Helvetiwha?

[nyc_skater]

I read in lots of different places how Helvetica is one of the most popular used typefaces...I started thinking today that I don't really see it as often as I think others would like me to believe.

also, i have trouble finding a use for it...i hate how loosy goosy it is, it's to open, somethings just not right about it and i usually find a replacement.

The only thing i do like is a million weights and versions.

[transmit failure]

Well helvetica has been dubbed the typeface without personality. I imagine you see it without even realizing it. Its an extremely versatile typeface with dozens of different weights, while you may not like it or want to use it, I would still recommend exploring the finer details of the many different weights.



The logos of companies like 3M, AGFA, BASF, American Airlines, BMW, Crate & Barrel, Hoover, Lufthansa, Fendi, Knoll, Intel, Motorola, Muji, Nestle, Panasonic, Parmalat, SAAB (Helvetica 83 Heavy Extended), Samsung, Staples, Target, Texaco, and hundreds of other major corporations use Helvetica.

[hewligan]

Helvetica's not so much the typeface without personality as the typeface that has been robbed of its personality by gross overuse in every possible circumstance. Still, sometimes you want a typeface that has no personality to it.

Plus, the ridiculous number of weights available do come in handy. Especially when you want a typeface to start from, but you're going to modify it anyway.

The thing I really didn't get though, is a few years ago when I was designing some BMW ads, and they actually had their own version of Helvetica they'd developed. BMW Helvetica.

There were already something on the order of a million versions of the font available - why on Earth would you actually pay someone to develop another?

In that same job, I'd quite often get ads or logos that needed to be modified, but they were either jpgs or eps with all the text converted to curves, which meant I had to figure out what font they were. That was the job where I developed the principle that "90% of everything is Helvetica. And 90% of everything that is not Helvetica, is something that is close enough that the client will never notice the difference."

A very useful motto when those ad changes come in an hour after the magazine was supposed to have gone to press...

[budafist]

Plus, the ridiculous number of weights available do come in handy.

That's the only reason why I use it.

[The_Black_Knight]

Still, sometimes you want a typeface that has no personality to it.Exactly. Sometimes you don't need a font that shouts, "Look at me! I'm a beautiful font!" Sometimes the information itself is more important than the typeface providing it.

[urstwile]

In the hands of a skilled typographer, Helvetica can strut like the rest of the fancy guys and gals at the ball. Sadly, it's rarely ever used that way because of its ubiquity.

Hewligan, it's not unusual for large corporations to create their own version of a font. For example, IBM has their own Bodoni, AT&T has their own Garamond (as does Apple), Siemen's has its own Frutiger. The differences might be subtle, but they are there. As to why that's done, I'm not entirely sure, as I said, with perhaps the exception of AT&T Garamond, which has much thicker strokes than ITC Garamond, from which it's derived, as well as some custom ligatures created for AT&T specifically. I've never researched it, but I've done work for big corporation clients like that who require you to use their version of a font. In the case of AT&T, they used to require that AT&T Garamond be used for all headlines and subheads, and ITC Garamond was used for body text. IBM required IBM Bodoni to be used for all of their ads.

[hewligan]

Oh, I realise that a lot of corporations do it, but it still seemed crazy.

Actually, my understanding is they do it for cost/legal reasons - if they own the font, they can freely distribute it to whoever they like. On the other hand, if they specified a specific existing version of a font - like, say, ITC Garamond, then if the designer/printer doesn't have a copy, you run into font distribution problems.

[EC]

I like helvetica.

[yarusskii]

arial is a variant of helvetica, there are many different breeds of it.

helvetica has a character
http://podval.ee/templates/TimNew/images/big_logo.gif

[panzer]

aial ambushed helvetica and stole most of its clothes but its still arial :)

[Mynock]

I read in lots of different places how Helvetica is one of the most popular used typefaces...I started thinking today that I don't really see it as often as I think others would like me to believe.

also, i have trouble finding a use for it...i hate how loosy goosy it is, it's to open, somethings just not right about it and i usually find a replacement.
Then you don't design/redesign enough forms.

[nyc_skater]

I find myself using Franklin Gothic at times when I could be sing Helvetica...it almost seems it has less character.

[CamarotaDesign]

I'm really liking using my swiss sets here at work. They are pretty much helvetica, but a lot of variations. Like swiss 911 extra compressed. Works great for coupons because you can cram a lot of info into a small space, but it's still very prominent and legible.

I have a lot of difficulty finding uses for Franklin Gothic, it seems to me to have less personality than Helvetica.

I'm hooked on Futura lately, especially Futura Condensed.

[jsnyder]

I have been using Myriad quite a lot for the last couple of years. It's like Helvetica on valium. It also has a great selection of weights and condensed versions as well as a really broad character set. It's also and excellent font for electronic design. (It reads on screen really well.) I think this is what Apple is using now. Not sure though, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. :^)

Swiss is also great, and Futura.. both great for print.

[Eraser Nubbin]

I hopped on the Franklin Gothic bandwagon as well, it has enough weights to warrant frequent use.

[budafist]

Yes I quite like Futura. It's a bit more interesting as a sans serif IMO. And still has a ton of different weights.

[nyc_skater]

I like Futura a lot too...i recently had to do one of those roving billboard trucks with HUGE lettering on it and Futura was so perfect for it.

Yes I quite like Futura. It's a bit more interesting as a sans serif IMO. And still has a ton of different weights.

[hewligan]

If you like Futura (and I'm a recovering Futura addict myself), you should give Avenir a try. It's basically Adrian Frutiger's take on Futura - and, let's face it, everything is made better by Frutiger having a hand in it. Plus it's also got that whole ridiculous number of available weights going on that make Helvetica and Futura so useful.

[vxhorusxv]

Many fonts by Adrian Frutiger also come in that incredible amount of weights/spacing as well and his fonts tend to have much more personality.

I tend to like Serif faces much better, but there have been instances where they are just inappropriate and a font like Helvetica can be given personality through clever color selection and possible custom embellishments/alterations.

[vxhorusxv]

I should read through to the end of the thread from now on :)

Sorry, Hewligan, didn't mean to steal your thunder !