Task 8 Part 1: Zine Concept
Content and thumbnails for my zine design | By Zara Goodman
Content Description
I'm passionate about the Helvetica typeface, which I consider to be the most sleek, clean, and well-formed typeface in existence. It is one of my favourites for its beautiful forms and edges, easy readibility, and versatility. It both aesthetic and practical! For my zine design, I have decided to explore the history and legacy of Helvetica in response to criticisms over its relevance in contemporary design as tech giants like Google, Apple, Netflix, and so on create their own standard, multipurpose sans serif types. My zine will refute these claims that Helvetica is outdated and no longer relevant or desirable by highlighting that it is the 'king of the sans serifs" and that the typefaces created by Google and Apple would not exist without the superior Helvetica. My zine aims to convince readers and viewers of the inherent and innate beauty and quality of Helvetica, which stands out amongst the storm of poor, kitschy, and inelegant typefaces in contemporary design. Helvetica is perfect - the epitome of modernity, pure elegance, with an immortal stature, nothing needs to be added or taken from it. The title of my zine will be "Helvetica is Not Dead, Long Live Helvetica." I will be using neutral colours on white paper, and adopting a collage art concept of Helvetica captured in various uses, whilst maintaining strong, clean, minimalist elements. I'll source existing images of Helvetica's use within city spaces, print and digital material, and so on and create collages.
I'm passionate about the Helvetica typeface, which I consider to be the most sleek, clean, and well-formed typeface in existence. It is one of my favourites for its beautiful forms and edges, easy readibility, and versatility. It both aesthetic and practical! For my zine design, I have decided to explore the history and legacy of Helvetica in response to criticisms over its relevance in contemporary design as tech giants like Google, Apple, Netflix, and so on create their own standard, multipurpose sans serif types. My zine will refute these claims that Helvetica is outdated and no longer relevant or desirable by highlighting that it is the 'king of the sans serifs" and that the typefaces created by Google and Apple would not exist without the superior Helvetica. My zine aims to convince readers and viewers of the inherent and innate beauty and quality of Helvetica, which stands out amongst the storm of poor, kitschy, and inelegant typefaces in contemporary design. Helvetica is perfect - the epitome of modernity, pure elegance, with an immortal stature, nothing needs to be added or taken from it. The title of my zine will be "Helvetica is Not Dead, Long Live Helvetica." I will be using neutral colours on white paper, and adopting a collage art concept of Helvetica captured in various uses, whilst maintaining strong, clean, minimalist elements. I'll source existing images of Helvetica's use within city spaces, print and digital material, and so on and create collages.
Content - Text
This is all the text that I would like to feature in my zine design. Whether or not I include portions will depend on experimentation and the iterations and drafts I produce.
Front Cover: Helvetica is Not Dead. A zine by Zara Goodman.
Body: Helvetica King of Type, neo-grotesque, sans serif
Born Neue Haas Grotesk, 1957, Swiss typeface designer, Max Miedinger
Haas Type Foundry, Influence 19th century Akzidenz-Grotesk.
Guiding us. Leading us. Directing us. Through uncertainty and routine.
Guiding us. Leading us. Directing us. Through uncertainty and routine.
To new and unfamiliar places. Into the future. As good kings do.
A modern type. A very clear type. Good for everything. You can say ‘I love you’ in Helvetica and you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it is really intense and passionate. When Helvetica came about, we were all ready for it. It just had all the right connotations that we were looking for, for anything that had to spell loud and clear ‘MODERN.’ – Massimo Vignelli, Italian Designer, on Helvetica
Readible, versatile, sleek, clean, well-formed, beautiful, powerful, aesthetic and practical, legacy
A modern type. A very clear type. Good for everything. You can say ‘I love you’ in Helvetica and you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it is really intense and passionate. When Helvetica came about, we were all ready for it. It just had all the right connotations that we were looking for, for anything that had to spell loud and clear ‘MODERN.’ – Massimo Vignelli, Italian Designer, on Helvetica
Readible, versatile, sleek, clean, well-formed, beautiful, powerful, aesthetic and practical, legacy
Epitome of modernity, pure elegance, immortal stature
Other typefaces come and go. Helvetica remains. Helvetica is the future.
Back Cover: Long Live Helvetica
Content - Images
These are the images that will feature in my zine design via collage art form.
Concept Designs
These are the original concept designs for my zine design.
DVB201 Typographic Design
Assessment 2: Typographic Composition
Semester 1, 2022 | Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
