1. How does a typeface create a mood, feeling or image? Can
you describe an occasion when you had a particular reaction to
something in print, not because of the content, but because of the
typeface?
2. In HELVETICA, design writer Richard Poynor says, “The designer
has an enormous responsibility” as the person who is “putting
wires into our heads.” What does he mean? How would you define
that responsibility?
3. Think of the font you most commonly use when working on your
computer. Which one is it and why do you use that one?
4. American designer David Carson says, “Don’t confuse legibility
with communication.” What does he mean? What’s the difference
between them?
5. How is design an expression of the times? How does politics
affect the art of design?
6. What is your reaction to the grunge style of type and design? Why
do you think you respond to it that way?
7. Imagine that the post office, your local bank or other government
or corporate entity whose signage is familiar to you started using
a different typeface. How would that change their image or your
feeling about that business or organization?
8. What might you take away from this film in terms of possible
effects on your work or other aspects of your daily life?
9. What changes, if any, has this film made in how you think about
print and graphic design? The responses are in the comment sections below.
1. Typefaces create a mood, feeling, and image by giving visual clues. Such as importance, how it should be taken, it creates mood and atmosphere. It can affect how you feel by looking at or reading the text. Typeface helps readers interact with the piece. To me it creates a little voice in my head and effects how it is read and taken. There is no specific time that I remember reading a fount and had a reaction, but I do know the font does effect me somehow. Weather I feel happy or sad when I read it or if it looks boring or entertaining. Those are just examples, but it does in someway cause a reaction. That’s just me though.
ReplyDelete9. Well first off it made me realize that some people are really obsessed and dedicated to this stuff. They actually take the time on every little letter to make it that way. I used to just pick out a fount and not give a thought, it is weird to think someone took hours or weeks to design each letter. I guess I just notice stuff more like on posters or books or signs.
3. The founts I usually use are Times New Roman and arial just because the computer is usually set on those when I go to type or for school I am required to use that fount. I am not doing many creative projects on the computer that require me to change the fount. MLA format is Times new Roman, so for all my English essays I used that and it transfered into my other classes unless they tell me otherwise.
8. It just makes me want to use more founts and test them out. It sounds silly but it does, like to see what moods and feelings I can create when I type or write. It is kind of cool. The only thing it really affects on my daily life is when I look at things I ask myself, well how does that make you feel?
Helvetica Notes
ReplyDelete1. Typefaces create a subconscious reaction like the weather or maybe the color of something. I take a lot of notice to different fonts used and one that really struck me was Rennie Mackintosh, the font used for the American Horror Story title. It creates an eerie abstract feeling that gives you that insight to what the show will be about.
4. “Don’t confuse legibility with communication.” David Carson made a very interpretable statement here. I think it means that someone having the ability to read something is very different than being able to comprehend what it is trying to convey. Legibility is just being able to read the text. Communication is really hitting home with that message and making the meaning completely clear.
5. Depending on what’s trendy that will reflect the typeface because it creates subconscious feelings like I said in the first answer. So as of right now soft grunge, indie, edgy, in your face, “make a difference” type stuff is popular. That’s reflected by the use of stencil fonts, handwritten looking fonts, a lot of bold, and plain white text over colorful pictures.
9. I take notice of the more basic fonts than I did before.
1) A typeface creates a mood, feeling or image by channeling human thought and emotion. As we grow and develop, we are trained to associate certain things with certain feelings and thoughts; crooked lines are chaotic, clean straight lines are professional, soft curves are peaceful and so on. I’m a fan of typography that uses a different typeface for each word, so anything that beautifully combines multiple typefaces into one coherent design, no matter the message it conveys really appeals to me.
ReplyDelete2) By saying “The designer has an enormous responsibility” as the person who is “putting wires into our heads,” Poynor simply means that design forms so much of the way we think. It’s everywhere and seeing it everyday begins to mold our thoughts in one direction or another. Thus, designers have an immense task: picking the direction in which to steer our thoughts.
6) The grunge style of type and design, I think, is as unique and revolutionary a movement as Helvetica. It does the same thing as Helvetica, as well, in a more general way. It changes the way you view whatever it is that is in the Grunge style. I think it’s fascinating and beautiful in it’s own way, but just like clean neat typography, grunge has an appropriate time and place.
9) I think this film has definitely illuminated graphic design to me. It was a subject that was previously just pushed to the back of my mind, but I find myself noticing, now, really good and really bad typography. I pay more attention to fonts as I realize what I like and what drives me nuts. It has sparked a delight at this new art form which I hadn’t previously delved into.
1. Fonts can create moods by the look of them.Something boring can cause a more non-interested mood, while something fun and creative causes a more bubbly and energetic mood.I was trying to read a long page of text for homework, and I could barely even focus on the content. The typeface was so boring that I kept drifting off. There was nothing on the page to keep my eyes interested.
ReplyDelete3. I use Times New Roman the most. It is Needed for MLA format. Most of my Teachers require it. And It is just enough to keep the eyes from drifting away from the page without completely distracting someone.
6. I enjoy the grunge look of things.I have an eye for older things like the more vintage, used look. I have grown up around things from the more grunge era.
9. After watching Helvetica I am more interested in the typeface.I am less oblivious to the typeface of things I see every day, and I notice things more.
1. A skinny typeface presents a meek image, while a bolded type shows power. A font with serifs seems more formal than a font without and a font that has been manipulated conveys whatever the artist wishes it to. When I see FONT LIKE THIS I tend to reacted excited or angrily.
ReplyDelete3. The font type I use when I am working on my computer depends on the work I am doing. If I am doing some personal writing, I often will work in papyrus. It is a casual typeface and reminds me of a period when I was obsessed with anything Egyptian. If I am doing more formal work I will usually type in Times New Roman, as that is what I was taught to use in Freshman English.
6. Personally, I enjoy the grunge type design. It is cutting edge and really shows the emotion of the artist. The grunge style feels like my personality, but in a font that can be shown to other people as well.
9. Up until I watched the film I hadn't any idea that fonts were designed. I had always thought that fonts were just always there and came with the software that people bought. Even the smallest details seem a lot more complicated.
1. Typeface creates a mood just like music does by using a theme or some sort of association that allows one to make connections that creates a reaction. I have had a strong reaction to typeface in band logos. The logo for the band Evanescence struck me because of all the little details incorporated into an otherwise simple font. Because they dragged out the serifs and added small designs, it comes of as very dramatic and dark, but still beautiful and classic.
ReplyDelete2. Poynor is trying to say that designers have a lot of power. They get to choose what the public sees on a daily basis, and depending on the feeling it gives people, those decisions can be the difference between a gloomy, cheery, or utilitarian society. They are responsible for the way the consumer feels or how much they buy the product or if they give any attention to an advertisement.
5. Design is not only use to create feeling in the viewer, it is also used to express the feelings of the designer. If a group of designers feel oppressed or angry with the way the country is run or an election is coming up and they want to influence viewers, their designs will express that. In return, that time period will be remembered by the anger, passion, or glee that was given off by the designs and they may become iconic, like the Obama hope poster.
9. The film has somewhat changed by appreciation for the new, ‘cleaner’ way of presenting things. I had not realized how wide spread Helvetica was or how jumbled and flashy the ‘50s were. I am not quite fond of the current zeitgeist. I understand that it is hard to come up with something one hundred percent original, but I think the current trend is to be either too simple or too flashy, and neither trend has much originality. I have an even greater respect for the ‘60s and ‘70s fonts and the rebellion and creativity behind them, not to mention the fact that they were hand made!
1. It can create moods. Examples: Serious, elegant, happy, creepy, relaxed, happy. Examples of occasions: Covers of books, if I want something creepy and the font has a creepy mood about it, then I will probably look at it. Just the cover of anything really and posters I will probably buy if the font is also cool along with the picture. Or say a poster is supposed to be sad and if the font is kind of droopy then I might feel sad or depressed, maybe lonely.
ReplyDelete4. “Don’t confuse legibility with communication.” It means something like just because it’s easy to read, doesn’t mean that it’s getting across what you want. The words or the font of the words should help speak the meaning of whatever it is you are writing or trying to get across to other people. The difference is that legibility just means that it’s easy to read, but communication is actually getting the meaning of what you want across to the people you’re projecting it to.
8. I will probably notice different fonts and stuff more. Maybe, do more research on it and look for it actually. It, also, made me want to be a graphic designer more. I wasn’t totally into it, but this made me realize how cool it is.
9. It made me appreciate the time and effort it takes to create something. It’s made me think about the tiny details and how they bring a poster or a cover of something together.
1. Depending on the style, a typeface can create a mood or image because of the artistic edge that people give it. Simple designs or patterns can change the way it looks. I feel like this particularly applies to graffiti, because you can love the way it looks without even caring that much about what it even says.
ReplyDelete3. I usually use Ariel or Times New Roman, just because they are usually the default type that is already set on the program. If I'm feeling artsy or writing something personal I might change it to a crazy font, like cursive.
6. I liked it, because I like the edgier, darker, and more unique kinds of typeface. Using font type like Helvetica just seems boring and is okay for pure information, but I feel like if you want to entertain and catch the eye, the word "dog" really should bark!
9. Not so much changed the way I view print and graphic design, but got me thinking about it in the first place. I never realized how much of an affect simple text can make and how much effort people put into it. Even two typefaces that look identical are still different, because the edges of the letters could be different, and that's a lot of detail that normal people don't even think about.
- Ariana Cirelli