What the Buzz?

Okay, so here is my question...  What is the buzz about Helvetica?  I mean, I've seen the movie.  Yippidie Dee... It's a typeface that "captures the human essence in it simplicity."  I think it's a clean/ reliable font, but there are more fonts out there that can do the job of Helvetica.  

Arial, although accused of being a bootleg Helvetica, has similar properties to the popular typeface.  It has a slightly more curvaceous look to it, but it's simple enough in the sense that it makes for an easy read.

What about Comic Sans?  Many typographer detest comic sans, but it is a very useful and very simple font.  Comic sans is a dominating font on most cellular phones because of how easy it is to read in such a small point size.

Maybe I'm trying to stir the waters of the type world, but it's worth the risk.  There are thousands of typefaces out there and, while many of them are useless, many more can find there home in the graphic design world.  

What do you think?

The New Alphabet

Hmmm... When thinking of the new alphabet, a few words come to mind. The readability issues up the wall and Far too abstract for my liking... Although the new alphabet is artistic, it wouldn't be a type form that I would recommend a Designer use for more than a display font. According to Ellen Lupton's Thinking With Type, it is a typeface consisting of "no diagonals or curves".
As any typographer would know, a typeface is defined as useful or poor based, partially, on it's readability, legibility, and scalability. The new typeface has a unique style and interpretation of Roman letter forms, but there is far too much negative space which, in turn, reduces the readers ability easily recognize words or phrases. For example, the "W" in the New Alphabet looks much like the "U" in most recognizable type faces, and the "A" looks like a backwards "L". When placed next to other letter forms, some faces of the New Alphabet blend in with others further distorting the reliability of the New Alphabet.

This is one typographer's look on the issue. What do you think?

Check out the New Alphabet at: http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/teachers/type_lecture/history_crouwel.htm

The Matrix

   Okay, for those of us who've watch "The Matrix", we know and understand the underlying meaning behind the film. One of the main principles of the matrix is that it is a program based upon rules. The governing rules help maintain order over the people who live within the Matrix and all other operating systems attached to it. (ie: programs and this of that nature) Even though the Matrix is a creation of the human mind, I find that it parallels a certain aspect of Typography and Graphic Design in general. The aspect of the grid can serve as a mini matrix for all typographical/ graphic-design works.  Much like a line said by Morpheus in the Matrix, "This system is based on a set of rules. Some may be bent... Others can be broken..."  

   The point of this entry is that the grid is a part of Graphic Design that I've been introduced to recently. Many people with intuitive design styles may find grids to be useless or even distracting when, in actuality, a grid can serve as a very useful tool. A grid is can be nothing more than a marker and a set of guidelines within which a designer chooses to operate.  Like the matrix, it's all a game of choice.  

"Now hit me... if you can..."

Graffiti vs. Graphic Design

I've always had a question as to whether or not Graffiti is/could be considered a form of graphic design.  Graffiti, as we all know, is an art form who's main focus is the creation of graphical elements through the use of spray paint.  The origins of Graffiti go way back in history before people could give it a name.  One of the earliest forms is a caricature of a Pompeiian politician in the Ancient times.  

Typographical elements are a key part to Graffiti work.  Although considered to be illegal, because its defective nature, Graffiti often combines similar elements that exist in the world of Graphic Design.  Many of the issues that a typographer would have to address are the same ones that a tag artist would have to consider.  

The only outstanding difference between Graffiti art and Graphic Design is the readability of the typographical elements.  The main focus in Typography is to create a composition where the words are readable, legible, memorable, and scaleable.  I tag artist has some leg room when it comes to those issues.  

So, what do you think?  Could Graffiti be considered a form of Graphic Design?

Typographica

Typographica is the title of a web page that I recently discovered. It is simply a journal dedicated to type. The page is updated and edited by a Stephen Coles and amongst the articles listed are several topics pertaining to popular type and the use of type. It is a great web page/ resource for anyone who would like to keep up with the favorite listings of type throughout the early part of the decade. Although there are some interesting facts, the page could use a little more animation and life. But, the information is strong enough and worth the while to check out. The page contains several links to other font sites in the case that you see a font that you would like to purchase.


Check it out:

http://typographica.org/

The Critique

The critique of the personal logos was a truly fruitful one. I, for one, must apologize for not contributing more to these blogs. Anyhow, the main focuses in creating the logos were to create marks that were legible, scale-able, and unique. The most difficult aspect of creating a mark that would some up ones character into two letter-forms was/is creating a mark that is simple and to the point. Often times, a designer might be tempted to create elaborate works of art when a logo, especially when dealing with treatments that represent corporate identities, should be simplistic in design and unique in composition. Many of my classmates had created logo marks that fit the mold of creating these logos. I found that the purpose of the project was dealt with in individualistic ways, yet the creativity of them didn't overwhelm the corporate aspect.

Logos are seen everywhere. They are often the most taxing pieces of design-work that a designer must create. Gaining a foothold in composing logos is a skill I can appreciate.

House Industries

House Industries. . . This particular industry stuck out the most, in my opinion, because of the way they use type as a design element. I'm not trying to say that all typography is the same and that House is a revolutionary buisiness front. I just found that house handles their type extraordinarily well. Their case studies portfolio was the most interesting to me. To apply text and graphics to clothing and bags is an ingenious idea. I feel like they handle their type in a very urban way. Their designwork simply seems to flow.

Check their stuff out at:
http://www.houseind.com/index.php?page=inthenews