Helvetica
February 8, 2008
I watched Helvetica the other day, at the recommendation of my good friend Adam. It’s a documentary about the typeface, Helvetica - one that is familiar to all computer users (Mac & PC) and everyone else in the world. Helvetica has always been a font I’ve avoided using because it looks so boring. However, it was really interesting watching this film and hearing perspectives about Helvetica from designers, its creators and severe critics of the typeface. There are some really great interviews in the documentary, including one with German typographer and designer, Erik Spiekermann, in which he talks about how he just loathes Helvetica (it’s quite humorous).
After watching the film, I started to see how Helvetica really can be a beautiful font if used well, and I hope to get a chance to try it out in some future designing. It also inspired me to be on the lookout for Helvetica used around the city. I went to New York City yesterday for the afternoon, and got a chance to photograph Helvetica in action. I’m pretty sure that all of the images in this Helvetica photoset are using Helvetica, but if you notice one that’s not, please let me know.
What about everyone else? Anyone seen the film? Anyone really like or dislike Helvetica?
Tags: Design, Fonts, Graphic-Design, Helvetica, Helvetica Film, Type
Posted in Design, TV & Film ShareThis
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Adam Walker Cleaveland: I am a 28 yr old 
February 8th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I noticed that Netflix has this available for watching instantly online. I’ll be watching it soon.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I’ve been wanting to see this - glad to hear that it’s good! I have a pretty intense love-hate relationship with Helvetica. So much of the design around me is “thoughtless” or “conformist” Helvetica, used simply because it is a visual default (don’t even get me started on that bastard font Arial…). But then again, when used well Helvetica is one of the most beautiful typefaces around.
I wrote a bit about it once, but tossed the piece aside. Seems mildly appropriate, so I’ve pasted it below.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
What a funny topic and while I didn’t know such a film was out there it’s now a ‘must-see’ on my list! I loved Helvetica from my old typesetting days in college. Clean, crisp, bold, but then I’m Swiss so that might explain my love for it. Of course, then Tekton came out and because I’ve always written like an architect (taught myself in college because I hated my cursive writing) it felt like a font made for me.
Okay, now off to check for the film online and off….
February 8th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
i was going to watch helvetica a few weeks ago but then realized it’s basically the same thing as arial, which has been my font of choice since i started using the internets a long time ago. i may still watch it since it’s free on netflix.
February 8th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Dude, next you are going to say that Comic Sans is the font of the future. Wow. Naw, now I just might at it to the ol queue
February 8th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Personally, I love Helvetica. But I’m just odd that way. I’ll definitely have to check out that flick.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:44 am
I really enjoyed the film. It was inspiring (as a designer myself seeing some of the greats speak of their love/hate relationship with the typeface) but also it was a story of the shift of modernity to post-modernity from the perspective of a typeface, Helvetica.
I wrote about my personal feelings on my blog: http://iansoper.com/wp/design/helvetica/
February 9th, 2008 at 1:42 am
I have not seen the movie. However, whereas I do know it’s possible to get Helvetica for a PC, I do know that it’s not a default font. That’s why in the web type specifications it goes “Arial, Helvetica, Sans-serif.”
I think Helvetica is ok. I really like Helvetica Neue.
February 9th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I know I’ve used Helvetica Narrow when space is at a premium, usually in tabular stuff (e.g., spreadsheets), but otherwise, I don’t ever recall choosing it consciously. Helvetica Neue Light looks like it might have some possibilities, though!
February 9th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Uhhh… yeah, that’ll go into my Netflix queue right after that Cannes award winning film “Cursive, the early years; 3rd graders in Sommerville, NJ”
February 10th, 2008 at 3:12 am
To be honest, I was perplexed why they would make a documentary about something like this, but having read a few of the posts, it actually interests me because I’ve never thought about it before, but it makes sense how events going on all around us and philosophical nuances show up in things like font designs, and how they reflect and impact the current “mood” in a particular locale. Very interesting.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I agree with Ian. Especially since I don’t have design experience, for me this documentary was primarily about 20th century culture. And also whether or not meaning is intrinsic within aesthetics.
Excellent recommendation.
February 11th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Don’t let the guys from vaux ppl hear ya or you’ll get an earful!
You don’t allow image tags in your comments?
And @JennySmith: It’s “Helvetica, Verdana, Sans”, just for the record!
February 11th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Don’t know what it’s like up in New Jersey, but most of the highway signs I’ve seen in NC are in Helvetica. Also, don’t know if you’ve read much in the way of Marshall McLuhan (journalist, communications analyst, and witty cultural critic) but he’s got quite a bit to say about how the shape of a font can affect everything from one’s mood at the time of reading to one’s overall perception of the material being read. Quite interesting, if you ask me. Personally, I think that fonts “sans serifs” are quite dull if over-used. In fact, there seems to be an interesting cultural phenomenon afoot wherein more folks are writing books with specially designed (mostly “with serif”) fonts. In some cases, I think this might be McLuhan’s influence…who knows. At any rate, I’d be interested to see the documentary…it sounds sufficiently nerdy for my tastes.
February 16th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
As a font geek, I thought you’d appreciate this: http://blog.extensis.com/typecaster/.