Helvetica, the typeface used in the corporate logos of Gap, Panasonic and Tupperware, turns 50 this year. Lars Mueller has managed to write an entire book about the Swiss font and a documentary devoted to the typeface was screened back in March at the SXSW Film Festival in Texas.
According to Neville Brody, a graphic designer and typographer interviewed for an article on the BBC website:
"Typefaces control the message. Choice of font dictates what you think about something before you even read the first word. Imagine Shakespeare in large capital drop shadow. Our response would be quite different towards the content."
Perhaps this is why teachers around the world use Comic Sans as the default worksheet font (my English cousin pointed this out, rolling her eyes): it says, “Hey kids! Do this worksheet that I’ve made to look super-fun, but is actually quite boring and serves only to allow me a few minutes of quiet time at my desk.”
There is actually a Ban Comic Sans website where you can buy merchandise, sign a petition and post photos.
So what is YOUR favourite font? Is it the Helvetica rip-off, Arial? Do you like the old school typewriter feel of Courier? Do you like the impact of, um, Impact? Or do you exist in the world of Zapf Dingbats?
Or do you have better things to do than care about types of typeface?
4 comments:
I had always thought that teachers used Comic Sans because the a was the same as the a children are taught to print and therefore easier for them to read. Whereas other fonts such as this one have an a that is less easily recognised.
Ah, so there may be some method in the madness of teachers...
well that's doubtful...method to the madness that is.
anyway, i actually do not have much better to think about and thus i cast my vote for the elegant century gothic. a lovely font.
The Austrians came up with the Cuckoo clock, the Swiss just stole the idea and will never admit it, no comment, its impossible we are Swiss. "O" you forgot history's longest running mercenary group the Swiss Guard or Papal Guard, they did not get the job through been known as fair,,,,, I always look to the futura Sorry I was just drawn to the article title
Post a Comment