the complete antithesis of helvetica
designer
“I’m obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease. I can’t explain it. I just love, I just like looking at type. I just get a total kick out of it: they are my friends. Other people look at bottles of wine or whatever, or, you know, girls’ bottoms. I get kicks out of looking at type. It’s a little worrying, I admit, but it’s a very nerdish thing to do.” Erik Spiekermann 2
Born in 1947, Erik Spiekermann calls himself an information architect. When it comes to the design of typefaces, Erik sees himself as more of a problem solver than an artist. His process for beginning a new typeface is simple and straightforward. “Identify a problem – like space saving, bad paper, low resolution, on-screen use – then find typefaces that almost work but could be improved,” he explains. “Study them. Note the approaches and failings. Sleep on it, then start sketching without looking at anything else.”1 3
origin
In 1984, the German State Post Office, the Bundespost, was persuaded by Spiekermann of MetaDesign to commission a new, exclusive font for use on all of their printed material. The aim of the project, which began in 1985, was to develop a face that was easy to read in small sizes, available in several weights, unmistakable as an identity, and technologically up-to-date. Although the font was digitized, tested, and
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approved in the summer of 1985, the project was canceled. The Bundespost returned to using one of its many previous typefaces, Helvetica. In 1989 MetaDesign refined the Bundespost typeface for its own exclusive use.
Original pencil sketches for the initial design of Meta clearly show the typefaces’ distinguishable character.
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characteristics 1 2
2
2
3
2
1 flat apex 2 angled finials 3 no spur 4 no loop 5 one junction 6 junction on baseline 7 wavy tail 8 curved leg
5 2
4
2
6
2
2
7 8
6
2
Spiekermann and his design colleagues agreed that they needed a narrow typeface with main strokes that were thick enough to withstand printing on rough paper, but at the same time light enough to allow enough space between individual characters to ensure they are easily distinguished from each other. Capital letters had to clearly mark the beginning of new
words without sticking out obtrusively when used as caps only. The x-height needed to be relatively large, but not too much so. Tension between smooth outer shapes and somewhat squared-off counters was utilized to increase clarity and legibility.2
1
1 1 bent ascenders 2 bent stems 3 bent spur 4 angled finials
5 1
5 open bowl 6 curved tail
1 2
2
2
7 offset junction
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2 4 3
4
4
7
stem
counter form
crossbar
25 years after its inception, the FF Meta Book Roman
Meta Book Italic
Meta Bo
a very flexible superfamily, as fre Meta Bold Roman
8
Meta Bold Italic
spur
tittle
ear
F Meta family has extended to Meta Book Italic Capitals
ook Capitals
esh as it was when it was born. Meta Bold Captials
Meta Bold Italic Captials 9
comparisons
Overall, Meta is a more condensed face than Helvetica. Meta has a slightly lower x-height. Both Meta and Helvetica have thin shoulders. While the dots of Meta letterforms and punctuation are rounded, Helvetica has square dots. The nuanced construction of the Meta typefaces sets it apart from Helvetica’s regularized structure, creating the face’s appealing personality.3
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.!;? .!;? Meta Roman 75pt
Helvetica Regular 75pt
Bundespost Meta Roman 100pt
Bundespost Helvetica Regular 100pt
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Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Meta
Helvetica Neue
Univers
While Helvetica Neue, Univers and Meta are all classified as San Serif, they are clearly unique typefaces. Of the three, Meta is the most condensed and Univers is the most expanded. Helvetica Neue, created by Linotype in 1983, is a revised version of the original Helvetica. The revision resulted in improved appearance, increased legibility, and more weights. Univers was created in 1957 by Adrian Frutiger, who successfully designed an expansive, integrated type family, while simultaneously considering the nuances of each letterform . Meta was the last of the three to be created and was specifically designed to be digitized. 12
erik on helvetica
“A real typeface needs rhythm, needs contrast, it comes from handwriting, and that's why I can read your handwriting, you can read mine. And I'm sure our handwriting is miles away from Helvetica or anything that would be considered legible, but we can read it, because there's a rhythm to it, there's a contrast to it. Helvetica hasn't got [any] of that.�
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references
bibliography
1. Fonts.com, Available at http://www.fonts.com/
Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word up. New
AboutFonts/DesignerProfiles/ErikSpiekermann.htm
York: Watson-Guptil Publications, 1999. (A&A: VNC999.6.G4
Accessed November 1, 2005
M48 1999 and Vault)
2. Spiekermann, Erik. “Post-mortem on a corporate
Spiekermann, Erik and Ginger, E.M. Stop Stealing Sheep &
typeface.� Baseline. 7 (1986): 6-8. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.
Find out how Type Works. USA: Hayden, 1993. (Vault)
<http://www.baselinemagazine.com/browse_buy/
Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces/
magazine/back_issues/7>.
essays by Carolyn Annand ... [et al.]; edited by Philip B.
3. Fontfont.com, Available at https://www.fontfont.com/
Meggs and Roy McKelvey, New York: RC Publications,
fonts/meta Accessed December 6, 2011
c2000. (A&A: Z250 .R45 2000)
4. Leland M. Hill. Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of
http://www.linotype.com
Classic Typefaces (New York: RC Publications), 143, 144.
http://www.fonts.com
5. Ibid., 145.
http://www.fontfont.com http://www.typography.com
book design by Makenzie Kressin Typography, Fall 2011 Washington University in St. Louis
typefaces used include Meta Book Roman, Meta Book Italic, Meta Book Capitals, Meta Book Italic Capitals, Meta Bold Roman, Meta Bold Italic, Meta Bold Capitals, Meta Bold Italic Capitals, Helvetica Regular, Helvetica Neue Regular, Univers 44 Light and Univers 55 Roman
â&#x20AC;&#x153;a typeface for europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest employer has to do more than just look pretty: it has to work pretty hard.â&#x20AC;? erik spiekermann