Ace Jet 170

Movie Haas

So it was a little touch and go for a while on Friday. I got a call around 4/4.30 from Chris to say Gary had had trouble getting out of Dublin and was running late (images of riotous designers appeared in our minds). But, of course, we needn't have worried; he got here and was ready to go pretty much on time.

Now you must understand, I'm not a Helvetica purist, I'm not a hardcore modernist or anything like that. In fact, other than rising to the implied Lars Müller challenge or being prescribed its use by corporate guidelines, I'd be unlikely to choose the font really, taking the Spiekermann position that there's plenty of more interesting typefaces to use. But for what it's worth, I thought the Helvetica film was a very beautiful piece of work.

Whether you're a lover or a hater it's a film about graphic design and as someone who lives and breaths graphic design, that's just about as perfect a film as I could imagine.

Packed full of typographic details and history (including visits to the Linotype archives and the former Haas Type Foundry), opinions from notable and iconic designers, and of course, Helvetica used and abused; it was nicely paced and sensitively produced, with a great soundtrack. I'm no film pundit, so I won't say much more, other than if you don't get to see it on a big screen get the DVD when it's released in October.

Best bits? Michael Beirut's Coke Ad comparison got the loudest laugh. Wim Crouwel, Experimental Jetset and Massimo Vignelli championed Helvetica brilliantly; the latter snearing at "the disease that was called Post-Modernism". While Spiekermann slammed it's ubiquity, despairing that "...you have to breath so you have to use Helvetica?" and Paula Scher blamed it for both the Vietnam and Iraq wars.

Worst bits? Well, it had to end sometime. Actually, I wouldn't have missed David Carson's contribution if I'm being very honest.

On a personal level I thought it was an ace night and can't wait for the DVD. Gary was a top bloke so even though I imagine he's far too busy to read this: BIG THANKS for coming to Belfast Gary. Special thanks for the badges!

Extra special thanks also have to go to the brilliant Chris Murphy for doing all the hard work and organising the event, and to both Fallt and the Creative Entrepreneur's Club for underwriting it.

And if you were there, thanks for coming!

Our Director is missing!

It's the question on everyone's lips. It's 4.30pm. The film starts at 6.30pm. Our director is stuck in traffic between Dublin and Belfast.

Eek!

Found Helvetica Friday: Danger of Death

There's a lot of electricity round by us. Loads of it. It's like everyone wants some.

Consequently, the Harbour Estate, where our studio is, is a hazardous place, as expressed through the gift of Helvetica and some funny symbols.

My favourite is, clearly, "Danger of Death". Don't you think that first one is very Saul Bass?

Issue Eight

Back in March I'd posted some pics of Issue Six and Seven and explained how they'd had quite an effect on me when I first saw them. More recently I re-discovered this, the next issue. Designed to a larger (A3) format, the sense of scale is powerful.

I think (and please, anyone who knows better do feel free to correct me) that Cartlidge Levene only designed these three editions of the Design Museum's magazine.

A nice bit of Helvetica don't you think?

Swiss Graphic Design

By happy coincidence I just happen to be reading this book by Richard Hollis. Jay from Things To look At had recommended it on NDG a couple of weeks ago when Ben had asked what basic typographic advice you'd give to students.

Even though I'd already bought it and it was waiting in the To Be Read pile, I thought it might have been too niche in that context. Now I'm half way through it I realise I couldn't have been more wrong. I can't think of any other graphic style/movement that was/is so inclusive. From the Arts and right through all levels of industry the Swiss style works, with dynamism, sensitivity and a super cool but still accessible sense of style - with clarity, purpose and economy at it's heart.

I don't know what other reviews are out there but, to me at least, I get the impression that Hollis ready knows his stuff, taking an extremely useful analytical approach at times.

The cut a long story short, Jay was damn right. This book should be essential reading.

With a predominence of Akzidenz Grotesk, Helvetica's forerunner, the book is lavishly illustrated with graphic design classics as well as more obscure examples you'll struggle to find anywhere else.

The only thing I find disappointing about the book is the rather uninspired cover but as soon as you open it that's forgotten.

The Penrose Annual 1966

Helvetiweek has given me the perfect excuse to retrieve those dusty Penrose Annuals from our loft. They're now installed within easy reach downstairs. Full of interesting things, for now though all you're getting is this ad from Linotype for the mighty H.

I really like that bit about how the font has, "roused great interest in the United States..."; they're so progressive in the New World aren't they?

My stamp collection

I did say, "Helvetica-related" didn't I. This is perhaps the smallest stamp collection ever. It's very focused, the criteria being: a) Swiss, and b) Nice.

Wikipedia explains the use of that word, "Helvetia is the Roman name for an ancient region of central Europe occupying a plateau between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. Helvetia corresponded roughly to the western part of modern Switzerland, and the name is still used poetically." The font's name is, of course, a derivative.

Ironically, very few of these actually feature Helvetica. But then, why should they?

I have posted a few of these before, individually, but I thought they might warrant a collective post of their own. My entire collection fits neatly into a Moleskin Pocket Book. There's a few more on Flickr.

It's Helvetica Week!

Here we are then; this Friday Gary Hustwit is popping up the road to show us his film: Helvetica: The Greatest Story Ever Told. And oh, we're so excited!

But if you think we're excited now, just wait until we're at the other end of Helvetiweek.

If anyone's got any amusing Helvetica-related anecdotes or dramatic Neue Haas Grotesk stories, do tell; following last week's request for stuff I've had next to naff-all, except for the rather exciting promise of Neue Grafik spreads from Joe Kral.

So this week I'm going to feature just Helvetica-related stuff and nonsense, with the emphasis on "related", meaning it's not necessarily going to be just a load of Helvetica. I'm hoping it's going to be OK.

Helvetica and Fairchild Semiconductor

This is from another poster we're printing for the Helvetica screening. It's by Fairchild Semiconductor. I don't know Mr Semiconductor, or at least I don't think I do, and don't know his work intimately but I really like this poster. I think it's really interesting.

I like it because it's for the screening that we're very excited about and I actually like the look of it. And I like the idea. The message is coded. It's literally coded and it's conceptionally coded in that you have to work out what the hell it's all about and I like that. But it is all there if you look hard enough. It's cunning too but I won't say why, I'll let you work that out (you'll have to download the pdf to see it properly). It's its cunningness that I really like.

Download fairchild_semiconductor.pdf

I should actually say a big public THANK YOU to Northside, our digital printer, for sponsoring the event by taking care of the posters for us. Specifically to Maria for looking after it.

Thanks Maria.

If anyone's interesting in coming to see the film, you can register and buy tickets here.

Coming soon: Helvetica Week

To whip us all up into a frenzy of Helvetica-ness, in anticipation of the imminent screening of Helvetica Strikes Back (or should that be The Fontom Menace?!?), starting on Monday 25th June it's going to be Helvetica Week on Ace Jet. So if anyone's got any Helvetica-related nuggets of interest please send them my way.

The images used here are stills taken from the Helvetica Film website without permission but with the very best intentions. Hope that's OK.