with it? Ya gotta just still LOVE that "helvetica arrow in a circle" for directionals. ...right?

 

[Steve C.]

And for those who think it's "just a block letter". Try hand lettering it and see how easy it is. LOL

Ain't that the truth!
I can remember the first time I saw the type on a sign and was really taken
by it's simple beauty. So next time I did a design I thought I'd try using it.
Not so easy. Especially without a full face pattern. But I kept using it for a
while and got tired of it. So a while later I went to work for a large display
company who did a lot of work for Bell Helicopeter. Everything they did was
in Helvetica. I really grew to hate it.