HELVETICA
Highly highly recommended.
Amazing documentary! It will make any designer feel respected and powerful once again!
It almost felt like I was in a therapy session while watching this.
In a nutshell it’s about the origin of the font, the original font haus and the modernism movement vs. today’s contemporary designers who have a strong use of typography such as D.Carson and the S.Stagmister. Basically typography rules vs. no typography rules.
Vic’s and I were having a discussion the other day about what makes Davis Carson so special and after watching the film I had more respect for him, Raygun and Mario. Stephan Stagmister is also one of those guy’s that was questionable to me before watching this. His big “fuck you” attitude to the modernist movement is very interesting during the film. On a side note, Dan Yomanz (buk freelancer) just recently met him in person at one of his lectures and said he was a really nice and approachable guy. I was waiting for Ben’s idol, Hillman Curtis to appear but no dice, I sorta figured he’d be on this documentry by default.
If I had to choose a side “moderism or contemporary typography” I could be swayed either way. I have always felt there’s a time and place for all uses of typography and if you have the respect and understanding of both, it’s fair game.
Don’t miss this link:
http://www.hillmancurtis.com/hc_web/film_video/source/fof/sagmeister08.php
I’d recommend this book for school projects Vic’s. I love it.
http://www.miltonglaser.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Design-Dissent-Socially-Politically-Graphics/dp/1592533078/ref=pd_sim_b_img_2/104-9065744-0143904
i agree w/ jeff that it’s difficult to choose one movement over another - the best thing about modern design is that more than ever, people are willing to make new rules to better execute the message/campaign. what makes helvetica so amazing is of course, it’s composition, balance, and neutrality - but on the flipside, you have people like carson who are trying to forge something different and make people look at something as typical as typography in a completely new way. part of carson’s uniqueness and the reason i admire him is his ability to take the neutral and totally destroy it / make it into something very evocative by deconstructing its basic components. it’s almost like a throwback to the arts & crafts movement. how do we make something look handmade, or individualistic, full of expression and meaning, in a completely sterilized digital world?
personally i think the challenge today isn’t making something new or following the set path, but finding an aesthetically pleasing balance between art & functionality. what i love over anything else is a design that is unexpected, not necessarily new or classic - just something that works, but surprises me. a good design doesn’t have to break the rules or forge new ones, it’s all about bending and shifting. people are really jaded and i think it’s our job as designers to renew people’s faith in the medium of visual communication.
Comment by Vicki — April 4, 2008 @ 10:37 am