the final project: out with the old and in with the neue
a zine about helvetica neue. by victoria henriksson n10758321
the inspiration
I was heavily inspired by zines, which challenged the traditional aspects of graphic design. I love designs that feature and celebrate free-flowing, organic shapes, typeface manipulation, and interesting texture overlays. I want to be able to capture and create an old magazine-style zine that features old printer imperfections, crumpled paper, and halftone overlays. I also really love the pops of color, especially the royal blue. I love how the images have been manipulated, overlaid, and texturized. Since I want my zine to showcase the ways a traditional font can be used in a non-traditional way, I want to take inspiration from the zines and use the liquify tool in Photoshop and the blur tools.
the planning
Perhaps the most challenging part of this project was taking the first step to draft the plan. Luckily, I found it very easy to get all of my ideas down on my first draft, which I created with the iPad application Procreate. Interestingly enough, I also found that I did not stray too far from my original draft during my proper design. I only changed one or two minor details, but I was very happy to stick with my original idea. Again, I was very fortunate to already be familiar with the Adobe Creative Cloud tools, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I decided to do my initial layout of the art board in Illustrator so I could import them one by one as I finished them. I did a quick mockup of how each page will look, just to familiarize myself with the scale and visual aspects. From here, I started to have a quick play around with different tools in Illustrator to make sure I was able to print the pages in the order of a booklet. This took me way too long to wrap my head around, but in the end I was able to figure out the order in which the pages would be printed correctly.
colour experimentation
Before starting the design process, I decided I needed to choose my color scheme. I found a great website: https://www.randoma11y.com/, which randomly generates colour schemes from design projects. After flicking through pages and pages of colors, I had saved my potential finals. After narrowing down to about 6 color schemes, I did a mockup of a page from my zine, and from there I was able to create various masking layers on Photoshop to see how the colors looked in a design. I was really keen on all of the schemes, so I did a print test to see which showcased the best in a physical copy, and I ended up choosing an ink blue with a vintage rose.
the creation
the final zine
written content & reference list
Helvetia Neu has become a symbol of modernity and professionalism, often associated with minimalist and contemporary design aesthetics.
Designer :
The Helvetica font was designed by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger and his collaborator Eduard Hoffmann. It was released in 1957 by the Haas Type Foundry in Switzerland. Helvetica quickly gained popularity due to its clean and versatile design, and it has since become one of the most widely used typefaces in the world.
Helvetica Neue has become closely associated with the modernist design movement of the mid-20th century. Its clean and minimalistic aesthetic aligns with the movement's emphasis on functionalism, simplicity, and clarity in design.
Type trends:
Helvetica Neue is a classic. It features a clean and simple design with uniform stroke widths and no serifs. It is known for its excellent legibility and versatility, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. The typeface has become a popular choice within the design industry, including graphic design, advertising, branding, web design, and signage. Luckily for designers, its simplistic and clean form can be used and manipulated into more non-traditional designs, letting the imagination run wild.
Old vs. Neue:
One of the key differences between Helvetica and Helvetica Neue is the enhanced legibility and improved spacing in the latter. The Neue version offers a more balanced appearance and increased readability, especially at smaller sizes. It also introduces subtle variations in the letterforms, such as slightly curved stroke terminals and more open counters, giving it a slightly softer and more modern look.
Weights:
Helvetica Neue is available in multiple weights, ranging from ultra-light to extra-bold, allowing for flexibility in designs. It also offers condensed and extended variations, providing further options for different typographic designs. The typeface's neutrality and simplicity make it compatible with a wide range of design styles and contexts.
Conclusion reflection:
Overall, I think this project has been one of the most satisfying design compilations I have ever created. By taking a classic font such as Helvetica Neue and being able to create something very non-traditional while still maintaining its visual form and characteristics, it is extremely rewarding. By being able to manipulate and explore this typeface’s shape and form, my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of graphic design. I have also been able to explore different features with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign, which has also expanded my graphic design horizons. Who said the classics had to be classic? To re-invent Helvetica is to re-invent design.
Allen, C. (2022, September 1). The story of the world's most famous Font: Helvetica. Design & Paper. https://www.designandpaper.com/the-story-of-the-worlds-most-famous-font-helvetica/
CreativePro. (2023, January 16). Helvetica vs. Neue helvetica: The same but different. CreativePro Network. https://creativepro.com/helvetica-vs-neue-helvetica-same-but-different/
Hustwit, D. (Director). (2007). Helvetica [Documentary/Indie film ]. Swiss Dots; Veer.
Petzold, D. (2022, July 2). Helvetica Neue Font family by linotype. WE AND THE COLOR. https://weandthecolor.com/helvetica-neue-font-family-linotype/32889
Zine inspiratino images: www.pinterest.com.au/plahnt/zine/
