Bigger than Helvetica

So I have this assignment (which I’ve just completed) where we have to replicate with precision a double spread layout from a magazine.

It took me hours just to find one that wasn’t using a commercial font (ie. Go and pay for it) in the end the one I used DID use something commercial, but I found a free ‘similar’ substitute ie. 6+ tiny things different.

I really would’ve enjoyed the exercise if not for that… okay I did enjoy it. Mostly.

The world of typefaces is much much bigger than you can imagine.

I also had the immense privilege the other day of watching the movie Helvetica. It’s a full length documentary on the typeface Helvetica, and it’s fascinating. I’d been hanging out to one-day see it. It was worth it. It did help me understand designers like Erik Spiekermann a little more in that my view was slightly tarnished by being dumped early in the deep end at uni one day and having to re-design an article about him after just discovering he’s some ‘great’. I felt small.

None of this moody lot of brooding black-wearing, art-fantasizing, genius, individual-clones. Designers are quite a down-to-earth, friendly lot.

Chums. I’m pleased to be chasing the dream… even if I still am not 100% sure it is mine yet.